The history of West African Sudanese states and kingdoms dates back to ancient times, with the emergence of various powerful empires and states across the region. Some of the notable Sudanese states and kingdoms...
The Efik people are an ethnic group indigenous to the southeastern region of Nigeria, particularly in Cross River State. According to Efik tradition, their ancestors originated from a place called Usak Edet, which is...
Introduction The Sherbro/Bullom people are an ethnic group primarily located in Sierra Leone, West Africa. They are a mixture of the Sherbro people and the Bullom people, who are both indigenous to the area....
Introduction The Susu people, also known as Soso or Soussou, are an ethnic group that primarily inhabits the coastal regions of Sierra Leone, Guinea, and some parts of Liberia. They are believed to have...
Introduction The term “Loko” refers to an ethnic group in Sierra Leone. They are primarily found in the northern part of the country, particularly in the Loko chiefdom in the Port Loko district. The...
Introduction The Limba people are an ethnic group that primarily inhabits the northern region of Sierra Leone. They are one of the largest ethnic groups in the country, and their language, also called Limba,...
Introduction The Mende people are an ethnic group primarily found in Sierra Leone, West Africa. They are one of the two largest ethnic groups in the country, along with the Temne people. The Mende...
Introduction The Temne people are an ethnic group primarily found in Sierra Leone, West Africa. They are one of the largest ethnic groups in Sierra Leone, comprising about 30% of the population. The Temne...
Introduction Borno, located in northeastern Nigeria, was ruled by a dynasty of Shehus, or kings, for centuries. The Shehu dynasty was founded in the early 17th century by Mai Idris Aloma, who expanded the...
Introduction Yorubaland in the 19th century was a complex and dynamic region located in what is now Nigeria. It was made up of several Yoruba city-states, each with its own ruler and system of...
Nigeria’s First Republic Turmoil Nigeria gained independence from British colonial rule on October 1, 1960, with Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as its first president. The period that followed, known as the First Republic, was marked...
Introduction The decolonization process in Nigeria occurred over a period of several decades, from the establishment of British colonial rule in 1861 to the country’s independence in 1960. The process was marked by various...
Introduction Nigeria underwent significant changes from 1900 to 2000. Here is a brief overview of some of the key events and developments during this period: Colonial era (1900-1960): Nigeria was colonized by the British...
Introduction The Kingdom of Benin, located in what is now southern Nigeria, was one of the most powerful and prosperous states in West Africa during the 19th century. At the beginning of the 19th...
Introduction Between AD 1500 and 1900, Ghana experienced significant social and political development that shaped its present state. The period saw the emergence of several powerful empires and states, including the Ashanti Empire and...
Introduction Sierra Leone in the 19th century was a time of significant political, social, and economic changes. The country was a British colony during this period, having been established as a colony for freed...
Introduction Sierra Leone gained independence from the United Kingdom on April 27, 1961. The country’s first prime minister was Sir Milton Margai, who served from independence until his death in 1964. He was succeeded...
Ghana, also known as the Ghana Empire, was a West African kingdom that existed from the 6th to 13th century AD. It was located in the area that is now southeastern Mauritania and western...
The Europeans began to arrive on the Ghana coast in the 15th century, with the Portuguese being the first to establish a permanent settlement at Elmina in 1482. The Portuguese were followed by the...
The Serahuli people, also known as Soninke or Sarakole, are an ethnic group that primarily inhabits parts of West Africa, including Senegal, Gambia, Mali, and Mauritania. According to oral tradition, the Serahuli people trace...
Origin Krio, also known as Aku, is a creole language spoken in Sierra Leone. It developed as a lingua franca among the descendants of freed African slaves, known as the “Krios,” who were resettled...
Nation-building in Africa is a complex and multifaceted process that involves a range of political, economic, social, and cultural factors. The term “nation-building” refers to the process of creating a sense of national identity...
The Jola people are an ethnic group mainly found in the West African countries of Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau. They are also known as the Diola, Dyola, or Joola. The exact origin of the...
Origin Fula, also known as Fulani or Peul, is an ethnic group that is widely distributed across West Africa, particularly in Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, and Cameroon. The origin of the Fula people is...
Origin of Mandinka Mandinka, also known as Manding or Mandingo, is an ethnic group from West Africa, primarily located in Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea-Bissau. The...
The coup d’etat of 1980 in Liberia was a major event in the country’s history, resulting in the overthrow of President William R. Tolbert Jr. and the ascension of Samuel K. Doe to the...
The administration of Edwin Barclay Edwin Barclay was the 18th President of Liberia, serving two terms from 1930 to 1944. During his presidency, Liberia experienced significant economic growth, with the expansion of rubber and...
Political Development Liberia, founded in 1822 by freed American slaves, went through significant political developments between 1900 and 2000. Here are some key events and trends during this period: 1900s-1930s: Liberia continued to be...
In the 19th century, Liberia faced several challenges with land acquisition, which were rooted in the country’s colonial history and cultural practices. Conflicting claims: Conflicting claims over land ownership often arose due to the...
The Declaration of Independence in Liberia was adopted on July 26, 1847. The declaration proclaimed the independence of the Republic of Liberia from the American Colonization Society, which had established a colony in West...
The Commonwealth of Liberia was established in 1847 as a sovereign state in West Africa by freed American slaves and free-born African Americans who immigrated to Africa under the auspices of the American Colonization...
Liberia was founded as a colony by the American Colonization Society (ACS) in 1821. The main objective of the ACS was to establish a colony in Africa where free people of color from the...
The Gambia, a small West African country, was a hub for the slave trade during the 16th and 17th centuries. However, by the 19th century, the country’s role in the slave trade had significantly...
The politics of decolonization refers to the process by which colonial powers relinquish control over their colonies, leading to the emergence of independent nations. Decolonization often involves complex negotiations between the colonial power, local...
In the 19th century, Ethiopia (then known as Abyssinia) was ruled by a series of emperors from the Solomonic dynasty. During this time, Ethiopia faced significant challenges, including external pressures from European powers seeking...
The Mahdi and Mahdiyya Movement in Sudan refers to a religious and political movement that emerged in Sudan in the late 19th century, led by Muhammad Ahmad, who claimed to be the Mahdi, a...
Mohammad Ali Pasha was an Ottoman governor of Egypt from 1805 to 1848. He is known for modernizing Egypt and creating a strong, centralized government. He introduced various reforms such as improving agriculture, developing...
The Mfecane, also known as the Difaqane or Lifaqane, was a period of widespread disruption and conflict that occurred in Southern Africa in the early to mid-19th century. The term “Mfecane” is derived from...
The frontier wars The Frontier Wars were a series of conflicts that took place in Australia between Indigenous Australians and European settlers and their descendants from the late 18th century to the early 20th...
The patterns of colonial rule in Africa varied among the different European powers that established colonies on the continent. Here are some key aspects of colonial rule by some of the major European powers:...
Apartheid, meaning “separateness” in Afrikaans, was a system of institutionalized racial segregation that was enforced in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. The origins of apartheid can be traced back to South Africa’s history...
Origin of Wolof people The Wolof people are an ethnic group that primarily inhabits Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania in West Africa. The Wolof language, also known as “Wollof,” is a Niger-Congo language spoken...
By 1880, the British had been well established along the coast of West Africa and began to advance into the interior. With the abolition of slave trade in Britain in 1807, the trade in...
The Berlin Treaty There were two major events that served as the prelude to the conference where the treaty took place. Firstly, King Leopold was interested in the Congo Basin, and the second was...
The Origin of the Idoma The Idoma are located in the Niger-Benue confluence. The Idoma ethnic group. comprises the Igede, Agatu and other ethnic groups around the Niger-Benue confluence. This is the area of...
The Itsekiri tradition traces them to the migration of Iginua from Benin during the reign of Oba Olua. Iginua was said to have met people who inhabited the area before he and his party...
The Niger Delta can be divided into sections; these are the Western Delta and the Eastern Delta. The Western Delta The groups within the Western Delta include the Ijo, Itsekiri and Aboh who dwell...
The Efik are located in the Eastern Niger Delta within the Cross River area. According to tradition, they were believed to have migrated southwards from a location north of the River Cross in the...
The origin of the Yoruba tradition The Yoruba are located in the southwest of modern Nigeria. According to records, there are two major stories of origin attributed to the Yoruba. The first speaks of...
The Igala have linked their origin with a divine rulership of the Jukun. However, there were three sources to the evolution of the Igala. The first explained the transfer of sovereignty from an original...