This book analyzes important social, political, and economic matters from pre-colonial to postcolonial Nigeria. Issues discussed include contemporary problems of poverty, unemployment, leadership and governance crises, entrepreneurship, urbanization, and the underdevelopment of the agricultural and transport systems.
This book brings together interesting perspectives on the socio-economic history of Nigeria: livestock management, railway historiography, coal industry, tourism industry, pre-colonial trade, family firms, political restructuring and other germane issues. All these are deftly analysed to expose not only continuities with the past but also points of departure and twenty-first century novelties. This will remain a major contribution to the literature on Nigeria’s economic history for a long time.
In this captivating volume, its editors and erudite scholars, Tokunbo Ayoola and Ayodeji Olukoju, have produced a compendium impressively researched, beautifully written, and rich in information on pertinent issues on twentieth century Nigeria’s socio-political and economic history. This book, with contributions from leading scholars, is a stunningly provocative and revelatory intellectual work, one that will compel students, scholars, and policymakers, to reassess the Nigerian experience in the last century towards a better understanding of the contemporary state.
Ayodeji Olukoju is distinguished professor of history at University of Lagos.
Tokunbo A. Ayoola is reader of history and international studies, and dean of student affairs at Anchor University.