On the special occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Nigeria's political independence, this book frames the socio-historical and political trajectory of Nigeria while examining the many dimensions of the critical choices that has shaped the country. This book was published as a special issue of the Journal of Contemporary African Studies. Nigeria's modern history can be described as the twinning of hope and disaster. In this volume, composed to commemorate the country's golden jubilee, Ebenezer Obadare and Wale Adebanwi warn that Nigeria runs the risk of "exploding or imploding at any point" given the large number of unresolved national problems. Yet, the editors of this important book affirm that "Nigeria still contains within her the transformational possibilities and human potentialities which can be mobilized, harnessed and leveraged by a new kind of leadership". Students of African politics will delight in this volume of essays by leading academics and the many insights it provides on the Nigerian predicament of political instability and stalled development. Professor Richard Joseph, John Evans Professor of Political Science, Northwestern University.