In this comprehensive work, James P. Hubbard provides an in depth examination of education in Nigeria under British colonial rule, placing it in its broader social and political context. He focuses on one of the most advanced schools in the Northern Provinces, Katsina College. Using information from government archives, he explores the major factors and government policies that shaped the College and colonial education in general. He reveals how colonial educators implemented these policies as well as African reactions to the educational system. Details concerning the kinds of subjects that were taught and characteristics of the student body are also included. Relevant for scholars of African history, this book provides new insights on the sociopolitical dynamics surrounding colonialism and the educational system that ultimately supported it.

This study of Muslims' writings on colonialism in northern Nigeria illuminates the complexities of Muslims' reactions to British indirect rule, revealing new perspective on the subject. It is based on Arabic texts, poems, Hausa novels, and treatises on Islamic law.