15,000 African soldiers died fighting for the British in WWII. Olly Owen shares the wider history related to a film he made with the help of friends that documents the memories of a few Nigerian veterans from the 81st and 82nd Division Royal West African Frontier Force. Their stories – along with the footage from… Continue reading>
Stories of African war experiences during WWII are few and little known. Former BBC correspondent to Africa, Barnaby Phillips helps narrow that gap with his book, Another Man’s War, the personal history of Isaac Fadoyebo, a Nigerian-born Burmese War veteran. Noo Saro Wiwa’s persuasive review suggests it is at once a sensitive exploration of the… Continue reading>
Whether you are a feminist or just love to see a stereotype challenged, you’ll definitely warm up to Stella Thomas (later Marke), who Ed Keazor tells us, was as accomplished as she was bold and intelligent. Meet the woman: the first female lawyer in West Africa and first female magistrate to sit on the bench… Continue reading>
Mention “Adeniyi Jones” in a game of trivia and most will refer to a bustling street in Ikeja, Lagos named after renowned Dr. Curtis Adeniyi-Jones. A handful may shed light on his diverse contributions as political activist, legislator and economic reformist in 1920s and 30s, but fewer still will recall that Adeniyi Jones was in… Continue reading>
“Perhaps one reason why there is so much violence, aggression and instability in our day to day life is that we have so little consciousness of a time perspective. We act and react as if there is only today, no yesterday, no tomorrow. We seem to care little about the past, we have no enduring… Continue reading>