Ancient & Pre-Colonial Nigeria
Histories of Nigerian kingdoms, empires, trade routes, and cultures before colonial rule, including Nok, Benin, Oyo, Sokoto, and Kanem-Bornu.
From Sacred Groves to Colonial Survey Lines, The Nigerian Shrines Britain Could Not Ignore
Across the regions that make up modern Nigeria, communities organised space through memory, custom, and sacred authority. Land was not understood through measured lines...
Kanem Bornu, The Lake Chad Empire That Redefined Power for a Millennium
Kanem Bornu was one of Africa’s most enduring states, emerging around Lake Chad and lasting, in different forms, from roughly the ninth century into...
Missionary School Rivalries That Shaped Education in Southern Nigeria, 1840–1945
Western style education in Southern Nigeria did not begin as a unified public system. It developed gradually through the activities of Christian missionary societies...
Gidan Dan Hausa, Kano’s Historic House at the Crossroads of Culture and Change
Gidan Dan Hausa stands among the most recognisable historic buildings in Kano, admired for its earthen walls, sculpted surfaces, and the sense that it...
The Efon Alaaye Veranda Post, A Testament to Yoruba Artistic Power
The veranda post from Efon Alaaye, captured in a 1970 photograph by Eliot Elisofon, stands today as a striking example of Yoruba woodcarving excellence....
The Bachama Kingdom of Adamawa, A Living Chronicle of Bwatiye Heritage
The Bachama Kingdom, established around Numan in present day Adamawa State, stands as one of the defining cultural centres of the Bwatiye people. The...
Power, Warfare, and Governance, Defensive Systems of the City-States of the Old Oyo Empire
The Old Oyo Empire became one of the most formidable political systems in pre colonial West Africa. Its rise was shaped by military strength,...
Before Nigeria, Exploring the Ancient Ethnic Landscape of a Region Rich in Civilisations
The region now known as Nigeria was once a vast landscape of kingdoms, city-states, village communities, and cultural groups with deep historical roots. Long...
Germany and Nigeria Relations and the Return of the Benin Bronzes, History, Culture, Politics
Germany and Nigeria have maintained formal diplomatic relations since Nigeria gained independence in 1960. Over the following decades, cooperation extended into culture, education, energy,...
The Old Northern Emirates of Nigeria, A Twin Legacy of the Sokoto Caliphate and Kanem Bornu
Northern Nigeria stands on the legacy of two remarkable political and cultural traditions. The Sokoto Caliphate, which expanded across the western and central regions...