BOOK REVIEW S.U. FWATSHAK, AFRICAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN JOS, CENTRAL NIGERIA, 19021985, (CAROLINA ACADEMIC PRESS, DURHAM NORTH CAROLINA, 2011), 249 PAGES, $25. Yusuf Izang Elijah-Reviewer The book African Entrepreneurship in Jos, Central Nigeria, 1902-1985, is authored by S. U Fwatshak. This is the first major work of the business history of Jos, which identifies general and specific business lines and their owners. The author has generated rich empirical data on firms and business systems on the Jos Plateau, since pre-colonial period that confirm or challenge many theories and assumptions by other disciplines. The book adopts the historical method in understanding the historical trajectories in the development of entrepreneurship in Jos, the Plateau State capital. The book provides a critical examination and analysis of the historic role of African/Nigerians as entrepreneurs in the economic development of Jos, in the period 1902-1985. The author further examines the conceptual framework of ‘entrepreneurship’ across various disciplinary perspectives (Economic, Psychology, Sociology and History) (pp.16-33), and scholarly knowledge of entrepreneurship across geo-political division in Africa (pp.35-64). In working out the central themes of this book, the author examines (i) the precolonial profile of African entrepreneurship on the Jos Plateau (pp.67-93), (ii) the African entrepreneurship in Jos in the early colonial era 1902-1945 (pp.99-131), (iii) African entrepreneurship in Jos in the late colonial era 1946-1960 (pp.135-157), (iv) and the postcolonial state and African entrepreneurship in Jos 1960-1985 (pp.161-190). These basic themes define the thrust of this book. According to the author, indigenous practices of entrepreneurship in Jos metropolis have their root in pre-colonial Jos society (p.10). The bases of indigenous entrepreneurship were agriculture and craft products, i.e entrepreneurship
in production and entrepreneurship in trade/exchange (pp.69-93). The argument presented by the author reveals that entrepreneurship existed in Jos pre-colonial society but in a less developed state, and elaborated in colonial era. Contrary to, dependency and liberal interpretations of colonial economy that present Africans as mere objects of colonial economy rather than players (p.133), the author presented a different approach, by revealing Africans as players in various aspects of entrepreneurship. He therefore, argues that the attempt to crush indigenous entrepreneurship was not very successful, as indigenous entrepreneurs used their pre-colonial experience in blacksmithing, petty trading and crop production to survive. They survived because of local initiative (p.10). In the late part of the colonial period 1946-1960, the British started to give up their colonial possessions, by removing some constraints in the way of indigenous entrepreneurship (foreign monopoly). This makes indigenous entrepreneurship at the eve of independence to remain commercial on orientation and small in scale (p.11). In the post-colonial period, the author argues, indigenous entrepreneurship in Jos improved over the colonial situation. And that the reason for such improvement relate to the role of Nigeria state, Plateau state government, oil boom, growth of higher education and most importantly local initiatives (p.166). He added that, indigenization decree banned foreigners from participating in small scale industrial and commercial activities, which gave more room for Nigerians to participate more in small scale enterprise (p.170). Nigerians in Jos dominate the small scale businesses, which few of them are products of local initiatives (p.170). This is to say that, some private enterprise in post-colonial Jos Plateau is a product of pre-colonial creation. It’s very important to acknowledge here that history carries an even larger mission; by bringing the lessons of business history to current research. It is on this platform that African
Entrepreneurship in Jos, Central Nigeria, contains useful information to lecturers, researches, students of history, economic, sociology, business administration and the general public in the understanding of business history. Those interested in business history will find the book reliable and useful to their reading list. Yusuf, Izang Elijah, Department of History and International Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Jos, P.M.B 2084, Jos, Plateau State-Nigeria. elijahyusuf29@yahoo.com: elijahyusuf93@gmail.com