How to Become a Big Man in Africa

Can subalterns transform themselves into members of the elite, and what does it take to do so? And how do those efforts reveal the nature of ethnic politics in postcolonial Africa?  How to Become a Big Man in Africa: Subalternity, Elites, and Ethnic Politics in Contemporary Nigeria  examines these questions by revealing how, through ethno-regional conflict, violence and cultural activities, an artisan, Gani Adams, transformed himself into the holder of the most prestigious chieftaincy