Petition Writing and Negotiations of Colonialism in Igboland, 18921960: African Voices in Ink

Though many historians of colonial Africa are familiar with petitions preserved in archives, few have looked at what this genre of letter writing tells us about broader colonial society. In a meticulously researched and rich analysis, Petition Writing and Negotiations of Colonialism in Igboland, 18921960: African Voices in Ink fills this gap through the exploration of petitions written by Igbo petitioners in southeastern Nigeria to British officials which shows how these Igbo individuals influenced colonial decision-making. In challenging colonial authority through petition writing, Igbo petitioners used language of rights and justice to navigate the colonial system. By extracting African voices through a largely untapped archive of petitions, Bright Alozie provides insights into petition writing as a significant tool for understanding colonialism beyond the contestation of power and highlights petition writers agency and engagement with colonial administration. This book brings together transnational, historical, geographical, and gender perspectives to explore an archive of petitions and to inspire critical inquiry and further exploration of the intricate dynamics and multifaceted aspects of petition writing in colonial Igboland.