Nigeria: A New History of a Turbulent Century

'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 Bourne 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.

Table of Contents:
Part I: 1914–39: Invention of a Country 1. A Merger Makes a Large Possession for Britain 2. First World War: Nigeria on the Front Line 3. Lugard Struggles with Opponents 4. Between the Wars: Nigeria is Not a Single State 5. Between the Wars: The Economy in a World Depression 6. Between the Wars: A New Assertive Nationalism Part II: 1939–64: Rocky Road to Freedom 7. Another World War and Strategic Importance 8. Political Change and Divisive Regionalism 9. Regional Governments and the Coming of Independence 10. The Joy of Independence 11. Overture to Disaster Part III: 1964–89: The Shadow of the Generals 12. Military Coups, Biafra and Civil War 13. Reconstruction, Another Coup and the Craving for Democracy 14. A Second Republic, Its Short, Inglorious Life and its Overthrow 15. Buhari, IBB and a New Military Era Section IV: 1989–2014: A Decade of Pain, then Disappointment in Democracy 16. The Annulment of an Election Puts Nigeria on Edge 17. The Disastrous Abacha Years 18. Democracy, and the Return of Obasanjo 19. Yar'Adua, Jonathan and Threats in the Delta and the Northeast Section V: Reflections

About the Author :
Richard Bourne 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 Bourne 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).

Review :
Writing about the diversity and complexity of governance in Nigeria poses a challenge even to established historians. Richard Bourne has in this book tackled the challenge with detailed research and admirable perspicacity. Recommended reading for all those interested in Nigerian history. [A]n excellent overview of the main political events of Nigeria's first hundred years. The book currently stands as the most extensive documentation on Nigeria. Fills a gap for a one-stop history of the first century ... Bourne relates a century's worth of politics at a brisk clip. [A]n excellent introduction to Africa's most populous country. An insightful account of great interest to scholars. Well researched and full of the anecdotes that turn a great history into an enjoyable one, Bourne's book is a necessary addition to the growing canon of comprehensive histories of Nigeria. Richard Bourne's meticulously researched book is a major addition to Nigerian 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. If you want to understand Nigeria's history in one succinct go, this is a very good choice. Richard Bourne's brilliant new book is an admirable, fair-minded account of a complex story, embellished with excellent portraits of its extended cast. With his characteristic candour, pithiness and immaculate judgement, Bourne 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. 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.