Just Before Dawn

Kole Omotoso one of Nigeria's major writers is always provocative. His writing is informed by a passionate concern for society and politics in Nigeria. This major work is a blend of fact and fiction dramatizing the first one hundred years of Nigeria. Most of the characters and incidents inthe book are real; the narrative is conceived and written as a novel. The story covers riots uprisings private hopes and griefsand coup d'etats -a history marred by violence with an outcome satisfactory to none. The book was received as a major contribution to African writing in its innovative style and was awarded Special Commendation in the Noma Award for Publishing in Africa in 1989 which described it as providing a more profound understanding than is available in conventional history books and novels.