Meet Solomon Osagie Alonge, Most Renowned Photographer in Africa during the Early 20th Century

Solomon Osagie Alonge (1911-1994) was born in Benin, Nigeria. He learned English at the Benin Baptist Primary School and in 1925, at the age of 14, moved to Lagos, where he lived with an uncle to learn a trade. He quickly became interested in photography and began professional practice to expand his knowledge and skills. For Alonge, photography proves to be a lucrative and respected profession. In 1930 he returned to Benin and began photography in his home on Rue Ugbague. He often traveled outside Benin by bicycle, taking annual portraits at schools and gathering at social…

Protest Rocks Lagos Over Postponement of General Elections

A heavily armed riot police unit marches through a street in Lagos to disperse a crowd of demonstrators demanding a postponement of the December 1964 federal election. General elections were held in Nigeria on December 30, 1964, but in some constituencies in the Eastern, Lagos and West Central regions they were not held until March 18, 1965, due to the December boycott. During the elections, most parties operated in alliances, the Nigerian National Alliance (Northern People’s Congress, Nigerian National Democratic Party, West Central Democratic Front, Dynamic Party, Niger…

Creation of Katsina State in Northern Nigeria

Katsina is one of the oldest states in Nigeria, emerging from the former Kaduna State and located in the northwest geopolitical zone of the country. It is a state that emerged from the ancient Hausa/Fulani kingdoms, particularly the two ancient kingdoms “Katsina and Daura”. According to research, the other ancient Hausa kingdoms included Kano, Gobir, Zazzau, Rano and Biram (Garun Gabas), forming the beginning of the Hausa country. Therefore, at the time of publication of this article, the state capital Katsina and the city of Daura are considered bastions of political activity in the country. The Kingdom of Katsina, one of the Bakwai Hausa, called the “seven true Hausa states,” is…

Biography of His Eminence Sheikh (Dr.) Muhammad Kamalud-deen Al-Adabiy

His Eminence Sheikh (Dr.) Muhammad Kamalud-deen Al-Adabiy, MFR, OFR, ORSA (Egypt). D.Litt. (University of Ilorin), Scholar of Islamic Studies in Nigeria (FISN), was born at the Ara Agbaji compound in Masingba, Okekere area of ​​Ilorin at the turn of the 20th century (1905). His father was Mallam Habibullahi, son of Sheikh Musa, and his mother was Alhaja Khadijah. His paternal grandparents are said to have emigrated from Katsina. The young Muhammad Kamalud-deen grew up in a purely Islamic…