Culture, Politics, and Money Among the Yoruba

Both specialists in Nigeria, Falola (history, U. of Texas-Austin) and Adebayo (history, Kennesaw State U., Georgia) explore the origin, philosophy, uses, politics, and problems in acquiring and spending money in the Yoruba culture of the west African country. In 14 chapters that can be read independently, they consider the transition from barter to currency and its impact on social stratification, money-lending, theft, counterfeiting, the positive and negative impacts of oil money on the Nigerian state, and other aspects.

Akanmu Adebayo is a professor of history at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia.