The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
robinwalter's review
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.25
A dense book that moves briskly though the history of the state of Nigeria, with the early chapters looking at the history of the region before it became Nigeria. I lerned a lot from the book and the author certainly pulled no punches in highlighting the corruption and brutality that was endemic under British rule nand has not changed appreciably since
abiodun's review against another edition
5.0
Well detailed history of Nigeria from the pre-colonial era till 2007. Toyin Falola’s writing style is simple and engaging so anyone can pick it up and not get bored.
paintedverse's review
3.0
The geographical area that is now known as Nigeria piqued my interest from the moment I got to know about the Ogoni movement of the late 1900s. I wondered - and I wonder even now, although now I know about the blindfolded cartographical sport of 1914 - how a land of more than three hundred different ethnic and cultural groups can be amalgamated together. This stemmed my interest in the postcolonial world of affairs in Nigeria and hence, I stumbled upon this Nigerian book of history by [a: Toyin Falola|113674|Toyin Falola|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] and [a: Matthew Heaton|1403550|Matthew M. Heaton|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png].
A History of Nigeria begins with the early days of what wasn't Nigeria and talks very briefly about social, political, economic and various other aspects of the 'country'. My desire to know more about pre-colonial era wasn't satiated because of the terse description of the book; it moved on to the next major event while talking very briefly about the first. [a: Chinua Achebe|8051|Chinua Achebe|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1473806077p2/8051.jpg]'s Things Fall Apart, I feel, taught me more about the pre-colonial period of 'Nigerian' history than this book of history. It does sound like an exaggeration (although I don't feel it is the case) since while reading pre-colonial chronological history, I could draw a lot of parallels with the colonial and post-colonial periods. However, maybe because fiction speaks more to me than works of non-fiction, the little knowledge I have retained of 'Nigerian' past is due to Things Fall Apart.
As this book of history progresses towards the colonial rule, it started catching my attention. I had done copious amount of research to find the perfect book of history which deals with the chronology of events of the entire country but I found only this and colonial and post-colonial era didn't disappoint me at all. Nigerian history, I feel, is very important to know and learn from because of (primarily) the series of military coups that followed after its independence. The play of power in Nigeria is the reason why one shouldn't blame the British administration for everything wrong that we find in the post-colonial discourses. They were wrong, I accept, but so is the power structure of every single society. Their wrong can't prove us right, you see.
A History of Nigeria begins with the early days of what wasn't Nigeria and talks very briefly about social, political, economic and various other aspects of the 'country'. My desire to know more about pre-colonial era wasn't satiated because of the terse description of the book; it moved on to the next major event while talking very briefly about the first. [a: Chinua Achebe|8051|Chinua Achebe|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1473806077p2/8051.jpg]'s Things Fall Apart, I feel, taught me more about the pre-colonial period of 'Nigerian' history than this book of history. It does sound like an exaggeration (although I don't feel it is the case) since while reading pre-colonial chronological history, I could draw a lot of parallels with the colonial and post-colonial periods. However, maybe because fiction speaks more to me than works of non-fiction, the little knowledge I have retained of 'Nigerian' past is due to Things Fall Apart.
As this book of history progresses towards the colonial rule, it started catching my attention. I had done copious amount of research to find the perfect book of history which deals with the chronology of events of the entire country but I found only this and colonial and post-colonial era didn't disappoint me at all. Nigerian history, I feel, is very important to know and learn from because of (primarily) the series of military coups that followed after its independence. The play of power in Nigeria is the reason why one shouldn't blame the British administration for everything wrong that we find in the post-colonial discourses. They were wrong, I accept, but so is the power structure of every single society. Their wrong can't prove us right, you see.
More...