List of Figures Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations Part I: African Voices, Imperial Dialogues, and the Evolution of Petition Writing Introduction: On African Voices and Imperial Dialogues: Why Petitions Matter Chapter One: An "Ancient Right": Petition Writing and the British Empire Chapter Two: From Traditions of Orality to "Voices in Ink": Advent, Textual Analysis, and Dynamics of Petition Writing in Igboland, 18921900 Part II: Negotiating Colonialism: Locating African Voices via Selected Colonial Petitions Chapter Three: "We Must Aright and Claim Genuine Rights of Ownership": Voices of Land and Ownership Chapter Four: "From "Pitiable Maidservants" to "Virtual Patriarchs": Voices of Women and the Gendered Politics of Petitions Chapter Five: "Sir, The Petition of Your Humble Servant, A Condemned Convict": Voices Behind Bars and the Paradox of Colonial Punishment Chapter Six: "A Privileged Dialogic Space": Deference, Defiance, and Petition Writing during the World War Years Chapter Seven: "Our Town is Underdeveloped . We Have No Amenities and All We Get Are Fees, Taxes, and Worries": Negotiating Welfare and Development, 1940s1960 Conclusion Bibliography About the Author logic Space": Deference, Defiance, and Petition Writing during the World War Years Chapter Seven: "Our Town is Underdeveloped . We Have No Amenities and All We Get Are Fees, Taxes, and Worries": Negotiating Welfare and Development, 1940s1960 Conclusion Bibliography About the Author logic Space": Deference, Defiance, and Petition Writing during the World War Years Chapter Seven: "Our Town is Underdeveloped . We Have No Amenities and All We Get Are Fees, Taxes, and Worries": Negotiating Welfare and Development, 1940s1960 Conclusion Bibliography About the Author logic Space": Deference, Defiance, and Petition Writing during the World War Years Chapter Seven: "Our Town is Underdeveloped . We Have No Amenities and All We Get Are Fees, Taxes, and Worries": Negotiating Welfare and Development, 1940s1960 Conclusion Bibliography About the Author.