Nigerian History
Nigerian History explores the people, events, and ideas that have shaped Africa’s most populous nation. From the rise of powerful precolonial kingdoms and the impact of British colonial rule to the struggle for independence, civil war, and modern nation-building, this category brings Nigeria’s past to life through detailed narratives and verified historical accounts. Here, readers discover stories of leadership, resilience, culture, and transformation — tracing how Nigeria’s diverse heritage continues to influence its present and future.
Why Some Military Coups Succeeded While Others Failed in Nigeria
Nigeria’s post-independence history was marked by a series of military coups that reshaped its political landscape. Between 1966 and 1990, the country witnessed coups...
The Night a Radical Coup Shook Nigeria’s Military Order
In the early hours of April 22, 1990, Nigeria was jolted awake by gunfire, uncertainty, and a radio announcement that questioned the very structure...
Hassan Usman Katsina, Nigerian Army Chief and Northern Governor in a Time of War
Major General Hassan Usman Katsina, later titled Ciroman Katsina, was one of the most influential Nigerian Army officers of the first post independence generation....
The Rise of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was born in 1977 in Enugu, Nigeria, and spent her formative years in Nsukka, a university town in southeastern Nigeria. She...
Urhobo Otota, Okpo, and Ivwrì, The Power Symbols That Defined Authority and Protection
In the Niger Delta, authority was never silent and it was never invisible. Power was expressed through clearly defined titles, performed through council procedure,...
Chief Amodu Tijani Oluwa and the Lagos Land Case That Reached the Privy Council
Chief Amodu Tijani Oluwa, an Idejo White Cap Chief of Lagos and head of the Oluwa family, entered history through a legal struggle that...
Onigu Otite and the Study of Ethnicity in Nigeria
Onigu Otite, born Kingsley John Onigu Otite on 21 January 1939 and who died on 14 March 2019, was a Nigerian sociologist whose work...
Christian Missions in Ibadan, From Kudeti to a Growing Protestant City
Christian mission history in Ibadan is closely linked to the arrival of the Church Missionary Society in the early 1850s. In 1853, C.M.S. missionaries...
When Aggression Took Shape, The Urhobo Iphri Dance of the Niger Delta
A photograph taken in 1972 by Perkins Foss captures a powerful Urhobo performance centred on an iphri, a shrine figure associated with male aggression....
From Slave Ship to City Hall, The Rise of John Ezzidio in Nineteenth Century Freetown
John Ezzidio was born around 1810 in Nupe country, in the region of present day Nigeria. His early life unfolded in a period marked...