Author: Toyin Falola
I worked in Nigeria for 18 months and I read this extremely thorough and dense history of Nigeria. Although the book doesn't cover much pre-colonial Nigeria, it gives an excellent account of the rapid change of governments, social complexities and political mismanagement that have led to the current condition of Nigeria. I thought this quote was quite concise and insightful.
Many were upset by the use of forced labor, the greed for money that pushed
young men out of villages or into criminality,
the increasing rate of divorce, fast-paced living, and taxation. But their contemporaries were also
impressed by the new amenities such as pipe-borne water, electricity, modern
hospitals, and schools.
The author goes on to argue that these attitudes fueled nationalism in response to the desire to gain control but I think the statement influences a wide range reactions in society, including immigrating to larger cities, perceived necessity for centralized government and increased emphasis on natural resources. All of these things are influenced by the material gains of modern society and result in the loss of social capital.
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