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.
Ladi Kwali: The Potter Who Took Nigerian Craft to the World
Before her portrait appeared on the ₦20 note, Ladi Kwali had already taken something much older than paper money into places her childhood could...
25 Years Ago Today, Nigerian Godwin Ajala Gave His Life Saving Others on 9/11
Twenty five years ago today, Godwin O. Ajala went to work at the World Trade Center in New York, just as he had done...
Why Poor Young Men Were Drawn to Maitatsine
There was a moment in Kano when a religious dispute stopped being a dispute.On 18 December 1980, police moved into the Shahuci area of...
The Strange Things Maitatsine Followers Were Told to Reject
Imagine living in Kano in the late 1970s and being told that the wristwatch on your arm was not merely a watch.It was a...
Why Did Clifford Orji Spend 12 Years in Prison Without a Trial?
In April 2012, officials walking through Kirikiri Maximum Prison came across a prisoner whose case had become almost impossible to explain.Clifford Orji had been...
Clifford Orji: The Nigerian Cannibal Who Shocked Lagos in 1999
On 3 February 1999, Lagos woke up to a story that sounded almost impossible.Under a flyover near Toyota Bus Stop on the Oshodi Apapa...
The Scramble for Africa and the Destruction of Nigerian Sovereignty
Before Nigeria appeared on any map, there were already kingdoms, emirates, city states and independent communities across the territory it would eventually occupy.The Oba...
How Stella Obasanjo’s Burial Became an Exception to an Esan Tradition
On 28 October 2005, a coffin draped in the Nigerian flag was carried before thousands of mourners at the M.K.O. Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta.Inside...
Beyond Marriage: The Esan Woman’s Lifelong Connection to Her Family
A daughter could marry out of her father’s house, lose the customary right to inherit his property and become a junior member of her...
Why Esan Women Were Traditionally Returned to Their Father’s Family for Burial
For an Esan woman, marriage could mean leaving her father’s compound, moving to another town, raising children in her husband’s household and spending most...