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 center of African literature, film, and music. Yet the country
is plagued by problems that keep it from realizing its potential as a world power. Boko Haram, a radical Islamist insurrection centered in the northeast of the country, is an ongoing security challenge, as is the continuous unrest in the Niger Delta, the heartland of Nigeria's petroleum wealth.
There is also persistent violence associated with land and water use, ethnicity, and religion.
In Nigeria: What Everyone Needs to Know(R), John Campbell and Matthew Page provide a rich contemporary overview of this crucial African country. Delving into Nigeria's recent history, politics, and culture, this volume tackles essential questions related to widening inequality, the 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 neighbors, the United States, and the international community. This book will provide interested readers with an accessible, one-of-a-kind overview of the country.
"While discussing the country's numerous challenges, Campbell and Page yet emphasize some optimism about Nigeria's future, signposting in the book's conclusion ways in which the country can unlock its great potential through infrastructure development, anti-corruption crusade, military reform, and
empowerment of women, among other strategies." -- James Y�k�, University of Kansas, African Studies Review
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Nigeria, by Campbell (former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria) and Page (Ctr. for Democracy and Development; U.S. intelligence expert on Nigeria), covers the history, economics, religion, politics, security, and future of Africa's most populated country. The authors also look at Boko Haram, the 2015
presidential election, and more ... With
India in the 21st Century, Kamdar (international affairs, New York Times; Planet India; Motiba's Tattoos) explores similar topics, examining the nation's rich history and current challenges, from climate change to socioeconomic inequality. VERDICT Succinct,
nonpartisan coverage of two rapidly changing countries, these volumes will be helpful prior to business- or education-related travel, or for gaining greater understanding of either area." --
Libaray Journal