Igbo (Heritage Library of African Peoples) - Softcover

Ogbaa, Kalu

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0823919773 ISBN 13: 9780823919772

Publisher: Rosen Publishing Group, 1995

Synopsis

Describes the cultural, social, and historical elements of the Igbo people, their linkages to Africans outside of Africa, and the effect of European rule

About this title

About the Author

KALU OGBAA is Professor of English and Africana Studies at Southern Connecticut State University. He is the author of Understanding Things Fall Apart: A Student Casebook to Issues, Source, and Historical Documents (Greenwood, 1999), and Century of Nigerian Literature: A Select Bibliography (2002).

From School Library Journal

Gr 5 Up--Three more entries in a series that combines history and anthropology to provide portraits of African ethnic groups over time. The Igbo are the largest group so far treated in the series and one of the three most important ethnic groups in Nigeria. Ogbaa, himself Igbo, is particularly strong in explaining their beliefs and worldview and how these are reflected in their way of life. Much of his writing is rather abstract for the intended audience, however, and the history often becomes confusing, with a few statements being seriously misleading. Wangari's account is exceptional for her fine, concrete explanations of changes caused by colonial rule that continued with independence: the humiliation of the Ameru surrender to the British; the way that taxation forced men into low status work for cash; and more. Zeleza's book is particularly valuable in showing that African ``ethnic groups'' are not static entities, with the Mijikenda being made up of nine distinct, independent peoples, and some Mijikenda having moved to Mombasa and become Swahili. Also she clearly describes social changes decades before colonial rule due to increased trade, and changes under the independent Kenyan government. While the illustrations in all three books are generally good, none of the maps adequately reflects the textual material. Also, readers would be better served by bibliographies than by the lists of difficult-to-locate ``Further Reading.''--Loretta Kreider Andrews, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, MD

Copyright 1995 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Rosen Publishing Group
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 0823919773
• ISBN 13: 9780823919772
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 64