Nigerian Civil War: History, Causes & Effects
One of the bloodiest wars in sub-Saharan Africa, the Nigerian Civil war (also known as the Biafran War) claimed over a million lives, mostly women and children. A declaration of...
Category: Africa
Canaan Banana – Biography, Presidency, Death & Other Notable Facts
Who was Canaan Banana? In 2003, when Canaan Banana, Zimbabwe’s first president, passed away, then-Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe described him as a “rare gift” to Zimbabwe. In reality, Banana and...
Joseph Jenkins Roberts – the African-American merchant who became Liberia’s first President
He was the first president of the Republic of Liberia when the country was declared as an independent nation in July, 1847. Prior to his presidency, he served as the...
Scramble For Africa: History, Berlin Conference, Outcome, & Facts
The Scramble for Africa is generally defined as the period between 1881 and 1914 that saw European powers increase their stake in Africa from around 10 percent to about 90...
The countries in Africa that weren’t colonized
Prior to the 18th century, Britain, Portugal and France were the three imperial powers that dominated the landscape of Africa for many centuries. However, as European nations attained greater knowledge...
Anansi – the Trickster Spider-Man of West Africa
In the beginning, the world was much different from the one we have today. Sky god Nyame (also known as Nyankonpon) selfishly hoarded all the stories of the world. The...
10 Mightiest African Empires of All Time and their Achievements
For centuries African empires have been wrongly and unfairly shrugged off as insignificant and backward societies with hardly any contribution to the history of the world. It is only in...
Kenneth Kaunda: Biography, Presidency, Accomplishments, & Facts
Birth and early life Born Kenneth David Kaunda on April 28, 1924, in Chinsali, Northern Rhodesia (modern-day Zambia), this future president of Zambia grew up with seven siblings. Kenneth Kaunda’s...
Shaka Zulu: History, Military Tactics & Facts
Shaka was the famous king of the Zulu Empire (i.e. Zululand) in southeastern Africa. His reign, which lasted from 1816 to around 1828, witnessed unprecedented growth and expansion of the...
9 Major Achievements of Kenneth Kaunda
Biography: Commonly known in Zambia as KK, Kenneth Kaunda was the first president of an independent Zambia from 1964 to 1991. He was elected (on the ticket of United National...
Sundiata Keita, the Lion King of Mali Empire
One of Africa’s greatest ancient rulers Sundiata Keita is best known for founding the Mali Empire in West Africa. Under his reign, from AD 1235 to AD 1255, the Mali...
Fela Kuti: Biography, Afrobeat, Political Activism, & Achievements
Fela Kuti: Fast Facts Born: Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti Birth date and Place: October 15, 1938; Abeokuta, Western Region, British Nigeria (present-day Ogun State, Nigeria) Death date and Place: August...
Major Facts about Fela Kuti (1938-1997)
Worldhistoryedu.com presents to you +15 things that you probably did not know about Fela Kuti, the legendary Nigerian musician, songwriter and political activist. Fela Kuti: Fast Facts Born: Olufela Olusegun...
Wole Soyinka: Biography, Political Activism, Major Plays, Nobel Prize, & Achievements
In recent decades, very good playwrights have emerged from the African continent, but nowhere do they reach the excellence of Nigerian playwright and poet Wole Soyinka. Most known for winning...
12 Most Popular Yoruba Gods and Goddesses
The Yoruba ethnic groups [found primarily in the western bank of the Niger River, West Africa] are known for having a very rich and diverse array of deities (known as...
