This collection of essays brings together for the first time a discussion on the multicultural and ethno-linguistic groupings of Nigeria. By employing historical and sociological perspectives, each chapter provides an account of the origin, beliefs, and important ceremonial and traditional practices of each group.
Nigeria's modern literature grows out of a tradition of story-telling and historical remembrance that has existed in Nigeria for millennia. Oral literature ranges from the proverbs and dilemma tales of the common people to elaborate stories memorized and performed by professional praise-singers attached to royal courts. In states where Islam prevailed, significant written literatures evolved. The founder of the Sokoto caliphate, Usuman dan Fodio, wrote nearly 100 texts in Arabic in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His prose and poetry examined issues such as good government and social relations from an Islamic moralist perspective. The legacy of this Islamic tradition is a widely read modern literature comprised of religious and secular works, including the Hausa-language poetry and stories of Alhaji Abubakar Imam. In 1986 Nigerian Wole Soyinka was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. Soyinka is a prolific author of poetry, novels, essays, and plays that blend African themes with Western forms. His uncompromising critiques of tyranny, corruption, and the abuse of human rights have often angered Nigeria's military rulers. One of his most powerful books, The Man Died (1972), was written while Soyinka was imprisoned during the civil war of 1967 to 1970. Chinua Achebe, whose novels include A Man of the People (1966) and No Longer at Ease (1960), is another Nigerian writer whose work commands a wide international audience. Other important novelists include Cyprian Ekwensi, Nkem Nwankwo, Elechi Amadi, Flora Nwapa, and Clement Ogunwa, who write mostly in English. John Pepper Clark, Gabriel Okara, Christopher Okigbo, and Ken Saro-Wiwa are well-known poets
When Nigeria hosted the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) in 1977, it celebrated a global vision of black nationhood and citizenship animated by the exuberance of its recent oil boom. Andrew Apter's The Pan-African Nation tells the full story of this cultural extravaganza, from Nigeria's spectacular rebirth as a rapidly developing petro-state to its dramatic demise when the boom went bust. According to Apter, FESTAC expanded the horizons of blackness in Nigeria to mirror the global circuits of its economy. By showcasing masks, dances, images, and souvenirs from its many diverse ethnic groups, Nigeria forged a new national culture. In the grandeur of this oil-fed confidence, the nation subsumed all black and African cultures within its empire of cultural signs and erased its colonial legacies from collective memory. As the oil economy collapsed, however, cultural signs became unstable, contributing to rampant violence and dissimulation. The Pan-African Nation unpacks FESTAC as a historically situated mirror of production in Nigeria. More broadly, it points towards a critique of the political economy of the sign in postcolonial Africa.
The second edition of this important reference work provides important updates and new perspectives on the cases constituting the first edition as well as including contributions from a number of new countries: Australia, Finland, Japan, New Zealand, N
Intended for those interested in the African continent and the diversity of human history, this work looks at Africa's past and reflects on the changing ways it has been imagined and represented. It illustrates key themes in modern thinking about Africa's history with a range of historical examples.
In the first decade of the twenty-first century, globalization and identity have emerged as the most critical challenges to world peace. This volume of Peace & Policy addresses the overarching question, "What are the effects of globalization in the areas of culture, ethnic diversity, religion, and citizenship, and how does terrorism help groups attain a sense of global identity?"Part I, "Citizenship in a Globalizing World," reexamines globalization in light of the traditions from which human civilizations have evolved. Linda Groff focuses on Samuel R. Huntington's thesis that the Cold War would be followed by a clash of civilizations. Joseph A. Camilleri traces the history of the concept of citizenship and its transformation through the ages to modern times. Kamran Mofid argues that the marketplace is not just an economic sphere but one where economic and business interests must embrace the spiritual assets of the community. Majid Tehranian raises the problem of identity and advocates the assumption of global identity, responsibility, and citizenship. Part II, "Convergence in Global Cultures," explores the complex issues of diversity in religions. Christopher Leeds, Vladimir Korobov, and Bharapt Gupt show how the reconceptualization of the world both geographically and regionally can recreate new sensibilities needed to overcome differences. Part III, "Divergence in Global Conflicts," discusses the multiple dimensions of the globalizing effects of economic expansion and political strife experienced by different cultures at local and regional levels. Audrey Kitigawa and Ade Ogunrinade use Nigeria as an example of political manipulation of religious and ethnic groups to divert attention from the real problems of social and economic marginalization. Fred Riggs looks at how the Web has become a medium in the globalization of religious movements.The authors maintain that continuing efforts for dialogue across cultural and religious boundaries in today's
An Introduction to African Politics is the ideal textbook for those new to the study of this vast and fascinating continent. It makes sense of the diverse political systems that are a feature of Africa by using familiar concepts, chapter by chapter, to examine the continent as a whole. The result is a textbook that identifies the essential features of African politics, allowing students to grasp the recurring political patterns that have dominated this part of the world since independence. Features and benefits of the book include: * thematically organised, with individual chapters exploring issues such as colonialism, ethnicity, nationalism, social class, ideology, legitimacy, sovereignty, and democracy * identifies the key recurrent theme of competitive relationships between the African state, its civil society, and external interests * contains useful boxed case studies of key countries at the end of each chapter, including: Kenya; Tanzania; Nigeria; Botswana; Ivory Coast; Uganda; Somalia; Ghana; Zaire; and Algeria * each chapter concludes with key terms and definitions as well as questions, advice on further reading, and useful notes and references * clearly and accessibly written by an experienced teacher of the subject.