Max Siollun is a historian and author who specialises in Nigeria's history. He has written some of the most acclaimed books on Nigeria's history, and has been described as standing 'unchallenged, in contemporary times, as the Chronicler-in-Chief of the Nigerian military' by the Special Assistant on New Media to Nigeria's President Buhari, Tolu Ogunlesi.
'[A] fascinating new study ... offering a cogent analysis of the development of slavery and the lucrative trade in rubber, in palm oil... and the wholesale exploitation involved.' ' What Britain Did to Nigeria is a nuanced, informative and timely book that powerfully captures the complexity of the colonial impact.' -- Olivette Otele, author of 'African Europeans: An Untold History' 'A humanising and unyielding account of the actors who partook in the making of modern Nigeria, emphasising the scandals and clandestine colonial operations absent from mainstream narratives. It is an unvarnished account of the abuse of power by what was once the most powerful empire on the planet. By the end of this book, the line between savagery and civilisation becomes indelibly blurred.' -- Gimba Kakanda, writer, foreign policy analyst and columnist, 'Daily Trust' 'Balanced and illuminating... Siollun shatters the comfortable assumption that the transition from pre-colonial to colonial government in what became Nigeria avoided... monstrous bloodshed.' 'A must-read for anyone interested in the story of Britain's colonial encounter with Nigeria. Siollun tells this complex story from a Nigerian perspective while never once abandoning his objective eye, the mark of the truly-committed historian. [...] His vast knowledge and down-to-earth writing style have combined to produce a book that is both educative and enjoyable to read, one that shows colonialism in all its human complexities and contradictions. A fantastic accomplishment.' -- Remi Adekoya, University of York, author of 'Biracial Britain: A Different Way of Looking at Race' 'Max Siollun has conducted extraordinary research which places the history of one of the most important English-speaking countries on earth in a new light. This is a compelling, brilliant and brave history of Nigeria and British colonialism.' -- Toby Green, author of 'A Fistful of Shells: West Africa from the Rise of the Slave Trade to the Age of Revolution'