Book excerpt: The development of Africa's oil has greatly accelerated in recent years, with some countries looking at the prospect of almost unimaginable flows of money into their national budgets. But the story of African oil has usually been associated with conflict, corruption and disaster, with older producers such as Nigeria having little to show for the many billions of dollars they've earned. In this eye-opening book, former BBC correspondent Celeste Hicks questions the inevitability of the so-called resource curse, revealing what the discovery of oil means for ordinary Africans, and how China's involvement could mean a profound change in Africa's relationship with the West. A much-needed account of an issue that will likely transform the fortunes of a number of African countries – for better or for worse.