7 Books That Will Change What You Know About Party Politics in Nigeria

The NRC was intended to represent right-wing views while the SDP was meant to represent left-wing views. However, critics have argued that both parties were actually similar, lacked ideological differences and consistency, and were a ploy engineered by the Babangida regime to maintain control over Nigeria’s democratic transition.

In this curated recommendation, we have compiled a list of seven books that delve into the complexities, challenges, and transformative moments that have shaped Nigeria’s party politics. Some of our book recommendations served as resources for the third episode of our podcast, while others come highly recommended for anyone seeking to uncover the nuanced layers of Nigerian party politics. Our recommendations also include personal accounts of politicians new to the scene as well as a fiction novel covering party violence in Northern Nigeria.

For our recommendations, read on.

Edited by Said Adejumobi, this book analyzes the progress made in Nigeria since the return to democratic rule in 1999 and the prospects of democratic consolidation in the country. After sixteen years under continuous military governance, Nigeria’s aspiration for a democratic structure was forsaken. This collection examines how democratic and developmental governance has again been denied and what must be done to chart a new and sustained course. The scholars who contributed chapters to this book explore various themes, including party politics, the electoral process in Nigeria, and more.

Born on a Tuesday is a compelling novel about a young boy struggling to find his place in a society that is fracturing along religious and political lines.

In far northwestern Nigeria, Dantala lives among a gang of street boys who sleep under a kuka tree. During the election, the boys are paid by the ‘Small Party’ to cause trouble. When their attempt to burn down the opposition’s local headquarters ends in disaster, Dantala must run for his life, leaving his best friend behind. He makes his way to a mosque that provides him with food, shelter, and guidance. With his quick aptitude and modest nature, Dantala becomes a favored apprentice to the mosque’s sheikh. When bloodshed erupts in the city around him, Dantala must decide what kind of Muslim—and what kind of man—he wants to be. Told in Dantala’s voice, this astonishing debut explores the ways in which young men are seduced by religious fundamentalism and political violence.