Colonialism and Violence in Nigeria

Colonialism and Violence in Nigeria looks closely at the conditions that created a legacy of violence in Nigeria. Toyin Falola examines violence as a tool of domination and resistance, however unequally applied, to get to the heart of why Nigeria has not built a successful democracy. Falola’s analysis centers on two phases of Nigerian history: the last quarter of the 19th century, when linkages between violence and domination were part of the British conquest; and the first half of the 20th century, which was characterized by violent rebellion and the development of a national political consciousness. This important book emphasizes the patterns that have been formed and focuses on how violence and instability have influenced Nigeria today.

Toyin Falola is University Distinguished Teaching Professor at The University of Texas at Austin. He is editor (with Matt D. Childs) of The Yoruba Diaspora in the Atlantic World (IUP, 2005); (with Kevin D. Roberts) of The Atlantic World: 1450–2000 (IUP, 2008); and (with Joel E. Tishken and Akintunde Akinyemi) of Sango in Africa and the African Diaspora (IUP, 2009).