Kole Omotoso, one of Nigeria's major writers, is always provocative. His writing is informed by a passionate concern for society and politics in Nigeria. This major work is a blend of fact and fiction dramatizing the first one hundred years of Nigeria. Most of the characters and incidents inthe book are real; the narrative is conceived and written as a novel. The story covers riots, uprisings, private hopes and griefsand coup d'etats -a history marred by violence, with an outcome satisfactory to none. The book was received as a major contribution to African writing, in its innovative style, and was awarded Special Commendation in the Noma Award for Publishing in Africa in 1989, which described it as providing a more profound understanding than is available in conventional history books and novels.