Book excerpt: Originally published in 1974 and with a new introduction for the 1981 edition, this book is a clear and vivid history of the role of organized labour in the politics of Nigeria. It covers the period from the first General Strike of 1945 to the civil war and reintegration of the country. As well as providing an analysis of the characteristics and attitudes of Nigeria’s wage earners, this study is concerned with their place in the wider political and social life of the country. The attempts of the trade unions to create a representative central labour organisation are considered, as is the internal structure of the unions themselves. The book also examines the relationship of the Unions with the political parties of the first Republic and later with the Military Government. The influence of the trade unions in the determination of wage rates is analysed. The book concludes with an overview of trade unions in other parts of Africa with which the performance and characteristics of organized labour in Nigeria are compared