On October 15, 1938, Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, better known as Fela Kuti, was born in Abeokuta, the state capital of Ogun State. Musician and political activist Fela pioneered his own distinctive musical style, known as “Afrobeat.” He fought against military oppression and political tyranny by utilizing Afrobeat as a weapon. Over 200 times, Fela…
The disastrous Benin punitive expedition of 1897 left the great kingdom of Benin devastated and without valuable artifacts, artworks, sons, daughters, or a great king. The “punitive expedition,” as the British referred to it, was sparked by a historical event known as “the Benin massacre.” A portion of the Benin army killed Consul Philips and…
Wole Soyinka was born in Abeokuta, near Ibadan, in western Nigeria, on July 13, 1934. He began his preparatory education at Government College in Ibadan in 1954, and he continued his education at the University of Leeds, where he earned his doctorate in 1973. Wole Soyinka and his sister, Tinu. Wole and Tinu Soyinka in…
Dr. Raymond Harold Prince, a pioneer in transcultural psychiatry, was born in Barrie, Ontario, Canada, on September 27, 1925. Dr. Raymond was a child who could identify all kinds of birds, trees, and flowers. He was raised in a religious household but later converted to atheism. He tried to get away from his Baptist upbringing,…
Before, during, and after colonial rule, a significant portion of Nigeria was located in the north; all due to the Hausa/Fulani people and the lovely way of life they lead. Here are fifteen old photos that show how life was in northern Nigeria in the past. Kano in 1950. A Hausa man during worship. Ahmadu…
A small aircraft was observed flying above Lagos, Nigeria, on May 30, 1926. The pilot was Mr. M. Landrich, and there was a passenger on board. It was a sunny Sunday afternoon. With the intention of flying directly to Cotonou, which is about 500 miles away, the aircraft took off from Elizabeth Vile in the…
Atinuke Oloyede, who won the first Miss Nigeria pageant in 1957, is depicted in the image above.
Context: The Kamerun Campaign was a phase of the conflict between Germany and Britain, France, and Belgium on the one hand, and France, Belgium, and Britain on the other. In August 1914, the former nations invaded Kamerun (Cameroon), then a German colony. The majority of German civilian and military personnel had fled to Rio Muni,…
The History of the 8th of January in Nigeria On this day in 1970, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the leader of the breakaway Republic of Biafra, fled into exile in the Ivory Coast. There, President Félix Houphouet-Boigny, who had recognized the Republic of Biafra on May 14, 1968, granted him political asylum. After all hopes of…
Lagos was bright and sunny on Monday, February 16, 1976, just before noon. Middle-class Nigerians and foreign expatriates crowded the terraces of the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club. On center court, current Wimbledon champion Arthur Ashe was competing against fellow American Jeff Borowiak in his semi-final match. Black Africa’s first professional tennis tournament, the $60,000 Lagos…