Political History
In 1996, Nkechi Nwankwo Asked Nigeria a Question It Still Hasn’t Answered
In 1996, Nigeria was not exactly the place one would expect a journalist to publish a book asking whether its political system treated women...
How Hannah Awolowo Tried to Create a Way Back to Parliament for Her Imprisoned Husband
There was a problem in Nigeria's Parliament in the mid 1960s that could not be solved by an ordinary election.Obafemi Awolowo, one of the...
Colonial Federalism in Nigeria: 3 Powerful Forces That Reshaped Nationalist Politics
Colonial federalism in Nigeria developed alongside the country’s existing ethnic, cultural and political identities. During the final decades of colonial rule, constitutional regionalisation, uneven...
6 Defining Crises That Shattered the Nigeria’s First Republic in 1960–1966
Nigeria’s First Republic is often remembered through its dramatic ending: the military coup of January 1966. Yet the collapse of civilian government cannot be...
Political Patronage in Nigeria Before the Oil Boom: The Deep Roots of Power Before Petrodollars
Political Patronage in Nigeria Before the Oil Boom was already visible decades before the petroleum windfall of the 1970s transformed the financial power of...
8 Political Crises Before the Nigerian Civil War
Political crises before the Nigerian Civil War reveal why the conflict cannot be explained by a single coup, one ethnic grievance or the declaration...
Nigeria North-South Political Divide: How Population Became the Currency of Power
The Nigeria North-South political divide cannot be explained by a single census, election or colonial decision. Its roots lie in the political structure created...
Political Parties in Nigeria at Independence: How 3 Powerful Parties Shaped the Politics of Identity
Political parties in Nigeria at independence inherited a country already organised around powerful regional institutions, diverse communities and competing visions of political power. When...
Nigeria’s 1959 Cabinet: 4 Key Figures in the Transition to Independence
Nigeria’s 1959 Cabinet emerged during one of the most consequential periods in the country’s political history. The federal election of December 1959 took place...
The Defining Journey of Abubakar Sani Bello
Abubakar Sani Bello has occupied a prominent place in Niger State politics since the years preceding Nigeria’s landmark 2015 general election. His career has...