First Lady Rosalynn Carter, the 39th US president’s wife, waves as she passes through the Lagos hamlet of Badagry while on a tour to Nigeria. Godwin Babatunde Oba Akran, the Oba of Badagry, is accompanying her.
Situated in the south-central region of the nation, Kwara state is home to the little town of ESIE. The main reason for its fame is that it is the location of Africa’s largest collection of stone carvings. A hunter found these stone engravings for the first time in 1775. Many theories have been proposed to explain the Esie figurines, but their exact origins are still unknown. In an alternate history of Esié, these insurgent settlers were said to be from a different Yoruba tribe and had sent word to Elesie, the traditional chief of Esie land, that they intended to settle down in his town. However, to their great dismay, they were met with no one to receive them, so they chose to settle outside of the city of Esie. It was subsequently discovered that these settlers were a threat to the city’s security. The deity of the land, who was siding with Elesie of Esie, transformed the 800 obstinate settlers into stone statues because they were preparing to mutiny and were undermining the chief’s authority. Soapstone, or steatite stone, is used to make the figures. The figurines were arranged in a circle when they were discovered. They show people in sitting or kneeling positions, including ladies, men, kids, and animals. Some are clinging to their musical instruments or farming implements. The heights of the figurines differ. The pieces were carved sometime between the 12th and the 15th century, according to estimates. According to some academics, the figures are connected to a nearby ancient Yoruba country. The figures were formerly a community of people who were cursed by the gods and turned into stone, according to a common theory about the engravings. In 1933, the Esie figurines came to the attention of the general public due to the work of a Nigerian missionary named H.G. Ramshaw.…
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Ben Enwonwu Chukwukadibia, the most prominent African sculptor and artist of the 20th century, created the statue shown in this image. Following his brother Ajaka, the second Emperor of the Oyo Empire, who ruled for seven years, Sango was the third Alaafin of Oyo. He was the youngest of Oduduwa’s descendants and the second son of Oranmiyan, the man who founded the Oyo Empire. Sango was a strong and courageous man who got the most of his unique skills from his mother’s tribe, the Nupe. His mother, Torosi, was a Nupe princess. Olowu, Ajaka’s cousin and the ruler of Owu Kingdom, regularly waged war against Oyo Empire during the reign of Alaafin Ajaka. Later, Olowu dispatched his men to seize Alaafin Ajaka and transport him to Owu. The Oyomesi, or Oyo’s council of chiefs, dispatched for Sango in Nupeland, where he had resided, in an attempt to save Alaafin Ajaka. Alaafin Ajaka was banished, and he was crowned King after saving Ajaka. During his lifetime, Sango was married three times: first to Oba, who was considered the genuine wife in the conventional sense; second to Oshun, who was considered a concubine; and third to Oya, who was not granted a marital privilege or dowry. The three spouses are now the river’s goddesses. Oya was a prominent figure in the Yoruba pantheon and one of the most powerful African deities. Because of her strength and bravery on the battlefield, they thought she was untouchable by the enemy. (OYA) She is a symbol for the elements of lightning, wind, death, and rebirth. Oya was a spirit who could transform into many animals and summon rain. The romance between Sango and Oya ended tragically. Oya was generally more than just Sango’s wife. Because of their tight bond, Oya was able to gain access to Sango’s heart. She might utilize Edun Ara or Sango’s thunderbolt—both of whom have achieved amazing military victories—to hasten Sango’s demise. Oya becomes closer to Sango as a result of the ensuing jealousy between Oba and Oshun, becoming his princess consort (Ayoo) and gaining access to Sango’s thunderbolt Edun Ara), which ultimately brings about his demise. During his reign, he had two generals: Timi Agbale Olofa-ina, who was a fire arrow shooter, and Gbonka, an equally strong man.…
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An image from the 1980s showing young Charlie Boy
One of the earliest masquerades in the Yoruba Kingdom is the Danafojura. No matter how big the fire is, this Egungun will not burn because its fire resistant. He also possesses the ability to knock people out and bring them back to consciousness. A formidable and age-old masquerade, he is regarded as an “elder” by his contemporaries. He performs his dance performance amidst a massive conflagration while donning the costume of fire. During its outing, Danafojura tells his handlers to “Set me ablaze on fire,” which is the literal meaning of his name. This extremely old Egungun Danafojura ignites an enormous fire without suffering any harm. One of the few Egungun who appears in public during Oyo Kingdom’s “Ose Sango Festival.” According to historical traditions, this masquerade Danafojura fought in elite fights when Shango (an Orisha), the son of Oranmiyan, was Oyo’s Alaafin during the Old Oyo Empire. Alaafin Ajaka and Oba Eweka of Benin were brothers. The Egúngún masquerade is described by scholars as the spirits of the dead, or “ará òrun kinkin,” or the inhabitants of heaven. They are a unique entity that interacts with both humans and the Orishas, acting more as a go-between for people and their ancestors.
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The first secessionist from Nigeria, known as “Boro,” was an Ijaw soldier from the Niger Delta and a nationalist. He is credited with starting the movement for minority rights in Nigeria. On February 23, 1966, he proclaimed the “Niger Delta Republic” to be independent: He uttered: “This is an important day in the history of the Niger Delta as well as in your own life. It might turn out to be the best day in a very long time. This is not because we intend to put the sky to an end, but rather to show the world our thoughts and feelings on oppression. Remember your impoverished folks; remember your 70-year-old grandma who still farms before she eats; remember your petroleum that is being pumped daily from your veins; after that, struggle to be free.” He was born in the little village of Oloibiri in Ogbia LGA, which is in Bayelsa State, in the eastern Nigerian Niger Delta. In Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, Oloibiri is a historic town. On January 15, 1956, Shell Darcy made the first commercial oil discovery in Nigeria, in the village of Oloibiri. Odumegwu-Ojukwu received an instruction from Aguiyi-Ironsi to find Boro. Federal troops surrounded Mbiama and its surroundings. Since they didn’t discover Boro and his boys right away, they claimed to have received intelligence that he was hiding underwater at Mbiama. They were informed that the Ijaw man could survive for days underwater, so they decided to bomb the river at Mbiama in an attempt to kill Boro or force him to emerge from the water. Actually, somewhere in late February 1966, there was a bombing of the Engenni river at Mbiama. The Ijaw locals were startled as the air force plane went extremely low, all the way up the river to Joinkrama and the surrounding bushes. The majority of Nigerians have not benefited from the oil discovery in Oloibiri; instead, it has mainly caused environmental degradation and the eradication of the Niger Delta’s indigenous population’s way of life. Additionally, with a starting daily production of 5,000 barrels of oil (which would eventually increase to 2,000,000)
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1970 saw the capitulation of Philip Effiong, the Chief of General Staff of Biafra during the Nigeria-Biafra War, to Major General Yakubu Gowon, the Head of State Odumegwu Ojukwu. The January 1970 Civil War Victory Message from Major-General Yakubu Gowon, the Head of State of Nigeria: The alleged “Rising Sun of Biafra” is set forever. Anybody who continues to refer to any region of the East Central State of Nigeria as Biafra is doing a grave disservice. The violent chapter has now come to an end. The era of national reconciliation is just beginning. We have the chance to create a new nation once more.
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Customers sort through the Mitsubishi sector of the Ladipo Market, filing past engines and other parts. Did you know that the majority of used parts in the Ladipo Market are said to originate in Europe? It is thought to be the largest auto parts market in West Africa.
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Without mentioning the exploits of the fabled Chief Balogun Landuji Oshodi Tapa, Lagos history would be incomplete. For those who don’t know, Oshodi Tapa was a young child of Nupe descent from the North who was going to be transported as a sold slave onto a Portuguese ship. After his parents were killed, he fled and took sanctuary in the Oba of Lagos palace. Under Fagbemi, Kosoko’s father, Oba Eshinlokun, adopted him and reared him like one of his own princes. He was able to purchase his own slaves and enjoyed some degree of success in trading. A few years later, monarch Eshilokun’s friend, a Portuguese trader, asked the monarch to let two of his children to travel with him to Portugal, promising to bring the children back. The King was quite cautious about this offer and decided to give two of his most devoted subjects instead of jeopardizing the lives of any of his own offspring. He so decided to accompany the Portuguese merchant with Oshodi and Dada Antonio. The King denied his own children an opportunity that would have benefitted them more in the long run, even though he believed he was safeguarding their interests. After traveling to America with the Portuguese merchant for many years, Oshodi and Dada Antonio were eventually given back to the King. Oshodi worked as a commission agent and toll collector for Messrs. G. L. Gaiser after arriving from America. When the Portuguese merchants’ ships arrived, commerce took off, Oshodi’s sales commissions rose, and he eventually amassed wealth. Oshodi remained faithful to the King and was elevated to the rank of chief, with the exclusive duty of taking care of the King’s women, demonstrating that he never forgot the hands that, in a sense, nourished him. In the unlikely event that repairs were necessary, he was the sole person with access to the Queen’s apartment. Chief Oshodi never wavered in his devotion to his kids following the passing of King Eshinlokun. In particular, he sided with his father’s successor, Idewu Ojulari. It was Chief Eletu Odibo’s responsibility to install and crown any new monarch, and Kosoko, a son of Oshinlokun, was considered the legitimate heir to the throne after Chief Idewu Ojulari’s rule. The would-be wife of Eletu Odibo was…
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A young photo of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the former president of Nigeria. In this old photo from 1981, the president is seen attending Ebekun Secondary Commercial Grammar School in Iresi, Osun State, as a member of the youth corp. The president was a farmer’s son who also happened to be a boat manufacturer. Yes, he goes by Goodluck. This proves that everything is possible for us to accomplish if we set our minds to it.
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Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu escaped an attempted assassination on Sunday that resulted in the deaths of four other persons, according to a story from the Guardian newspaper. Recounting his experience, Tinubu—who escaped unharmed—said that on his way home from a tour of the city’s waste collection operations and security measures, assailants opened fire on his convoy. According to AFP, Police Commissioner Mike Okiro attributed the attack to the Yoruba Oodua People’s Congress, which has been implicated in other ethnic violent breakouts over the previous two months that have claimed the lives of about 100 people. According to The Guardian, two well-known persons have been detained by police in relation to the governor’s attack. The attack, according to Tinubu, supported his claim that the state needs at least 20,000 more police officers to protect the lives and property of the eight million people living in Lagos, according to The Guardian
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In Erin-Ijesa, Osun State, in the western region of Nigeria, Kumuyi was born into a Christian family. He finished his secondary schooling in 1961 at Mayflower School in Ikenne, Ogun State. He then went on to the University of Ibadan, where he earned a first-class honors degree in mathematics in 1967 and was named the school’s top graduate that year. The University of Lagos offered him a post-graduate course in education after that.
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The Lagos Government Railway and the Baro-Kano Railway were combined by Frederick Lugard in October 1912 to form the Nigerian Railway, which became the official name of the system. The combination made the Northern and Southern Nigeria Protectorates much more desirable to combine. With branch extensions, the railway line operated on two main North and South trunks: one from Lagos to Nguru and the other from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri. The Nigerian Railway Corporation took over coordination of the nation’s railway network in the 1950s, in part due to financial considerations. West Indians were among the diverse workforce of Nigerians working by the rail transport system, who came from a variety of ethnic backgrounds in the nation. The government railway department was divided into four main divisions before the Nigerian Railway Corporation was established: the engineering department, the running department, the traffic and commercial department, and the accounts and stores department. Prior to 1912, when the Lagos Railway was only getting started, Governors MacGrogor and Egerton had colonial goals of building a railroad from Lagos to the furthest reaches of Northeastern Nigeria and opening up trade with the interior of Southwest Nigeria. The railroad bridge built along two important road networks that connect the Island with other sections of Lagos, the Carter bridge and the Denton bridge, is what allowed the railway terminal at Iddo to be built in Lagos. It also serves as a transit station for trains traveling across the island. Additionally in 1896, work on building a railway started in the Iddo region. It was extended along the Lagos route, stopping at Otta, Ifo, Arigbajo, Papa Alto, Abeokuta, and Ibadan (1901). However, the Southern Nigerian railway’s continued growth was impeded by financial issues. Plans to connect Ibadan with Oyo (1907) and Benin with Sapele (1906) failed. A railroad connecting Ibadan with Osogbo and Ilorin was officially sanctioned in 1904, and development from Ilorin to Jebba was authorized in 1907.
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In 1957, Dangote was born in Kano, then a part of British Nigeria, into a prosperous Hausa Muslim family. The businessman Sanusi Dantata’s daughter, Mariya Sanusi Dantata, was his mother. Mohammed Dangote, his father, was Dantata’s business partner. He is the great-grandson of Alhassan Dantata, who at the time of his death in 1955 was the richest person in West Africa, through his mother. Sani, the brother of Dangote, was a businessman as well. Dangote attended the Sheikh Ali Kumasi Madrasa for his early education before attending Capital High School in Kano. He received his diploma from Birnin Kudu’s Government College in 1978. Al-Azhar University in aCairo, Egypt, awarded him a bachelor’s degree in business studies and administration.
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In the docket of the Special Miscellaneous Offenses Tribunal in Lagos in 1996, an elderly Fela Anikulapo Kuti was included. On January 14, 1997, a raid by members of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), then under the command of Maj-Gen. Musa Bamaiyi, resulted in the arrest of at least 100 persons, including kids. Bamaiyi and Fela clashed about the negative effects of Indian hemp during a live TV show. Femi Falana, Fela’s attorney, pointed out that Fela pulled a quick one on the NDLEA by signing his interrogation charge sheet with the remark “in chains” next to it. This was FELA’S CLEVER “TRAP.” Because the statement was acquired under duress, Femi Falana persuaded the court to discard it! Fela then filed a lawsuit against the NDLEA N100M, alleging that they had violated his basic rights to human dignity, personal liberty, and a fair trial. Now humiliated, NDLEA begged Fela to drop his civil lawsuit and offered to drop the criminal case. When Falana inquired about Fela’s acceptance of the NDLEA’s proposition, Fela allegedly replied, “NA GOOD DEAL AS BAMAIYI DON BEG ME”.
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The Egungun costume’s body, which is made up of layer after layer of adorned material, honors the family’s wealth and prestige while paying tribute to their ancestors. In order to appease or curry favor with the ancestor spirit, owners of Egungun or members of the lineage frequently added new panels of cloth over previous ones throughout time. A range of fabric appliquéd panels, perhaps applied over several years, are visible in the costume’s creation in the exemplar for purchase consideration. During an Egungun performance, the dancer’s movements create flowing patterns from the individual strips of cloth, highlighting the striking variety in textures, colors, and designs. The clever construction of the outfit ensures that the cloth panels splay out in all directions during intensive dancing or spinning movements, never revealing the dancer’s body beneath.
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An old photo from 1961, a woman is shown holding a pipe and waiting for people to buy her fish at Makoko village in Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria. One of the greatest and oldest fish and seafood markets in Ebute Meta Lagos, is Makoko Fish Market in Lagos, Nigeria. It is a living example of the abundant aquatic beauty and wealth of Lagos. The market has been around for more than 160 years and is still in operation. The market, which is home to the wealthiest aquatic animals and a seafood lover’s heaven, opens as early as 5 a.m. The market offers a wide variety of seafood, including crabs, lobster, prawns, shrimp, squid, crayfish, and cuttlefish, among many more species.
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Igala King Attah Ameh Oboni was highly esteemed. Attah Ameh was ordered to take off his cap to greet the Queen of England, as others had done, during a conference in Kaduna that included all of Nigeria’s paramount traditional rulers as well as the queen of England. Even yet, he persisted until they told him to leave the meeting if he didn’t take off his cap. However, Attah was unique—or was he? Attah was not allowed to take off his cap in public. A swarm of bees filled the whole hall where they were residing, originating from Attah Ameh Oboni’s cap, which he took off to welcome the Queen. The amiable Oba of Benin was requested to leave before taking off his cap by Attah Ameh, but the Queen of England and the other rulers there rushed wildly. The conference ended when some people got stung by bees, and the place emptied out. History claims that the security personnel requested that Attah Ameh Oboni be arrested and handcuffed; nevertheless, the handcuffs were removed from his hands. On the orders of the Northern rulers, he was thereafter locked up in a room and watched over by security guards; however, the guards discovered later that he had fled the confinement. Yes, he said when the security guards were escorting him to a sealed room. Then he told Amanabo not to turn around until the automobile started to feel cool. Even though Amanabo briefly protested that he…
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On the forecourt of a Shell garage and gas station in the city of Ibadan, in the southern Nigerian state of Oyo State, a Land Rover gets filled up with fuel. An oil firm called Royal Dutch Shell is known by the brand name Shell. In 1937, Shell D’Arcy commenced operations in Nigeria after being awarded an exploration license. The Niger Delta’s first commercial oil field was found by Shell Nigeria in 1956, and oil exports began the following year.
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A genuine Benin Chief can be identified by his stiff, circular Ikele necklace of beads (signifying royalty) The agate or coral beads are strung together with copper wire to create the circular form. The ikele is only worn once any deserving person has been granted permission by the Oba of Benin to do so. These coral beads stand for hierarchy, domination, and power. Coral beads are formed from the carbonate secretions that make up the structure that the coral “polyps” live on, not the actual living organism. The collected coral is polished and cut into cabochons, which are further carved into beads. After being harvested, the coral is polished and cut into cabochons, which are then carved into beads.
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