Ancient & Pre-Colonial Nigeria
Histories of Nigerian kingdoms, empires, trade routes, and cultures before colonial rule, including Nok, Benin, Oyo, Sokoto, and Kanem-Bornu.
Ogboni in Yoruba History, The Council of Elders That Balanced Power and Sacred Authority
Among the historic institutions of Yorubaland, few have attracted as much fascination as the Ogboni. Often portrayed in modern imagination as a secret society...
The Historic Visit of Oba Gbadebo I to Britain in 1904
In 1904, Oba Gbadebo I, the Alake of Abeokuta, travelled to Britain during a period when the Egba state was negotiating its place within...
Arimoro of Ilesa, The Warrior in the Shadow of the Kiriji War
The nineteenth century was one of the most turbulent periods in the history of Yorubaland. The decline of the old Oyo Empire opened the...
The Peace Cord of Yorubaland
In nineteenth century Yorubaland, diplomacy did not always depend on written letters. Long before colonial administration expanded written correspondence, Yoruba communities already possessed a...
Lisabi and the Egba Revolt, The Farmer Leader Who Helped Break Oyo Power in Egbaland
Lisabi occupies a central place in the history and memory of the Egba people of southwestern Nigeria. Among the Egba, he is remembered as...
The Arrival of Dr. George and Lydia Green in Ogbomoso
On March 18, 1907, Dr. George Green and his wife, Lydia Green, arrived in Ogbomoso to begin Baptist medical work in the town. Their...
Alaafin Olúàṣo of Oyo and the Enduring Memory of an Early Yoruba King
Alaafin Olúàṣo is remembered as one of the early rulers in the long history of the Oyo kingdom. His name appears in the traditional...
Oba Oyekan I and the Quiet Decline of Royal Power in Colonial Lagos
Oba Oyekan I became the ruler of Lagos in 1885 after the death of his father, Oba Dosunmu. He inherited a throne with deep...
The Fall of Okikilu and the End of Old Egba Rule
Before the nineteenth century city of Abeokuta came into existence, the Egba people lived across a network of settlements scattered through the forest region...
How Marriage Worked in Traditional Yoruba Society
Marriage, ìgbéyàwó, occupied a central place in traditional Yorùbá society. It was never regarded simply as a private relationship between two individuals. Instead, it...