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.
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...
Britain Stormed Benin City in 1897. But the Attack Was About More Than Revenge
On 4 January 1897, a British party travelling towards Benin City was attacked.Among those killed was James Robert Phillips, the Acting Consul General of...
How Hassan Katsina Helped Keep Northern Nigeria From Breaking Into Revenge
Nigeria was not yet a year into its second decade of independence when the foundations of the country began to shake.The crisis did not...
Hassan Katsina: The 32 Year Old Prince Who Became a Military Governor
On 15 January 1966, Major Hassan Usman Katsina woke up to a Nigeria that was rapidly coming apart.In Kaduna, gunfire had announced the beginning...
Alajo Somolu: How One Lagos Thrift Collector Became a Legend
There is a peculiar thing about Alajo Somolu.His real name was Alphaeus Taiwo Olunaike, but the name almost disappeared beneath the legend.People who never...
How Oyo Became Rich Through Trade and War
Imagine a kingdom where the more territory you controlled, the more markets, people and trade routes came under your influence.That was Oyo.Long before Nigeria...