Nigeria, Africa’s most populous and biggest democracy, celebrates her fiftieth year as an independent nation in October 2010. As the cliché states, ‘As Nigeria goes, so goes Africa’. This book frames the socio-historical and political trajectory of Nigeria while examining the many dimensions of the critical choices that she has made as an independent nation. How does the social composition of interest and power illuminate the actualities and narratives of the Nigerian crisis? How have the choices made by Nigerian leaders structured, and/or have been structured by, the character of the Nigerian state and state-society relations? In what ways is Nigeria’s mono-product, debt-ridden, dependent economy fed by ‘the politics of plunder’? And what are the implications of these questions for the structural relationships of production, reproduction and consumption? This book confronts these questions by making state-centric approaches to understanding African countries speak to relevant social theories that pluralize and complicate our understanding of the specific challenges of a prototypical postcolonial state. This book was published as a special issue of the Journal of Contemporary African Studies.

The developed countries must encourage Nigeria and other African countries to display responsible leadership that accounts for their actions. This is an attribute of democracy, which involves strict adherence to the constitution of the country involved. Sectional domination of all the strategic positions has never helped development in any country. Any person or group of persons gaining from such should better know that such gain is only momentary. Sectional domination has given yield to high rate of corruption, wastage in human resources, and unnecessary bloodshed among other crimes. The ultimate aim of practical politics is attainment of power. One thing about power is that it carries certain obligations and responsibilities. The initial aim of the seeker may be to serve. Power is supposed to be used as a latent weapon for development and growth, if well managed, but never for destruction. Power is transient and must never be seen to be localized to any section. Otherwise, that system that provides the platform for the welder of such power will one day collapse and disintegrate into its component parts. Therefore, any person or group of persons suggesting or supporting sectional domination is simply encouraging the collapse of that system and should be held responsible for such. The Nigerian politicians and their militarys old game of business-as-usual looting of resources meant that development is better gone forever. Same goes for the sectional military coup coming to the rescue of its civilian government, using constitution drafting and state creation as means of diverting attention for consolidation until the environment is once more conducive for its civilian government. However, in Arthur Nzeribes Nigeria: The Turning Point, he says that leaders must know that politics or leadership is a serious business that involves millions of people. They must, therefore, recognize the significance of seriousness in policy making and must not toy with lives of these millions by altering the sectional domination.

This volume brings together leading researchers and analysts to examine issues and identify policy options which can lead to renewal in Africa. It provides an opportunity to reflect and offers a critical multi-disciplinary appraisal of the future challenges facing Africa.

Fifteen men and women have occupied the position of Assistant Secretary for African Affairs. They charted the course of U.S. Africa policy for fifty years that spanned the dawn of African independence to the present era of globalized engagement. In these pages each Assistant Secretary describes his or her stewardship and assesses the state of the U.S – Africa relations during their tenure. Their perspectives are enhanced by the oral histories of six Foreign Service Officers who recall the excitement and challenges of living and working in Africa and associating with such leaders as Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba and Nelson Mandela. The courage and dedication of all these men and women illuminate every page.

Discover Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, in this thematic encyclopedia that covers everything from geography and economics to etiquette and pop culture. Part of Bloomsbury's Understanding Modern Nations series, this volume takes readers on a tour of contemporary Nigeria, helping them better understand the country and the many cultures, religions, and ethnicities that call it home. Chapters are organized thematically, examining a variety of topics, including geography, history, government, economics, religion, ethnic and social groups, gender, education, language, etiquette, food, literature and the arts, and pop culture. Each chapter begins with an overview essay, followed by a selection of encyclopedic entries that provide a more nuanced look at that facet of modern Nigeria. The main text is supplemented with sidebars that highlight additional high-interest topics. A collection of appendices rounds out the volume, offering short vignettes of daily life in the country, a glossary of key terms, statistical data, and a list of state holidays. Once a pawn of British colonialism, today Nigeria is a sovereign nation and key player on the world stage. Its vast oil resources have made it an international powerhouse and the wealthiest country on the African continent, yet political unrest and corruption, and ethnic and religious violence continue to threaten this prosperity. Nigeria is equally rich culturally, a nation where time-honored traditions mix with contemporary influences. Explore the diversity of modern Nigeria in this concise and accessible volume.