PRECOLONIAL NIGERIA
Essays in Honor of Professor Toyin Falola

Edited by Akinwumi Ogundiran

This multidisciplinary book offers, for the first time, a richly textured long-term history of precolonial Nigeria, from the foundations of agricultural communities about 5,000 years ago to the revolutionary transformations of the nineteenth century. The twenty-five chapters are all products of new research, and they cover wide-ranging topics on the complex economic, political, and sociocultural transformations in one of the most important regions in Africa. This third volume of the festschriften in honor of Toyin Falola, distinguished scholar and teacher, opens up new imprints in the historiography of precolonial Nigeria and challenges us to think of African precolonial history in new ways.

This multidisciplinary book offers, for the first time, a richly textured long-term history of precolonial Nigeria, from the foundations of agricultural communities about 5,000 years ago to the revolutionary transformations of the nineteenth century. The twenty-five chapters are all products of new research, and they cover wide-ranging topics on the complex economic, political, and sociocultural transformations in one of the most important regions in Africa. This third volume of the festschriften in honor of Toyin Falola, distinguished scholar and teacher, opens up new imprints in the historiography of precolonial Nigeria and challenges us to think of African precolonial history in new ways.

“Toyin Falola is unusual in combining productivity with enthusiastic collegial kindness … especially in the un-stinting encouragement of Africanist scholarship; for several years he has used his very considerable academic reputation to facilitate the work and … publication of other scholars…Falola…has earned this massive affectionate tribute.”

-"Journal of African History," Richard Rathbone, Professor of History, University of Wales, Aberystwyth

“Nothing preceded this volume in originality, depth, and scope … a worthy homage to indefatigable Toyin Falola … an eminent gift to Nigeria. It will surely have a lasting impact.”

—Babatunde Agbaje-Williams, Senior Research Fellow, University of Ibadan

“'Precolonial Nigeria' moves us closer than ever to the definitive history of precolonial Nigerian society … . This festschrift is a fitting testimony to the life and works of a great man, undoubtedly Africa’s most prolific and productive scholar.”

—Akanmu Adebayo, Professor and Executive Director, Institute For Global Initiatives, Kennesaw State University

“This outstanding book admirably…expands and deepens knowledge of aspects of precolonial Nigerian history and it provides a fitting tribute to Professor Toyin Falola—an outstanding historian and prolific scholar.... Falola's works contributed to the growth of the sub-fields of inter-group relations and the understanding of the centrality of economic and material foundations of precolonial Nigerian societies.”

—Ehiedu Iweriebor, Professor and Chair, Department of Africana and Puerto Rican/Latino Studies, Hunter College, City University of New York

ABOUT THE EDITOR
AKINWUMI OGUNDIRAN is an Assistant Professor at Florida International University, Miami. An archaeological historian, he is the author of Archaeology and History in Ilare District, Central Yorubaland, 1200-1900. His writings have also appeared in International Journal of African Historical Studies, African Archaeological Review, History in Africa, and Journal of Field Archaeology, among others.

CATEGORY
History/AFRICA