Road Transportation in South Western Nigeria, 1900 - 1960

The focus of this book is the role and impact of road transportation on the colonial economy of South Western Nigeria. Using an historical approach, it examines the root of economic (under)development in Nigeria, challenging the view that road transportation was designed to develop African resources for the benefit of the colonised people. It analyses how road transportation served the economy, arguing that contrary to the colonial thesis, road transportation was developed for the exploitation of the agricultural resources of the study area for the benefit of Britain. In so doing, road transportation played an important part in the underdevelopment of the indigenous economy. Not only this, this book brings out the dimension of change and adaptation in an indigenous economy. The book further looks at indigenous initiative and enterprise in the context of the colonial economy. Given its historical perspective, the book provides the reader with the knowledge required for understanding the root of economic underdevelopment in Africa. It is thus a very useful text for students and researchers engaged in the study of Africa's economic development.