BENIN HISTORY AND CULTURE
The people of Benin have lived at their inland settlement for many centuries. They speak Edo language. Some historian trace the founding of Benin to about 12th century. It is therefore correct to say that the Benin people were already…
SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SONGHAI, GHANA AND MALI EMPIRES
SIMILARITIES The three empires were located close to the Niger River; they developed from the same Western Sudan region. The peopling of Ghana, Mali and Songhai Empires was similar. The three empires controlled the salt and gold trade. They were…
SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS THAT LED TO THE FALL OF MALI EMPIRE
Social factors: Despite its acclaimed greatness, Mali Empire declined. Internal disputes resulted to wars within the empire. The declaration of war by the Bamana of Djenne weakened the empire. The empire encountered external attacks which led to the capture of…
SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS THAT LED TO THE RISE OF MALI EMPIRE
Social factors: Mali Empire rose to prominence due to several factors, these include: Commissioning of great buildings like mosques in Timbuktu. This made the empire a famous centre of learning and spectacular architecture. The building of one of the centres…
THE LOCATION AND ORIGIN OF MALI EMPIRE
LOCATION Mali Empire developed from the fall of old Ghana Empire in Western Sudan. The empire’s total area included nearly all the land between the Sahara Desert and coastal forests of the Western Sudan. It spanned the modern-day countries of…
SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS THAT LED TO THE FALL OF GHANA EMPIRE
SOCIAL FACTORS In historical movement, empires and kingdoms usually rose to their peaks and then began to experience decline or fall no matter how highly developed the empire or kingdom had been. This was the case of the Old Ghana…
SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS THAT LED TO THE RISE OF GHANA EMPIRE
SOCIAL FACTORS Some factors usually work together to lead to the rise or expansion of empires in history. The following factors were responsible for the rise of the Old Ghana Empire reaching its peak of power and glory around the…
THE BERLIN CONFERENCE AND TREATY
In 1884, Otto Edward Leopold, Prince of Bismark, Duke of Lavenburg, popularly referred to as Otto von Bismarck convened the 1884-1885 Berlin Conference to discuss the African problem. Participants discussed issues relating to condemnation of slave trade, prohibition on the…
THE ROYAL NIGER COMPANY
The legitimate trade in communities attracted a number of British merchants to the Niger River, as well as others who had been formerly engaged in the slave trade but now changed their line of trade. The large companies that opened…
BRITISH CONQUEST THROUGH WARS
The British led series of military campaigns to enlarge its sphere of influence and expand its commercial opportunities. The superior weapons, tactics and political unity of the British are commonly given as reasons for their decisive victory. In 1892, the…
BRITISH CONQUEST THROUGH TREATIES
The abolition of the slave trade and the rise of the legitimate trade, subsequently led to the gradual encroachment on the territories of various African states by European powers. For instance in Nigeria, the British misled local rulers into signing…
BRITISH CONTACTS WITH NIGERIA
British contact with the Nigerian people was made through three categories of people namely; the explorers, Christian missionaries and traders. The explorers included Mungo Park, Lander brothers and Henrich Barth. In the case of Christian missionaries, there was Rev. Schon,…
THE ROLES OF NIGERIAN NATIONALIST ANTHONY ENAHORO
Anthony Enahoro was born in Uromi (Edo- State) on the 22nd of July, 1923. He had his early education in Uromi, Owo and Lagos. Even as a young secondary school student, Enahoro was worried about colonial rule and agitated for…
THE ROLES OF NIGERIAN NATIONALIST AMINU KANO
Mallam Aminu Kano was born in Kano city in 1920. After his elementary school education in Kano, he proceeded to Katsina College. He also attended a course at the Institute of Education of the University of London. Like many children…
THE ROLES OF NIGERIAN NATIONALIST AHMADU BELLO
Ahmadu Bello was born in Rabah (in Sokoto State) on the 12th of June 1909. His father was the Chief of Rabah and a descendant of the great Muslim scholar and jihadist, Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio, the founder of the…
THE ROLES OF NIGERIAN NATIONALIST TAFAWA BALEWA
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was born in December 1912 in the town of Tafawa Balewa, Bauchi (Bauchi State). He attended Tafawa Balewa Primary School from 1922-1925. He proceeded to Bauchi Middle School 1925-1928. From Bauchi Middle School, he moved to Katsina…