1. Nigeria’s Development in Comparative Perspective Nigeria was relatively backward in the 19th Century. Nigeria has not succeeded in “catch-up” development.

2. Developmental Outcomes in Nigeria Poor  GDP per cap $1,150  Fully 45% of population lives below poverty line  Only 57% of population 15+ years can read/write  HDI rank 159 Only “partly free”  Recent elections marred by violence, fraud; highly contested  Historically, frequently alternations between authoritarianism and democracy

3. Africa Faced Threat from the “West” 19 th Century “Scramble for Africa” Berlin Conference 1884-85

4. Nigeria Faced Threat from the “West” British Colonialism Nigeria formally created as colony in 1914  Artificial construct created by British  Forced together distinct ethnic/political entities State ≠ nation

5. Nigeria Faced Threat from the “West” Motivations for colonial conquest  Riches Natural resources Including agricultural commodities, later oil  Outlet for investment  New markets 1897 British soldiers loot art

6. British Colonialism British in Nigeria  Exercise control Rulers not accountability to Nigerian people Indirect rule through ties to particular local elites

7. British Colonialism British in Nigeria  Extract resources Cocoa, palm oil, rubber

8. British Colonialism Dominant role for state in economy  Colonial state control over export commodities State marketing boards Monopsony—single buyer Artificially low prices for farmers  ~50% of world market price

9. British Colonialism British in Nigeria  Develop unequally British penetration in south  Lagos—port city where commodities shipped to Britain  Economic opportunities for southerners Resentment by northerners (Hausa- Fulani) Elite boy’s school, King's College Lagos in 1910

11. Explaining Developmental Outcomes in Nigeria Dependency  Colonialism—under British  Neo-colonialism—role of MNCs, like Shell Oil, others Statism  Predatory state institutions Corruption Massive use of state offices for personal gain Modernization theory  Traditional values Reliance on ascriptive characteristics  Lack of “civic culture” values and attitudes?

12. Next topics in Nigerian case Legacies of British Colonialism  Politicization of ethnicity  Dominant role for state in the economy Politics and economy in contemporary Nigeria  Failed attempts to overcome politicization of ethnicity through institutional design  Overwhelming dependence on oil

13. Today: Interview with Chinua Achebe (Ibo) Look for themes related to  Dependency Colonialism (How does Achebe portray colonial experience)  Anti-democratic  Exploitative  Modernization Values (How does Achebe portray traditional values)  Pluralism, tolerance  Statism Nature of state institutions (How does Achebe portray them)  Corruption of state institutions in post-independence era

15. Only as a teenager, after reading Chinua Achebe's novel "Things Fall Apart" and realizing her people's own stories were worth telling, did she begin describing the world she knew. Against the backdrop of a corrupt, crumbling state and society, religious fundamentalism plays out against the animist practices of tribal elders. Published 2003