African History

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The Ndebele of South Africa: Where Walls are turned to Art and Culture Speaks in Color
Featured
September 3, 2026 • 32 views

The Ndebele of South Africa: Where Walls are turned to Art and Culture Speaks in Color

We move out everyday, we see houses, buildings and all but unlike the usual buildings, houses are turned into canvases, languages, family stories and declaration of identities . Among the Ndebele people of South Africa, walls can do all of these things. With bold geometric patterns, beautiful colors, beadwork and unique traditional clothing, the Ndebele have developed one of the most recognizable visual cultures in Southern Africa

By Esther Ojoma Sule Read More →
The Griot: West Africa's Forgotten Living Library
Featured
September 1, 2026 • 43 views

The Griot: West Africa's Forgotten Living Library

A griot is a West African oral historian, storyteller, praise singer, poet, and musician, someone tasked with preserving the genealogies, history, and cultural traditions of an entire community. Long before books existed, and long before anyone imagined artificial intelligence, griots were doing the work of both by storing information and passing it forward with precision. So the real question worth asking is why so few people today know they existed at all, people who kept Africa history in their voices and heads?

By Azeema Aliu Read More →
Djibouti: Meet the People and Story of One of Africa’s Country
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August 18, 2026 • 79 views

Djibouti: Meet the People and Story of One of Africa’s Country

Djibouti is located in the Horn of Africa, in the northeastern part of the continent. The country shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Ethiopia to the west and south, and Somalia to the southeast. The country covers only about 23,200 square kilometers, making it one of Africa's smallest states

By Esther Ojoma Sule Read More →

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COCOA HOUSE: A Timeless Symbol of Nigeria’s Economic Vision in the Heart of Ibadan
historical-sites
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COCOA HOUSE: A Timeless Symbol of Nigeria’s Economic Vision in the Heart of Ibadan

Rising above Dugbe in Ibadan, Cocoa House is West Africa’s first skyscraper, built in 1965 from cocoa revenue under Obafemi Awolowo’s leadership. Once the headquarters of the Western Nigeria Marketing Board, it symbolizes agricultural wealth, visionary governance, and regional pride. Cocoa House stands today as a bold reminder that Nigeria once built greatness from the soil.

By Ikeun Divine Michael Read More →
FGM in Africa: A Grievous Crime Against Womanhood
culture
• 250 views

FGM in Africa: A Grievous Crime Against Womanhood

Although many African governments have criminalized FGM, enforcement remains uneven. In some areas, the practice continues quietly, protected by silence and tradition. This reality underscores a critical truth: laws alone are not enough without sustained community engagement and social change. The way forward in Africa lies in education, open dialogue, and empowerment. Communities must be equipped with accurate information about the medical and human consequences of FGM. Girls must be supported through education and economic opportunities, reducing their vulnerability to harmful practices. Traditional and religious leaders play a crucial role in challenging long-held misconceptions, while governments must strengthen enforcement and provide support systems for survivors. Ending FGM is not an attack on African culture; it is a defense of African girls and women. Every girl deserves to grow into womanhood whole, with her body and dignity intact.

By Victoria Abiodun Read More →
The Impact of Kobafest in Kogi State: Celebrating Culture,
culture
• 944 views

The Impact of Kobafest in Kogi State: Celebrating Culture,

In recent years, Kobafest (Kogi Book and Art Festival) has emerged as one of Kogi State’s most promising cultural initiatives a festival that celebrates literature, arts, tradition, and creative expression. Organized by the Awareness Literary Society, Kobafest is more than just a cultural gathering: it has become a platform for empowerment, cultural pride, and socio-economic stimulation in the state.

By John Fagbemi Read More →
HOUSE OF DEFIANCE: Mary Slessors Sacred Shelter in Calabar
historical-sites
• 499 views

HOUSE OF DEFIANCE: Mary Slessors Sacred Shelter in Calabar

Mary Slessor’s Sacred Shelter in Calabar is more than a building, it is a moral landmark. From its quiet rooms, a fearless woman challenged brutal customs, defended twins, and reshaped community life. The house endures as proof that courage can live humbly, and that compassion, once rooted, outlives its messenger.

By Ikeun Divine Michael Read More →
Fela Kuti and Music Under Military Rule How Fela Kuti Used Music to Speak in a Time of Silence
african-history
• 228 views

Fela Kuti and Music Under Military Rule How Fela Kuti Used Music to Speak in a Time of Silence

In the 1970s and 1980s, Nigeria was under military rule, like many other African countries at the time. The government kept a close watch on public speech. Newspapers were monitored, protests were restricted, and criticism of those in power often led to arrest. It was during this period that Fela Anikulapo Kuti became widely known. Fela was born in 1938 in Abeokuta, western Nigeria. He came from a politically active family. His mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, was a well-known activist, while his father was a school principal. Fela studied music in London and later returned to Nigeria, where he developed Afrobeat, a style that combined jazz, highlife, funk, and traditional African rhythms and his songs talked about what many people were already experiencing but could not say openly.

By John Fagbemi Read More →
Assin Manso: The River That Carried Chains and Memories.
historical-sites
• 193 views

Assin Manso: The River That Carried Chains and Memories.

Assin Manso Slave River in Ghana marks a haunting chapter of the transatlantic slave trade. Once a collection point for enslaved Africans, the river bore witness to family separations and unimaginable suffering. Today, it serves as a place of remembrance, reflection, and spiritual connection, preserving the stories of resilience, ancestral prayers, and the enduring spirit of those who endured its waters.

By Ikeun Divine Michael Read More →
The Brazilian Baracoon in Badagry: Seriki Williams Abass and Nigeria’s Slave Trade.
african-history
• 149 views

The Brazilian Baracoon in Badagry: Seriki Williams Abass and Nigeria’s Slave Trade.

The Brazilian Baracoon in Badagry is one of the most important surviving sites connected to the transatlantic slave trade in Nigeria. This painful history involves Seriki Williams Abass. Before he became powerful, Seriki Williams Abass was once powerless. He was not born rich or influential. His original name was Ifaremilekun Fagbemi, a Yoruba boy born in Joga-Orile, a town in Ilaro, Ogun State, what is now south-western Nigeria. As a youth, he was captured during wars between African communities. At the time, this was common, as stronger groups often sold captives to slave traders in exchange for goods and weapons

By John Fagbemi Read More →
Mambila Hills: Where the Sky Learns the Language of the Land
historical-sites
• 472 views

Mambila Hills: Where the Sky Learns the Language of the Land

The Mambila Hills of Taraba State rise quietly above Nigeria’s lowlands, wrapped in mist and memory. Cool, ancient, and culturally grounded, the plateau blends history, spirituality, and endurance. It is a land shaped by altitude and ancestral wisdom, where traditions remain intact, life moves deliberately, and the earth feels closer to the heavens.

By IKEUN DIVINE MICHAEL Read More →
Agbokim Waterfalls — Where Water Keeps Ancestral Memory
historical-sites
• 190 views

Agbokim Waterfalls — Where Water Keeps Ancestral Memory

Agbokim Waterfalls, hidden in Cross River’s forests, is where the Kwa River splits into many voices and falls with ancestral force. Older than borders, it served as pause and passage for local communities. Here, water becomes memory—flowing proof that African history lives, breathes, and endures without walls and written silence.

By IKEUN DIVINE MICHAEL Read More →
Arochukwu Long Juju Slave Route: Where belief became law, and footsteps faded into chains
arts
• 293 views

Arochukwu Long Juju Slave Route: Where belief became law, and footsteps faded into chains

The Arochukwu Long Juju Slave Route is history carved in silence. Through sacred trials at Ibini Ukpabi, lives were condemned and quietly rerouted into bondage. Forest paths, stone steps, and dark tunnels still testify: belief once became law, and law became chains; memory stands, warning generations against power without truth.

By IKEUN DIVINE MICHAEL Read More →

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THE BABBAN RIGA

3.8K views • July 3, 2026