Bakassi is a region little-known in the West, in the borderlands of Nigeria and Cameroon. This overview of its culture and politics appears to be the first book-length study in English. The author describes the background for regional politics and peace-making strategies, its position in global geopolitical space, the lingering effects of colonialism on the region, its economics and local issues of education, sanitation, health-facilities and road network. However, his primary focus is on the shifting and indeterminate identity of the Bakassi population, and the many conflicts--emotional, spiritual, material--that permeate the region. Even though colonial powers are gone, their legacy persists in the abuses inflicted on the population of the region by the outsiders, who humiliate and dispossess native populations. The author argues that the state of Cameroon has marginalized and neglected the local peoples, and attempts to provide blueprints for the development of the region and enfranchisement of its population. Distributed in North America by the African Books Collective. Annotation 2014 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
