1. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

2. Meet the Author: Chinua Achebe  Born in Ogibi, Nigeria  Raised with traditional values of Ibo (Igbo) culture, mixed with Christianity  Born to a teacher of a missionary school  Witnessed Nigerian civil war that resulted in Nigerian independence and then became disappointed with what Nigeria had become  Worked as a college professor, author  Writes of the colonial experience from the African perspective

3. Pre-Colonial Africa Modern Africa

4. Pre-Colonial Nigeria  An amalgam of ancient civilizations, kingdoms, and empires  Human civilization in region dates back to 11,000 BCE.  Over 250 cultures represented in area  Portuguese explorers landed at Lagos in 1472.  Portugal, Spain, Britain, and France built ports; engaged in the slave trade with Nigeria from the 16th to 18th centuries.  In 1809, a single Islamic state, the Sokoto caliphate, was established.  In 1903, the British military defeated the Sokoto caliphate.  Britain officially proclaimed the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria in 1914.

5. Geography & Economy  Nigeria is located on the Atlantic Coast in Central Africa  Wide range of climatic variations and vegetation  Agriculture is main producer of jobs  Petroleum is a major export

6. Tribal Life  Marriage customs  Men of status have multiple wives  Religion  Egwugwu (ancestral spirits)  Communal Living  Traditions and Celebrations  Centered around agriculture and the seasons

7. British Colonialism Period  1850-1960: Nigeria was a British colony  Ibo region had desirable resources  Many taxes imposed on the native people  Led to riots and uprisings  Introduced Christianity to Islamic region  Missionary education introduced

8. Missionary Involvement  Colonization led to demand for education and proliferation of schools  Focus was on conversion to Christianity  Created conflict between tribal and European customs

9. Modern Nigeria  1960 – Nigeria gains independence  Decades of political unrest and violence  Jonathan Goodluck, current national leader of the republic  Faces internal and external threats of terrorism  Birthplace of Boko Haram, radical Sunni fundamentalist group  Name means “Western education is forbidden”

10. Nigerian History  1800s: British trade impacts Nigeria  1897: British delegates are massacred as a result of campaign against tribal customs  British troops then burned the village of Benin City  1900: Britain takes control of a Nigerian region—causes split in country  1950s: Political structure established  1960: Nigeria gains full independence  Tensions in country still high

11. Nigerian History, cont.  1960s: continuous unrest and assassination of govt leaders  New leader decides to divide country more; creates Ibo hostility since one state is cut off from the sea  Causes bitter civil war  1970: Biafra surrenders and ceases to exist  Modern times:  Continent’s most populous country  Still tensions between religious and ethnic groups