Political History

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...

Action Group Crisis 1962: How Drum Recorded a Powerful Turning Point in Western Nigeria

The Action Group Crisis 1962 was one of the most consequential political emergencies of Nigeria’s early independence. Less than two years after the country...

1979 Nigerian Governors: 2 Remarkable Survivors of the Second Republic’s First Elected Class

The 1979 Nigerian governors represented a new political generation. On 1 October 1979, nineteen elected state executives took office as Nigeria ended more than...

A Mother’s Unending Grief: The Tragic Killing of Adeife and Akinola Sodipo-Akindeko in 2003

Some moments change a person's life forever. For Dr. Mrs. Abisola Sodipo-Akindeko Clark, one journey from Lagos to Abeokuta in 2003 became the day...

Shugaba Darman, The Borno Politician Nigeria Tried To Deport From His Own Country

Alhaji Abdulrahaman Shugaba Darman was one of the most remarkable political figures of Nigeria’s Second Republic. A Kanuri politician from Borno State, he rose...

Why Acting Government Officials Stay in Power for Months Without Senate Confirmation

In government offices, the word acting is supposed to mean something simple: hold the position for now, keep things running, and step aside once...

The Western Region Crisis That Exposed the Cracks in Nigeria’s First Republic

The Western Region crisis of 1962 was one of the defining political storms of Nigeria’s First Republic. It was not simply a personal quarrel...