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26/07/2025

Ebun House – The First Three-Storey Building in Lagos (1914)

Tucked away at 85 Odunfa Street, Lagos Island, stands a remarkable but often forgotten piece of Nigerian architectural history Ebun House, built in 1914.

Known among Yoruba locals as “Petesi Anduru” or “Ile awo si fila”, which loosely translates to “the house that reaches the cap”, this historic building was the very first three-storey structure in Lagos.

In an era when most buildings were either bungalows or simple storey houses made from mud bricks and timber, Ebun House stood tall both literally and symbolically. Its design reflected a blend of Afro-Brazilian and early colonial architecture, brought to Lagos by returnee ex-slaves from Brazil, Sierra Leone, and the Caribbean.

It was more than just a house it was a statement of class, influence, and ambition. Built during the colonial period, it showed how African elites were already adopting and adapting global ideas while preserving cultural pride.

The nickname “Petesi Anduru” captured the imagination of many. Children growing up in the area were told stories of the house “touching the sky” or “stretching toward one’s hat.” It became a local landmark, admired and talked about by generations.

Sadly, like many historic buildings in Lagos, Ebun House has faded from the public eye, often hidden behind newer developments or forgotten in conversations about national heritage.

But its legacy remains: a symbol of architectural advancement, cultural sophistication, and the quiet confidence of early 20th-century Lagosians who dared to build above the ordinary.

Do you think buildings like this should be preserved as national heritage? Tell us in the comments.

26/07/2025

1937: A Northern Chief on the Telephone – So What Happened to Northern Development?

In 1937, this historic photo was taken in Kano, Northern Nigeria.
A respected Northern Chief is seen confidently using a telephone a powerful symbol of modernization and early infrastructure.

Yes, in 1937, parts of the North already had access to communication tools that were considered advanced for the time. Roads were being laid.
Rail lines ran across Kaduna, Kano, and Maiduguri.
There were strong administrative systems, schools, and functioning institutions some even ahead of their time.

But now, nearly a century later, we must ask:

What happened?

Why do some rural areas in Northern Nigeria still struggle to access mobile networks, electricity, and basic infrastructure?

Why are some communities still cut off, not just from technology but from opportunity?

This is not about blame it is about reflection.

The North has produced presidents, governors, ministers, and military leaders.
It has vast land, cultural wealth, and population strength. So why has development not kept pace with its potential?

Some will say insecurity.
Others will say poor leadership. Others still may point to lack of investment in education, especially girl-child education, and a focus on outdated systems that no longer serve today’s world.

But one thing is clear: the North has been left behind, not by fate, but by decisions both past and present.

This is a call for reawakening, not judgment. A reminder that Northern Nigeria once stood tall with promise, and it can again.

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26/07/2025

The Ooni of Life and His Council – Ile-Ife, 1936

This rare image from 1936 captures a moment frozen in time the Ooni of Ife, seated in royal dignity, surrounded by his council of chiefs, custodians of one of the oldest and most spiritually significant thrones in all of Africa.

At the time this photograph was taken, Ile-Ife was not just a town in the Western Region of Nigeria it was, and still is, regarded by the Yoruba as the cradle of civilization. According to Yoruba tradition, it is the city where the world began, where Oduduwa, the legendary progenitor of the Yoruba people, descended to establish order and kingship.

In 1936, Nigeria was still under British colonial rule.
Despite foreign interference, the traditional institutions in Ile-Ife remained strong. The Ooni was not just a political figure he was a spiritual authority, seen as the direct descendant of Oduduwa, and the living symbol of Yoruba identity and continuity.

The council members seated beside him were not merely advisers; they were kingmakers, priests, warriors, and diplomats each one holding a sacred title and playing a crucial role in the preservation of customs, religious rites, and the governance of Ife.

This photograph reflects the dignity, order, and spiritual reverence that surrounded the throne. Robed in traditional attire, each figure reminds us of a time when leadership was deeply rooted in ancestral values, communal trust, and divine responsibility.

Though colonial structures attempted to reshape the political landscape of Nigeria during this period, the authority of the Ooni remained intact in the hearts of the people proof that culture, when deeply rooted, can withstand even the strongest winds of change.

Today, as we look at this 1936 print, we are not just observing history we are remembering a civilization that shaped identity, religion, and political systems long before the first European ship ever docked on the West African coast.

Photo: The Ooni of Ife and his council, Ile-Ife, 1936

26/07/2025

The Birth of Nigeria’s Central Bank – 1958, Lagos

In the final years leading to Nigeria’s independence, a new era of economic responsibility and financial autonomy was quietly taking shape.

In 1958, under the leadership of the colonial government and in response to years of advocacy by Nigerian economists and politicians, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was formally established through the CBN Act of 1958.

The Bank officially began operations on July 1, 1959, with its first headquarters located in Lagos, then the capital of Nigeria.

This building, captured in the historic photo you see here, stood not only as a structure of stone and concrete but as a symbol of national progress.
For the first time, Nigeria had a central authority to issue currency, regulate the banking system, manage foreign exchange, and guide the country’s monetary policy.

Before this, the financial landscape was dominated by foreign banks and colonial fiscal policies. But with the birth of the CBN, Nigeria took its first bold steps toward economic sovereignty.

The establishment of the Central Bank marked a turning point. It laid the foundation for what would become a vast and complex financial system, serving millions across the country and Africa at large.

Though many years have passed, the vision that led to the founding of the CBN still echoes: a stable, self-directed Nigerian economy, capable of withstanding external pressures while serving the needs of its people.

Photo: The first Central Bank of Nigeria building, Lagos, circa late 1950s.

26/07/2025

The First White Wedding in Igede-Ekiti – January 11, 1940

History was made on January 11, 1940, in the quiet town of Igede-Ekiti (in today’s Ekiti State, formerly part of the Western Region of Nigeria). That day, the community gathered in awe as Mr. & Mrs. John Oke Agbede walked down the aisle in what became the first white wedding ever held in the town.

Dressed in classic Western-style attire a white gown for the bride and a suit for the groom the ceremony marked a turning point in cultural exchange, faith, and tradition in Igede-Ekiti. It blended Christian customs with Yoruba elegance, attracting elders, youth, and even colonial observers who had never seen such a union in that part of the region.

This wasn’t just about two people in love.
It was about:
• The arrival of modern Christianity in rural Yoruba towns.
• The influence of missionary schools, where many young Nigerians began to dream of a different future.
• And the graceful merging of tradition and modernity a signature of the Yoruba people.

Mr. John Oke Agbede and his bride became symbols of a new era, setting the stage for generations of weddings and church unions that would follow across Ekiti and beyond.

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26/07/2025

The Fall of a Warrior: General Ologbosere of the Great Benin Empire (1899)

In the fading years of the 19th century, as the world changed rapidly around ancient kingdoms, the Benin Empire stood as one of West Africa’s most advanced and organized civilizations with its walls, bronzes, and warriors admired across the continent.

Among the empire’s most loyal and fearless defenders was General Ologbosere, a commander who swore to protect the Oba (king) and the sacred traditions of Benin at all costs.

In 1897, British colonial forces launched a military expedition into Benin City, a moment that would forever alter the course of Nigerian history.
The invasion led to the burning and looting of the city its priceless bronze artworks and sacred items were taken abroad, many of which still remain in foreign museums today.

After the city fell, Ologbosere did not surrender immediately. He retreated into the forests, continuing to resist foreign control for two more years. But by 1899, betrayed by circumstances and surrounded, he was captured.

What happened next?
• He was tried by the British colonial government, accused of playing a central role in defending the kingdom during the expedition.
• Despite petitions from traditional chiefs who begged for mercy, he was imprisoned under colonial law.

General Ologbosere passed away in captivity, far from the palace he once protected a heartbreaking end for a warrior of his calibre.

Legacy:
Today, Ologbosere is remembered as a symbol of loyalty, bravery, and sacrifice.
His name lives on in the hearts of those who cherish the heritage of the Benin people.
His story is a reminder that history should be remembered not just by those who wrote it, but also by those who lived and fought through it.

The British took bronzes, but they couldn’t take our spirit.

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26/07/2025

25/07/2025

HOW TO KNOW IF YOU ARE NORMAL:

(1) You have a Facebook account
(2) You have a phone
(3) You watch TV
(4) You are fully aware of what is going on around
you
(6) You are reading this post
(7) you sleep late sometimes
(9) You were so busy that you forgot to read number
5
(10) You actually scrolled up to
see if there is number 5 (don't worry cause there is
no number 8 as well)
(11) Now you are smiling, possibly laughing to
yourself
because you just fell to a prank....then you realise ,
perhaps
you are not normal as you once thought.

share to kill your friends wit laugh

*$ammy*

25/07/2025

Do you agree?

“Tribalism has done more damage than colonialism.”

In 1914, Nigeria was brought together not by love or shared purpose, but by force.
Colonialism gave us borders, flags, and languages we didn’t ask for.
But it also gave us something far worse: division wrapped in competition.

The British ruled us by turning tribes against each other, favoring some, sidelining others. They left… but the mistrust stayed behind.

Since independence, we’ve fought not just wars with guns… but wars of the tongue:
– “Don’t marry from that tribe.”
– “They can’t be trusted.”
– “They’re all the same.”

Tribalism whispers in our homes, our offices, our politics.
It steals opportunities.
It breaks friendships.
It makes neighbours into enemies.

Yet none of us chose our tribe.
It’s the one thing we all received the same way at birth.

Maybe colonialism lit the fire.
But we’ve been the ones fanning the flames.

If Nigeria will ever rise, it won’t be because of a perfect leader
It will be because the people chose unity over old wounds.

What do you think?
Has tribalism done more damage than colonialism?
Let’s talk with love and honesty.

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25/07/2025

How a Whole Igbo Town Was Renamed to Hide Its Identity During the Biafra War

Did you know that the town we now call Igbanke in Edo State was once called Igbo-Akiri?

But in 1967, during the heat of the Nigerian Civil War, that name was changed.

Why?

Because of fear, survival… and the politics of identity.

The man behind the change was Brigadier Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, then military governor of the Mid-Western State.

But here’s the twist, according to oral history, Ogbemudia was actually born Chinedu (or Chiedu), an Igbo name, and reportedly changed it to “Osaigbovo” to hide his roots during the war.

The Biafran War had made Igbo identity a target in many places.
Towns and people were doing what they could to avoid suspicion, arrest, or worse.

So Igbo-Akiri, an Igbo-speaking town in present-day Edo, was renamed Igbanke a name that sounded less “Igbo.”

This was more than just a name change it was an attempt to erase traces of Igbo heritage for safety.

This story is backed by records and oral traditions, and supported by research from historians and publications such as:
• Groundwork of Nigerian History
• AnaedoOnline.ng
• Oblongmedia.net
• Wikipedia (Samuel Ogbemudia)
• Nairaland Archives
• And local Edo/Delta community reports

Think About This:

If a whole community had to change its name to avoid being targeted…
If a governor had to drop his Igbo name to survive politically…

Then what does that tell you about how Igbo history and identity have been suppressed?

Let this be a reminder: Igbo people have history. Deep, painful, powerful history.

But like many African histories, it was hidden, rewritten, or erased by fear and colonial politics.

It’s time to bring those stories back to the surface.

Drop a comment if you’d like me to post more hidden truths like this one.

25/07/2025

The Lie That Igbos Don’t Have History – Let’s Set the Record Straight.

It’s painful and disappointing to still hear some Nigerians boldly claim that “Igbos don’t have history.”
This false narrative is one of the many leftovers of colonial brainwashing and sadly, it fuels unnecessary tribal hate.

But let’s set the record straight with **facts, not insults.**

The Igbo people have a documented, and ancient history and it’s not hidden.
It’s in books used in schools and universities, including few books like.

✅ Groundwork of Nigerian History – Edited by Prof. Obaro Ikime
✅ Igbo Civilization: Nri Kingdom & Hegemony – By M.A. Onwuejeogwu
✅ A Short History of West Africa – By J.D. Fage & Roland Oliver
✅ The Ibo and Their Neighbours – By Adiele Afigbo
✅ Africa: History of a Continent – By Basil Davidson
And many more.

These books describe how the Nri Kingdom (dating back to around the 9th century AD) was a powerful spiritual and political system older than many West African kingdoms.
They also cover the Arochukwu Confederacy, the Igbo-Ukwu archaeological discoveries, and the Ekumeku resistance against British colonizers.

So the real issue is not that Igbos have no history…
The issue is that some people have not read it or are choosing to ignore it.

Have you ever heard about the Igbo-Ukwu bronze works? Or the ancient kings of Nri?
If not, would you like me to do a post explaining them?

Let’s end tribal ignorance with truth.

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