Rapid
economic growth and improved governance across Africa in the twenty-first
century are part of the “Africa rising” narrative and have renewed interest in
the continent. In Nigeria: What Everyone Needs to Know, John Campbell and
Matthew T. Page provide an accessible, one-of-a-kind overview of Nigeria. Using
a question-and-answer format, they discuss what makes Nigeria unique, how it
operates domestically and internationally, the challenges it faces, and why it
has the potential to become Africa’s greatest power.
John
Campbell is the former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria (2004-2007), a position that
allowed him to explore the issues explored in this book to some depth, and as such
it provides an excellent introduction for all those interested in the
challenges and potential of Nigeria. Topics covered include historical
background, the economics of oil, religion, politics (subtitled Nigeria’s
‘great game’!), Nigeria’s security challenges, Nigeria and the world, and
Nigeria of the future. With such a broad range of topics it should expected
that the depth of analysis is largely introductory, but nonetheless the book
provides enough fascinating information that even well-informed Nigerians could
learn something from it.
As
the “Giant of Africa,” Nigeria is home to about twenty percent of the
population of Sub-Saharan Africa, serves as Africa’s largest producer of oil
and natural gas, comprises Africa’s largest economy, and represents the
cultural centre of African literature, film, and music. Yet it is plagued by
problems that keep it from realizing its potential as a world power. Boko
Haram, a radical, Islamist insurrection centred in the northeast of the
country, is a pervasive security challenge, as is the continuous restiveness in
the Niger Delta, the heartland of Nigeria’s petroleum wealth.
The
former seeks to destroy the secular Nigerian state; the latter reflects the
popular sentiment in the region that the Nigerian people are entitled to a
greater share of the wealth it produces. There is also persistent violence
associated with land and water use, ethnicity, and religion.
Delving
into Nigeria’s recent history, politics, and culture, this volume tackles
essential questions related to widening inequality stemming from Nigeria’s oil
wealth, its historic 2015 presidential election, the persistent security threat
of Boko Haram, rampant government corruption, human rights concerns, and the
continual conflicts that arise in a country that is roughly half Christian and
half Muslim. With its continent-wide influence in a host of areas, Nigeria’s
success as a democracy is in the fundamental interest of its African neighbours
and the international community. This book provides readers with an accessible
overview of this significant country, useful for general readers, specialists
and policy makers alike.
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