Toyin Falola

"A mouth sweeter than salt gathers the stories and reflections of the early years of Toyin Falola, the grand historian of Africa and one of the greatest sons of Ibadan, the notable Yoruba city-state in Nigeria." "Redefining the autobiographical genre altogether, Falola weaves together personal, historical, and communal stories, along with political and cultural developments in the period immediately preceding and following Nigeria's independence, to give us a unique and enduring picture of the Yoruba in the mid-twentieth century."--BOOK JACKET.

>An overview of the ongoing methods used to understand African history. > >Spurred in part by the ongoing re-evaluation of sources and methods in research, African historiography in the past two decades has been characterized by the continued branching and increasing sophistication of methodologies and areas of specialization. The rate of incorporation of new sources and methods into African historical research shows no signs of slowing. > >This book is both a snapshot of current academic practice and an attempt to sort through some of the problems scholars face within this unfolding web of sources and methods. The book is divided into five sections, each of which begins with a short introduction by a distinguished Africanist scholar. The first section deals with archaeological contributions to historical research. The second section examines the methodologies involved in deciphering historically accurate African ethnic identities from the records of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The third section mines old documentary sources for new historical perspectives. The fourth section deals with the method most often associated with African historians, that of drawing historical data from oral tradition. The fifth section is devoted to essays that present innovative sources and methods for African historical research. > >Together, the essays in this cutting-edge volume represent the current state of the art in African historical research.

"This book is about how African intellectuals, influenced primarily by nationalism, have addressed the inter-related issues of power, identity politics, self-assertion and autonomy for themselves and their continent, from the mid-nineteenth century onward. Their major goal was to create a 'better Africa' by connecting nationalism to knowledge. The results have been mixed, from the glorious euphoria of the success of anti-colonial movements to the depressing circumstances of the African condition as we enter a new millennium.". "Nationalism and African Intellectuals examines intellectuals' ambivalent relationships with the colonial apparatus and subsequent nation-state formations; the contradictions manifested within pan-Africanism and nationalism; and the relation of academic institutions and intellectual production to the state during the nationalism period and beyond."--BOOK JACKET.

"Nigeria, one of the largest and most important countries in Africa, is rich in traditions and customs, both indigenous and modern. Culture and Customs of Nigeria is the only concise, authoritative, and up-to-date discussion of Nigerian culture that introduces to a Western audience the complexity of the society and the emerging lifestyles among its various peoples. Students and other interested readers will learn about all major aspects of Nigerian culture and customs, including the land, peoples, and brief historical overview; religion and world view; literature and media; art and architecture/housing; cuisine and traditional dress; gender, marriage, and family; social customs and lifestyles; and music and dance.". "Nigerians are proud of their diverse culture comprising more than 250 ethnic groups. Important changes in their economy and political system are helping them cope with challenges in the modern world. Culture and Customs of Nigeria illuminates a dynamic society - how Nigerians today live, work, worship, interact, relax and express themselves."--BOOK JACKET.