Relics of Colonialism: An Introduction to African Politics

The book interrogates and explicates the problems of African politics from precolonial era up to the present postcolonial period. In doing these, the book posits in the main that Africa’s problems are largely traceable to it’s contact with the Europeans and also went ahead to argue that leadership factor is critical in any attempt to understand the multidimensional vices plaguing the body-politic of today’s Africa. The book shows that leadership problem, corruption, nepotism and other political as well as social vices plaguing the African body-politic today are traceable to Africa’s contact with the Europeans.

By adopting the Dependency Approach to the study of African politics, the book uses an a priori method, not only to unveil but also to proffer solutions to the political maladies plaguing African countries after independence including ways in which Africa could extricate itself from these predicaments by proffering veritable solutions on a cross section of relevant issues.

The book covers the diverse political terrains of fifty-five (55) countries of the continent, with over 2000 languages and varied historical, cultural and colonial experiences.

The book also takes an analytical look at the political system, processes and activities that shape the governance and decision-making processes in African countries. It showcases how Africa as a continent can find lasting solutions to its present political quagmire/summersault which is the bedrock of bad governance due to forced imposition of foreign government on Africa by foreign powers or metropole.

The book emphasizes the need for African countries to fashion out their own peculiar political and administrative system which would go a long way to solving some, if not all the teething problems facing African political systems as a whole.

The book also presents the biographies of prominent African leaders like Mwalimu Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Nelson Mandela of South Africa and the African Socialism of Léopold Sédar Senghor which are useful information for students of African Political Thought.

Most importantly, the book covers the Course Curriculum of POL 102: Introduction to African Politics as enshrined in the current NUC Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) for Nigerian Universities.