DIPLOMATIC HISTORY
COLONIAL RULE IN WEST AFRICA
The European scramble for Africa culminated in the Berlin West African Conference of 1884-85. The conference was called by German Chancellor Bismarck and would set up the parameters for the eventual partition of Africa. European nations were summoned to discuss…
EUROPEAN CONTACT WITH WEST AFRICA
European sailors first reached sub-Saharan Africa in 1442, when Portuguese ships reached the Senegal river. The Portuguese had been sailing the coasts of Morocco and Western Sahara since 1413, when they captured the Moroccan city of Ceuta [still a Spanish…
CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES IN WEST AFRICA
The expansion of the missionary movement into Africa was part of the growing conception of Christian responsibility for the regeneration of African peoples. The anti-slavery issue and the humanitarian conscience also played a vital role in stimulating European interest in…
THE SPREAD OF ISLAM IN WEST AFRICA
Africa was the first continent, that Islam spread into out of Arabia in the early seventh century. Almost one-third of the world’s Muslim population resides today in the continent. It was estimated in 2002 that Muslims constitute 45% of the…
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…
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…
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…
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 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…
THE ROLES OF NIGERIAN NATIONALIST NNAMDI AZIKIWE
Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe was born in Zungeru town (now in Niger State) on the 16th of November 1904 to an immigrant Ibo family from the then Eastern Nigeria. He was popularly and simply called Zik. His father was a clerk…
THE ROLES OF NIGERIAN NATIONALIST OBAFEMI AWOLOWO
Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo popularly called Awo, was born in Ikenne (now in Ogun State) on the 6th of March, 1909. He had his early education at the Baptist High School and later Wesley College, Ibadan. Awo had to struggle to…
SONGHAI’S RELATIONS WITH HER NEIGHBOURS
Songhai Empire was a very important empire that commanded the respect of her neighbours. When the empire was established, it fought wars of conquest against small kingdoms and made them part of the empire. The Songhai Empire’s army was so…
SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS THAT LED TO THE FALL OF SONGHAI EMPIRE
Social Factors: The sack and subjugation of Timbuktu by external forces exposed the misrule of some emperors; this was coupled with the outbreak of drought and diseases. There was also the division of the empire into a number of separate…
THE ROLE OF SIR FREDERICK LUGARD IN THE NIGERIAN HISTORY
Sir Frederick John Dealtry Lugard was born on 22 January, 1858. Between 1901 and 1928 he served as British soldier, explorer and colonial administrator in many parts of Africa and Asia. Sir Frederick Lugard, as he was fondly called, was…
MEANING OF NATIONALISM
Nationalism is the feeling of pride, which people have about their country and identity. It also means a strong desire of a people who share the same or similar economic and political experiences, culture, language, tradition, history and heritage. Nationalism…
RELATIONS BETWEEN IGBO AND THE NIGER DELTA STATES
The non-centralised states of the Igbos of the South-eastern Nigeria interacted actively with close and distant neighbours like the Igala, Bini and Ijo. Some Igbo communities such as Nri and the Arochukwu had more influence and interactions outside their areas.…
AMALGAMATION OF NIGERIA
Amalgamation means bringing together two or more groups or territories under one administration. At the wake of the British conquest of the different parts of Nigeria, those territories were initially administered independently. This was because the territories were conquered at…
RELATIONS BETWEEN THE KANEM-BORNO AND THE HAUSA STATES
The people of Hausaland shared a lot of relationships and interactions with the Kanem-Borno in the Lake Chad region of the north eastern Nigeria. Kanem-Borno is made up of the Kanuri speaking people. The Hausa states included the seven states…
EUROPEAN MISSIONARIES
By the 19th century, Europeans missionaries had established their missions in Nigeria, but without making remarkable impact on the local communities. There were only a few communities that were directly affected by the activities of the Christian missions as of…
ROUTES FOLLOWED BY THE EUROPEAN EXPLORERS
By the 18th century, European travelers had mapped Africa’s entire coastline in detail. However, the interior of the continent remained largely unexplored. Many Europeans believed that the River Niger led to rich trading opportunities further inland. In 1795, Mungo Park…
EUROPEAN EXPLORERS
In 1788, the African Association was formed in England to promote the exploration of Africa in the hopes of locating the Niger. In 1795, Mungo Park (1771-1806), the Scottish explorer, travelled overland from the Gambia region and reached the Niger…
