This Week in History; Nigeria, Kingdom of Lesotho and Guinea archive Independance, Nadine Gordimer wins Nobel and Many Others.

This week 1st -7th, is incredible in Africa as far as History is concerned. Here at BRT, we have started a feature called This Week In History, the purpose is to highlight the important elements in Africa in the past days, of this week.

Independence For Africa.

On the first day of October, 1960, Nigeria achieved independence from the colonial masters - the British with Namdi Azikiwe as Governor General. Later, in 1962 0n the

Black Roots Exposed! The Kingdom of Ghana.

“Ghana is the title given to their kings, but the name of the kingdom of Awkar. In this year 1067 [or 460 of the Islamic calendar], their king is Tunka Manin who came to the throne in 1063. He rules an enormous kingdom, and wields strong power”

This is an account of al-Bakri, an Arab chronicler through the information he had form the Andalusian traders. 

          The kingdom of Ghana should not be confused with the present Republic of Ghana, in fact, the kingdom was different from the present Ghana in terms of ethnicity and territory. It was situated some 400km northeast of the present Ghana. In its territory, was now north Senegal and south Mauritania.

Further west was the state of Tukrur in Senegal valley. A coastal route leading to Morocco via Sjilmasa opened it to the north.

    Roots.

         The origins of Ghana up to now remain a mystery to everyone. When it came to existence

Tracing The Paths Of History In Africa; The City Kingdom Of Benin.

Benin City (the name of a powerful kingdom of the same name) rose to prominence in the fifteenth century. Located in the present-day southwestern Nigeria.

      The territory of the Kingdom extended from the western Ibo tribes on the shores of the Niger River, way through parts of the southwestern region of Nigeria. It expanded eastwards to Niger River, near the Oyo Kingdom, which extended through most of South Western Nigeria in the West to parts of present day Republic of Benin.

The Ogiso dynasty came to an end in 1180 AD by the help of Eweka 1 the first Oba who changed the ancient name of Igodomigodo to Edo and 'Ogiso' dynasty to Oba dynasty. The word "Oba" is a Yoruba title for king. Eweka 1 was the son of Oranmiyan a Yoruba prince from ile ife an the grandson of Oduduwa the Oba of ife. In this, Eweka 1 was the first "Oba" and architect of this title.