Ancient & Pre-Colonial Nigeria
Histories of Nigerian kingdoms, empires, trade routes, and cultures before colonial rule, including Nok, Benin, Oyo, Sokoto, and Kanem-Bornu.
The National Museum, Lagos and Nigeria’s Early Custodianship of Benin Art
The National Museum in Onikan, Lagos opened its doors in 1957, during the final years of British colonial rule and just three years before...
Lisabi Mills and the Road to Maryland, A Lagos Factory Story
Lagos has always been shaped by its businesses. Some rose loudly and vanished. Others stayed quietly embedded in the city’s daily life, remembered through...
The Lost House of Dr Henry Carr at Tinubu Square
Tinubu Square, on Lagos Island, has always been more than a crossroads. For generations, it has been a place where power, commerce, faith, and...
How Ikoyi Was Designed for Power, The Colonial Decisions That Shaped Lagos’ Most Exclusive District
Ikoyi’s reputation in Lagos is often described in simple terms, leafy streets, prestigious addresses, and a quiet distance from the city’s busiest pressures. Yet...
Voices on the Line, Wires Across Empire
In a small telecommunications room in Kano, a young Nigerian woman sits upright before a wooden manual telephone switchboard. The board is crowded with...
Northern Nigerian Rulers at Croydon Aerodrome, Aviation, Empire, and a Photograph That Traveled the World
On 2 July 1934, Croydon Aerodrome became the setting for a striking imperial era encounter. Northern Nigerian traditional rulers, identified by their titles as...
Latifu Awoyale: Yoruba Goldsmithing in Ibadan
Goldsmithing and metalwork occupy a central place in Yoruba culture, with traditions extending across centuries. Yoruba metalworking encompasses ironwork, brass and copper casting, and...
Sango Shrine of the Timi of Ede: Yoruba Spirituality, Symbolism, and Cultural Heritage
The Sango shrine in Ede, linked to the palace of the Timi, the traditional ruler of Ede in Osun State, remains central to the...
The Igala Kings and the Niger, Benue River Corridor
The meeting place of the River Niger and the River Benue is more than a point on a map, it is one of West...
1914 and the Making of Nigeria, What the Amalgamation Really Was, and What It Was Not
Before 1914, Britain did not govern the territory now called Nigeria as a single political unit. Instead, it administered separate colonial entities, most notably...