Nigeria: A New History of a Turbulent Century

by Richard Bourne

Overview

'If you want to understand Nigeria's history in one succinct go, this is a very good choice.'
Noo Saro-Wiwa

Known as the African Giant, Nigeria's story is complex and often contradictory. How, despite the ravages of colonialism, civil war, ongoing economic disappointment and most recently the Boko Haram insurgency, has the country managed to stay together for a hundred years? Why, despite an abundance of oil, mineral and agricultural wealth, have so many of its people remained in poverty?

These are the key questions explored by Richard Bourbane in this remarkable and wide-ranging account of Nigeria's history, from its creation in 1914 to the historic 2015 elections and beyond.

Featuring a wealth of original research and interviews, this is an essential insight into the shaping of a country where, despite the seemingly dashed optimism that was raised at independence, there still remains hope 'the Nigeria project' may still succeed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781780329062
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	11/15/2015
Pages:	344
Sales rank:	730,033
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Richard Bourbane is senior research fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London, and a trustee of the Ramphal Institute, London. He is the author of Catastrophe: What Went Wrong in Zimbabwe? (Zed, 2011) and Lula of Brazil (Zed, 2008).
Richard Bourbane is senior research fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London, and a trustee of the Ramphal Institute, London. He is the author of Catastrophe: What Went Wrong in Zimbabwe? (Zed, 2011) and Lula of Brazil (Zed, 2008).

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Timeline xiii

Acronyms and abbreviations xx

Map of Nigeria xxiii

Section 1 1914-39: Invention of a country 1

1 A merger makes a large possession for Britain 3

2 First World War: Nigeria on the front line 16

3 Lugard struggles with opponents 26

4 Between the wars: Nigeria is not a single state 32

5 Between the wars: the economy in a world depression 39

6 Between the wars: a new assertive nationalism 43

Section 2 1939-64: Rocky road to freedom 55

7 Another world war and strategic importance 57

8 Political change and divisive regionalism 69

9 Regional governments and the coming of independence 78

10 The joy of independence 88

11 Overture to disaster 96

Section 3 1964-89: The shadow of the generals 109

12 Military coups, Biafra and civil war 111

13 Reconstruction, another coup and the craving for democracy 130

14 A second republic, its short, inglorious life and its overthrow 142

15 Bubari, IBB and a new military era 157

Section 4 1989-2014: A decade of pain, then disappointment in democracy 173

16 The annulment of an election puts Nigeria on edge 175

17 The disastrous Abacha years 189

18 Democracy, and the return of Obasanjo 201

19 Yar'Adua, Jonathan and threats in the Delta and the northeast 224

Section 5 Reflections 241

Politics as business 245

Ethnicity and religion 250

Oil, inequity and poverty 258

One Nigeria? 265

Afterword 271

Notes 276

Bibliography 299

Index 309

Editorial Reviews

“Writing about the diversity and complexity of governance in Nigeria poses a challenge. Richard Bourne has in this book tackled the challenge with detailed research and admirable perspicacity. Recommended reading for all those interested in Nigerian history.

Emeka Anyaoku

“This book is a major achievement and I defy anyone who reads it not to learn from it and gain greater understanding of the nature and development of a major African nation.

Lalage Bown

“Richard Bourne's meticulously researched book is a major addition to Nigerian history.

Guy Arnold

Writing about the diversity and complexity of governance in Nigeria poses a challenge even to established historians. Richard Bourbane has in this book tackled the challenge with detailed research and admirable perspicacity. Recommended reading for all those interested in Nigerian history.” —Emeka Anyaoku, former Commonwealth Secretary-General

“[A]n excellent overview of the main political events of Nigeria's first hundred years.” —Africa at LSE

“The book currently stands as the most extensive documentation on Nigeria.” —African Studies Quarterly

“Fills a gap for a one-stop history of the first century ... Bourbane relates a century's worth of politics at a brisk clip.” —Financial Times

“[A]n excellent introduction to Africa's most populous country.” —Foreign Affairs

“An insightful account of great interest to scholars.” —The Round Table: The Commonwealth Jourbanal of International Affairs

“Well researched and full of the anecdotes that turban a great history into an enjoyable one, Bourbane's book is a necessary addition to the growing canon of comprehensive histories of Nigeria.” —Chibundu Onuzo, Guardian columnist and author of The Spider King's Daughter

“Richard Bourbane's meticulously researched book is a major addition to Nigerian history.” —Guy Arnold, author of Africa: A Modern History

“This book is a major achievement and I defy anyone who reads it not to learn from it and gain greater understanding of the nature and development of a major African nation.” —Lalage Bown, professor emeritus, Glasgow University

“If you want to understand Nigeria's history in one succinct go, this is a very good choice.” —Noo Saro-Wiwa

“Richard Bourbane's brilliant new book is an admirable, fair-minded account of a complex story, embellished with excellent portraits of its extended cast.” —Richard Gott, author of Britain's Empire

“With his characteristic candour, pithiness and immaculate judgement, Bourbane gives us a Nigerian history that reveals not only its full complexity but its huge range of dynamism, resilience and hope for the future. This is a very fine book.” —Stephen Chan, SOAS, University of London

“This is a charming read that will educate the general reader, while allowing specialists additional insights to build upon. It deserves an audience far beyond the confines of Nigerian studies.” —Toyin Falola, African Studies Association and the University of Texas at Austin

From the Publisher

“The book currently stands as the most extensive documentation on Nigeria covering a century of its existence, thereby being more informative in outlook than other publications on the country.

African Studies Quarterly

“An insightful account of great interest to scholars.

The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs

“This very readable history provides an excellent introduction to Africa’s most populous country.

Foreign Affairs

“Throughout the text, Bourne is guided by a desire to historicize the difficulties that Nigerians have faced in developing a strong, stable, unified state with a meaningful national identity out of a multicultural, multireligious polity that was originally created to suit the needs of an alien colonial regime. . . . Contain(s) interesting tidbits and anecdotes that are not available in other political histories of Nigeria.

Choice

“A new book by journalist Richard Bourne has spurred debate about Nigeria’s past and what the future could hold for the country's exploding population.

Africa Report