https://www.davidaenara.com/musings daily 0.75 2022-01-17 https://www.davidaenara.com/musings/blog-post-title-three-ydkya monthly 0.5 2022-01-17 https://www.davidaenara.com/words-1 daily 0.75 2023-02-05 https://www.davidaenara.com/words-1/blog-post-title-two-sfm3f monthly 0.5 2023-02-02 https://www.davidaenara.com/words-1/blog-post-title-one-2ehy8 monthly 0.5 2023-02-05 https://www.davidaenara.com/location daily 0.75 2025-04-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/3db131fe-6eef-4727-a9d1-bc28cb742300/IMG_9321.JPG About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/51ca191d-f7b2-4a15-a7c7-f43b37c88159/IMG_9326.JPG About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/355a39ac-08c7-4894-a83a-c69966e9e27b/IMG_9307+%281%29.JPG About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/7dabd218-2f75-41a5-a502-12292ddd6176/IMG_9310.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/31c6033f-ccb7-494c-8c41-470654df3f74/IMG_0287.jpg About Born in Lagos, Nigeria, moving to Singapore at age 14 and subsequently to the United States, Davida grew increasingly appreciative of and curious about the myriad rhythms of being, aspects of human nature, perspectives and simply, stories that colour life. For as long as she can remember, visual and literary art, in tandem, have always been her core means of expression. As a child, she spent much of her time writing and illustrating comic books, or bringing everyday objects to life with imaginative plots. However, she gradually lost touch with visual art over the years, until she reunited with it in 2020. Like many of us, she picked up a new hobby in quarantine - hers being digital painting, and she has since been captivated by the medium, mixing it with traditional techniques. Her art explores topics across faith in Jesus, culture, Nigerian history and human nature among others. Her distinctive painting style, primarily mixed meduim, experiments with texture, scale, colour and landscape to produce whimsical images that nudge the observer to reconsider, re-imagine and most simply, regard. The tone of her writing ranges from serious to witty to humorous or some combination of these, always aimed at attending to the full gamut of human sensibilities. She enjoys infusing storytelling with thoughtful and child-like wonder. Aside from her work in the arts, Davida has a passion for education as a means of international development, catalysed by her experiences attending high school across three continents. She has worked as an Academic Impact intern at the United Nations and holds an MSc in Education Policy from the University of Pennsylvania. Convinced that nothing is ordinary, she hopes that her art and storytelling will sharpen viewers’ attention to the splendour of life and illustrate how paying attention to life’s fullness can render the world considerably bigger, yet all the more within our reach. Davida currently lives and works in New York City. Publications Sauti: Poems of Healing, United Nations System Workplace Mental Health and Well-being (p.37), 2021 African Digital Art, 2021 Made In Bed Mag, 2021 Spotlight Magazine (p.48), 2023 Exhibitions Hidden in Hindsight: Artifact Projects, 2025 EVE: Aworanka x GAIA Africa, 2022 https://www.davidaenara.com/contact daily 0.75 2025-07-14 https://www.davidaenara.com/paintings daily 0.75 2025-05-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/1641519194053-CLUSNZRAOPV688K9UT1E/old+calabar+%282%29.png Paintings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/1641519333139-HKL48QM23BNQ1DDTQTYA/farewell+hour12.10.png Paintings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/1641519495612-ZRU6JNS7YONF37W8EBO5/Final+Unrequited+Love+%282%29.png Paintings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/cf94525b-a595-49ef-963b-fc0b1a8b0aff/IMG_1468.jpg Paintings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/05f9559f-5b66-4a82-bf6d-87959b2a6b0a/IMG_0061.jpg https://www.davidaenara.com/tgac daily 0.75 2024-08-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/34abca33-f348-4a6b-911c-7ffdee7acc1d/frk2+%281%29.png TGAC home Funmilayo Ransome Kuti (2021) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/7ca81ee1-2553-4280-972c-8507be5bd770/old+calabar+%282%29.png TGAC home The Ancient Kingdom of Akwa Akpa (2020) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/ff07203d-b65d-4ebf-ac6a-0a9e12f2c91f/moremi+%281%29.png TGAC home Queen Moremi Ajasoro of Ile Ife (2020) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/d102d6ac-58e4-40e7-8462-68694c251cd9/aba+2+%281%29.png TGAC home Aba Women's Riot of 1929 (2021) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/f6e485ac-9b7c-44c3-abc7-7e5fa1d53a1f/Usman+Dan+Fodio+%281%29.png TGAC home Usman Dan Fodio of the Sokoto Caliphate (2021) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/fd1a3f37-e37c-476e-b05d-2c1dec49cf2a/Ancient+Benin+Kingdom+%281%29.png TGAC home The Ancient Benin Kingdom (2020) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/02887dad-62c1-46d9-b329-fef6c77264e1/biafra+%281%29.png TGAC home The Biafran War (2021) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/e69aa96f-2e66-4861-a01a-7622e08dc85b/amina+of+zazzau+%281%29.png TGAC home Queen Amina of Zazzau (2020) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/e9b57c44-9a94-4e74-af4f-864b078e0d1c/Alaafin+of+Oyo+%281%29.png TGAC home Ooni Luwoo of Ile Ife (2021) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/b57e8b7e-ba62-43ff-8e6b-395788ead582/Nsibidi+Script+%281%29.png TGAC home Nsibidi (2021) https://www.davidaenara.com/notes-from-nature daily 0.75 2025-05-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/1641520599653-2NV3AETNHA0Z0I7X1JOD/Final+Unrequited+Love+%282%29.png Notes From Nature - Unrequited Love (2021) Mixed media on canvas *** Originally existing as a candid photo captured of my sister one summer as she squirmed away from a moth, this moment became a long overdue return to creating with childlike wonder. Although each of my paintings convey different meanings, there are a few sentiments that I aim to keep constant in the works I produce, namely an air of nostalgia and a whimsical quality. After experimenting for weeks on end, I’d come to find that I could achieve these by creating predominantly monochrome paintings, mainly comprising varying shades of browns and burnt oranges. I suppose I was informed by old photographs and videos that are limited in the range of hues they contain - to create nostalgic paintings, I concluded, I similarly had to stick to a limited colour palette. The issue was, I love colours. After relentless trial and error, research and prayer, I discovered how to create scenes that are whimsical and nostalgic as they are colourful. It was euphoric and enthralling. I also added a border around the image, along with some text, inspired for my love of writing - the result, a painting that looks like it was clipped out of a most cherished children’s story book. Enjoying the process of creating, I also added small details that you discover upon closer inspection of the painting, hopefully not all at once, and hopefully always to your enthrallment. I feel these details help the observer share to some degree, the feelings of discovery and delight I was experiencing as I painted. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/1641520943139-QQM6DV7TV8DK4C58IOPK/Seed++for+print+%281%29+%282%29.png Notes From Nature - “Ask a Seed” (2021) Tobias Keene, D.D.S. Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Dr. Tobias Keene brings a bit of unabashed Southern hospitality to all his patients. He moved to Washington, D.C. over thirty years ago as a freshman at Ivy College. Right after graduation, he attended World University’s School of Dentistry. Before opening Keene Dental in 1994, he worked for free clinics and some of the finest practices in the District. He is part of the 123 Dental Association and stays up-to-date on the latest dental discoveries. When not striving to keep his patients happy and healthy, he’s enjoys hiking with his family in Rock Creek Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/1641530646071-F1DWPHM6S1L502OHKS3H/beauty+%281%29+%281%29.png Notes From Nature - Stark Green Leaves (2021) Mixed media on canvas *** Perhaps you fancy the rain, For the way it cleanses the day, And with a gentle, predictable beat, Nuzzles you to sleep, Or maybe you don’t like the pour, Are unmoved by it’s steady hum, Wishing it would free the clouds, And make way for that blue expanse, Then have a look at the trees, Just after a heavy pour, When their darkened water-soaked barks, Contrast with bright green leaves, Highlighting that colour in your day, You earlier thought was stolen away, Indulge each moment, why don’t you? As it lays wonders at your feet, And let life captivate you, There’s plenty you won’t want to miss. ~ Davida Enara https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/4946f93c-eadb-45df-8a7d-7bfce2a705ed/Minister+of+Enjoyment Notes From Nature - “Minister of Enjoyment” (2021) Tobias Keene, D.D.S. Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Dr. Tobias Keene brings a bit of unabashed Southern hospitality to all his patients. He moved to Washington, D.C. over thirty years ago as a freshman at Ivy College. Right after graduation, he attended World University’s School of Dentistry. Before opening Keene Dental in 1994, he worked for free clinics and some of the finest practices in the District. He is part of the 123 Dental Association and stays up-to-date on the latest dental discoveries. When not striving to keep his patients happy and healthy, he’s enjoys hiking with his family in Rock Creek Park. https://www.davidaenara.com/do-you-remember daily 0.75 2025-04-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/1650508943422-N6PAFXEC6063J4A342P1/farewell+hour12.10+%281%29.png Do You Remember? - Farewell Hour (2021) Mixed media on canvas *** “Okay, bye bye!’’ If you are or have ever been a Nigerian child in the company of chattering adults, excitedly debriefing each other on their lives, since they last saw each other several months ago, yesterday, or maybe a whole ten minutes ago, then you know that many truer words than these have been uttered. You see, this preliminary goodbye declared by the ‘rendezvousing’ Nigerian adult, is as consequential as a promise by a politician in the heat of a campaign. More directly, it is the gateway to what I’m going to term ‘farewell hour’. This is because this starter goodbye would often be followed by another period of excited chatter as the advanced in age brought to each other’s attention, more and more exciting matters that simply must be discussed at present. Time would pass and yet another goodbye would be uttered, followed by more chatter. The herd of adults would be seen pulsing for many moments to come, as jokes are cracked and heads snap back in laughter and composure is lost and regained, again and again. If you found yourself the lone tender-aged being in the midst of rendezvousing adults, then you likely dreaded farewell hour. However, if you were lucky to be graced with the company of other small humans, then you relished the surplus time to play, and what is more important to the child? Of note, this play had to done in the vicinity of the chattering adults, because of course, you would be leaving soon and they simply must not be delayed. As such, resourcefulness and creativity were of the utmost importance! I fondly remember neatly trimmed, green hedges that were a staple in Nigerian landscaping and were typically dotted with small colonies of red flowers (I’ve come to learn it is called the ixora plant). My friends and I would often pass time during farewell hour by plucking and harvesting nectar from the flowers of the ixora plant, pulling on the small yellow tuft at the center of their delicate red petals, causing no more than a drop of sweet-tasting nectar to be dispensed. After this light refreshment, we would then link the flowers into bracelets or necklaces, depending on what our outfits required of course. When we weren’t designing organic, cruelty free jewelry, then we were likely doing research and development to create a five-star menu comprised primarily of only the finest mud, leaves and petites rocks money could buy (bon appétit!). Eventually, the chatter from the adults would simmer down and the mass would have successfully made the long 10-foot journey from the doorway or gate of the host house to their respective cars, and the chattering organism will disperse… until next time. Were you subjected to farewell hour? How did you spend it? https://www.davidaenara.com/wonder-poem daily 0.75 2022-04-21 https://www.davidaenara.com/aba-women daily 0.75 2023-03-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/1641599491894-YRFK7ORGIL7DFWN2N533/image-asset.png Aba Women - Aba Women’s Riot (2021, digital media) Aba Women’s Riot of 1929 Led by women in the provinces of Calabar and Owerri in southeastern Nigeria in November and December of 1929, the “Aba Women’s Riots of 1929” (in British colonial history) or the “Women’s War” (in Igbo history), took place. The “Women’s War” took months for the government to suppress and became a historic example of feminist and anti-colonial protest. The roots of the riots can be traced to a series of events that unfolded beginning in January 1, 1914, when the first Nigerian colonial governor, Lord Lugard, instituted the system of indirect rule in Southern Nigeria. Under this plan, traditionally elected Igbo chiefs were replaced by “warrant chiefs,” appointed by British administrators to rule locally. Within a few years, the appointed warrant chiefs became increasingly oppressive. They seized property, imposed draconian local regulations, and began imprisoning anyone who openly criticized them. Although much of the anger was directed against the warrant chiefs, most Nigerians knew their power came from British colonial administrators. Colonial administrators added to the grievances of the locals when they announced plans to impose special taxes on the Igbo market women. These women were responsible for supplying food to the growing urban populations in Calabar, Owerri, and other Nigerian cities. The Locals feared the taxes would drive many of the market women out of business and disrupt the supply of food and non-perishable goods available to the populace. In response, thousands of Igbo women decided to protest the warrant chiefs and special taxes. In November 1929, they congregated at the Native Administration centers in Calabar and Owerri as well as smaller towns. Using the traditional practice of censoring men through all night song and dance ridicule (often called “sitting on a man”), the women chanted and danced, and in some locations forced warrant chiefs to resign their positions. The women also attacked European owned businesses and broke into prisons and released prisoners. Additionally, they attacked Native Courts run by colonial officials, burning many of them to the ground. Colonial Police and troops were called in. They fired into the crowds that had gathered at Calabar and Owerri, killing more than 50 women and wounding over 50 others. During the two month “war” at least 25,000 Igbo women were involved in protests against British officials. The Aba Women’s war prompted colonial authorities to drop their plans to impose a tax on the market women, and to curb the power of the warrant chiefs. The Women’s War is considered the first major challenge to British authority in Nigeria and West Africa during the colonial period. Cited Evans, M. (2009, March 27). Aba Women’s Riots (November-December 1929). BlackPast.org. https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/aba-womens-riots-november-december-1929/ https://www.davidaenara.com/usman-dan-fodio daily 0.75 2023-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/1641599336646-DGTWWCA8G4JSJV063SRW/image-asset.png Usman Dan Fodio - Usman Dan Fodio of the Sokoto Caliphate Usman Dan Fodio was born on December 15th, 1754, in the village of Maratta, Gobir (a Hausa-speaking city state in modern day northern Nigeria). A scholar, Usman Dan Fodio studied law, theology & philosophy in Agadez (modern day Niger Republic) under Islamic scholar Jibril Ibn Umar. After his studies, Dan Fodio returned to his home city of Gobir and started preaching Islam to the people, who at that time mixed paganism with Islam. His popularity grew in Gobir to the point where then King of Gobir, Rimfa, began to consider him a threat and attempted to assassinate him. Dan Fodio escaped and began passing through various rural communities, preaching, teaching and writing, gradually garnering many devoted followers. In 1803, Dan Fodio and hundreds of his followers migrated to Gudu where he continued to propagate Islam. While there, Usman declared a holy war (jihad) against King Yunfa of Gobir and his people, feeling that their way of life did not correspond with Islamic teachings. In 1804, he formally declared a jihad on the whole of Hausaland. Dan Fodio and his followers later conquered Gobir, Kano and other Hausa city-states. He retired from battle in 1811 and returned to teaching and writing, though his armies continued their conquests until 1815. This religious revolution led by Dan Fodio united the Hausa states under Islamic law and led to the establishment of the Sokoto Caliphate, composed of emirates and sub-emirates. The Caliphate became the most powerful economic & political system of the region in the 19th century and played a major role in the Islamization of Northern Nigeria. Cited: Deutsche Welle. (2020, February 24). Usman Dan Fodio: Sokoto Caliphate founder . dw.com. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://www.dw.com/en/usman-dan-fodio-founder-of-the-sokoto-caliphate/a-51995841 https://www.davidaenara.com/nsibidi daily 0.75 2023-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/1641599135686-4VZC24N98KLR4VQ042IA/image-asset.png Nsibidi - Nsibidi Script Ancient Script, Secret Societies & Banter with Baboons? Nsibidi is an ancient system of writing dating back to 450 A.D (and possibly earlier). It is most commonly attributed to indigenous people of the Cross River region of southeastern Nigeria. Nsibidi spread throughout the region over time & mixed with other cultures such as the Igbo, Ekoi & Bahumono, among others. Nsibidi is not spoken, but “a polyvalent sign system having performative (i.e. mimed) and graphic components (i.e. written signs), while certain objects may also be considered nsibidi. The meanings for particular signs may vary geographically and according to one’s level of initiation in the societies that use nsibidi, such as the women’s Ekpa Society of the Ejagham, or the men’s Leopard Society (variously called Ekpe, Mgbe, or Ngbe—the pidgin Egbo of older written sources), which served as legislative, judicial, & executive powers throughout the Cross River region.” Nsibidi comprises hundreds of symbols (similar to Egyptian hieroglyphics) that can be drawn in the air (as gestures), on the ground, on skin (as tattoos), on houses & on art (masks, textiles etc). Early evidence of nsibidi is found in the decoration of the carved monoliths of Emangabe, near Ikom in the upper Cross River region. The stones frequently display carefully rendered concentric circles, spirals, lozenges, and other discrete figures otherwise associated with body art and nsibidi in various contexts. the nearby village of Okang Mbang that generally corroborate each other, and which are associated with hundreds of terracottas that display a considerable range of designs. Combined, the dates encompass the period ca. 450 A.D – 1440 A.D (Fig. 1.5). Over time the prevalence of Nsibidi diminished owing to factors such as the proliferation of Western education, Christian teaching, and the increasing availability of decorative imported objects in a variety of media (which decreased demand for locally made objects (including nsibidi clad terra-cottas,. Furthermore, much of Nsibidi is attributed to witchcraft, hence its abandonment in many places where it was once used. Citation needed. However, The writing system was transported to Cuba & Haiti via the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, where it developed into the Anaforuana & Vèvè symbols. Fun facts: In 1909, historian J. K. Macgregor in his work argued that Nsibidi has its root in the Uguakima, Ebe or Uyanga tribes of the Igbos. Additionally, according to him, legend has it that the language was taught to the Igbos by baboons. However, this theory has been discarded by historians who say that the Nsibidi originated from the Ekoi people, neighbours of the Efik and Ibibio ethnic groups in Nigeria before it was adopted by the Igbos. Nsibidi was the inspiration for the Wakandan writing system shown in the Marvel movie, ‘Black Panther’. Cited Agbo, N. (2020, August 2). A look at Nsibidi: The long lost Nigerian writing. The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://guardian.ng/life/a-look-at-nsibidi-the-long-lost-african-writing/ Dayrell, E. (1911, July 1). Further notes on 'Nsibidi signs with their meanings from the Ikom District, Southern Nigeria. Zenodo. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://zenodo.org/record/1449623#.Y7m2ZNXMLiA Slogar, C. (2005, April 18). Iconography and continuity in West Africa: Calabar Terracottas and the Arts of the Cross River region of Nigeria/cameroon. Digital Repository at the University of Maryland. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://drum.lib.umd.edu/handle/1903/2416?show=full Desowitz, B. (2018, February 28). 'black panther': How Wakanda got a written language as part of its afrofuturism. IndieWire. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://www.indiewire.com/2018/02/black-panther-wakanda-written-language-ryan-coogler-afrofuturism-1201931252/ https://www.davidaenara.com/akwa-akpa daily 0.75 2023-03-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/1641598925141-C9T36EZX9TSS3W0N3J2O/Akwa+Akpa+%282021%29 Akwa Akpa - Akwa Akpa (2020) - Digital media The Ancient Kingdom of Akwa Akpa: Merchants, Notables & Slavery Akwa Akpa was an Efik city-state that flourished in the 19th century. Today, it is the modern city of Calabar in Cross River state, Nigeria. Akwa Akpa was formed by the migration of African merchants from predominantly five ethnic groups, who settled in the coastal Akwa Akpa region in the 16th century. Initially, they lived in large, fortified villages, sustaining themselves through fishing and farming. They also had no paramount leader. As the European demand for slaves, produce & provisions, increased, the people of Akwa Akpa created market infrastructures in order to capitalize. They developed inter-regional trade with transport provided by canoes and ships holding slaves. As trade expanded, villages along commercial routes developed into market centers. The arrival of European traders also prompted Cross River merchants to widen their commercial networks, requiring that European traders paid several port dues ("com- ey") to local Calabar businessmen to be allowed to trade. By the 18th century, Cross River merchants had created the infrastructure needed to annually export: 5-10 tons of ivory and dyewood, some palm oil, thousands of yams and 1,000-1,250 enslaved people. The main ethnic group taken out of Calabar as slaves were the Igbo. Most slave ships that transported enslaved people from Calabar were British, around 85% of these being from Bristol and Liverpool. Cited Goldie, H., & Dean, J. T. (2008). Calabar and its mission. Oliphant, Anderson & Ferrier. https://www.davidaenara.com/biafran-war daily 0.75 2023-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/1641598781323-5DPB5JJI2BCJQIGZ7B2S/image-asset.png Biafran War - The Nigerian Civil War/The Biafran War/ The Nigerian-Biafran War The civil war, lasting from 6 July 1967 – 15 January 1970, was fought between Nigeria and the Republic of Biafra, a secessionist state which had declared its independence from Nigeria in 1967. According to local and foreign war historians, the conflict was a result of political, economic, ethnic, cultural and religious tensions which preceded the United Kingdom's formal decolonization of Nigeria in 1960. Immediate causes of the war included a military coup, a counter-coup, anti-Igbo pogroms in Northern Nigeria. as well as a struggle for control over the lucrative oil production in the Niger Delta area. In 1966, a group of military officers, mostly of the Igbo ethnic group, overthrew Nigeria’s first democratic government. Their grievances included alleged corruption among public officials, the government’s failure to ensure equitable distribution of economic resources, and alleged attempts by Northern elites to entrench the political hegemony of the Northern region over the rest of the federation. On 15 January 1966, Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna, and other junior Army officers (mostly majors and captains) attempted a coup d'état, assassinating major political leaders, who were predominantly Northerners. Shortly after the coup, widespread suspicion of Igbo domination was aroused among Northerners & Westerners, instigating a joint Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani countercoup against the Igbo six months later. This persecution led Lieutenant Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu and other non-Igbo representatives of the area to establish the secessionist Republic of Biafra, comprising several southeastern states on May 30, 1967. The counter-coup led to the installation of Lieutenant-Colonel Yakubu Gowon as Supreme Commander of the Nigerian Armed Forces. Gowon was chosen as a compromise candidate. He was a Northerner, a Christian, from a minority tribe, and had a good reputation within the army The Federal Military Government also laid the groundwork for the economic blockade of the Eastern Region which went into full effect in 1967. On 27 May 1967, Gowon proclaimed the division of Nigeria into twelve states. This decree divided the Eastern Region into three parts: South Eastern State, Rivers State, and East Central State. Now the Igbos, concentrated in the East Central State, would lose control over most of the petroleum, located in the other two areas. The Federal Military Government immediately placed an embargo on all shipping to and from Biafra—but not on oil tankers. Biafra quickly moved to collect oil royalties from oil companies doing business within its borders. When Shell-BP acquiesced to this request at the end of June, the Federal Government extended its blockade to include oil. The blockade, which most foreign actors accepted, played a decisive role in putting Biafra at a disadvantage from the beginning of the war. Shortly after extending its blockade to include oil, the Nigerian government launched a "police action" to retake the secessionist territory. The war began on 6 July 1967 when Nigerian Federal troops advanced in two columns into Biafra. Despite the lack of resources and international support, Biafra refused to surrender to the Nigerian military, which was advantaged due to supplies of ammunition from British and Soviet powers. The Nigerian Army however continued to advance and on January 15, 1970, Biafra surrendered when its military commander General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu fled to Côte d’Ivoire. The war lasted two years, six months, one week and two days. It also saw a displacement and exodus of hundreds of thousands and the death of about one million people. Cited: Hurst, R. (2009, May 20). Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970). BlackPast.org. https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/nigerian-civil-war-1967-1970/ Stent , A. (1973). The Soviet Union and the Nigerian Civil War: A Triumph of Realism. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://www.jstor.org/stable/1166627 Uche 2008 - Uche, Chibuike. (2008). Oil, British interests and the Nigerian Civil War. The Journal of African History, 49(1), 111–135. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0021853708003393 Kobo, O. M. (1970, January 1). No victor and no vanquished: The Nigerian Civil War and Biafra. Origins. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://origins.osu.edu/milestones/nigerian-civil-war-biafra-anniversary?language_content_entity=en Recommended reading: ‘There Was a Country’, by Chinua Achebe https://www.davidaenara.com/ancient-benin daily 0.75 2023-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/1641598198513-X9MI5LM9KQ91K5B6778X/image-asset.png Ancient Benin - Ancient Benin Kingdom Established in the 1200s, the pre-colonial kingdom of Benin was one of the oldest & most highly developed states in West Africa. The empire was founded by the Edo people of southern Nigeria. No longer wanting to be ruled by their kings, the ‘ogisos’, the Edos requested a prince from Ife, another prominent West African kingdom, to take control. The first oba (king) of Benin was Eweka, the son of the Ife prince. The Benin kingdom reached its peak power and size under Oba Ewuare the Great. He expanded the kingdom and improved its capital city, present-day Benin City. The success of Benin was largely fueled by its lively trade. Tradesmen and artisans from Benin developed relationships with the Portuguese, who sought the kingdom’s artwork, gold, ivory, and pepper. In the early modern era, Benin was also heavily involved in the West African slave trade, capturing men, women, and children from rival peoples and selling them into slavery to European and American buyers. This trade provided a significant source of wealth for the kingdom. As the kingdom grew in wealth, they also built an intricate city, the planning and design of which was done according to careful rules of symmetry, proportionality and repetition now known as fractal design - The city and its surrounding villages were laid out to form perfect fractals, with similar shapes repeated in the rooms of each house, and the house itself, and the clusters of houses in the village in mathematically predictable patterns. When the Portuguese first “discovered” the city in 1485, they were stunned to find this vast kingdom made of hundreds of interlocked cities and villages in the middle of the African jungle. They called it the “Great City of Benin”, classifying it as one of the most beautiful & best planned cities in the world. Benin began to lose power during the 1800s, as its royal family members fought for power and control of the throne. Civil wars broke out, weakening both Benin’s administration as well as its economy. In its eroded state, Benin struggled to resist foreign interference in its trading network, particularly by the British. Seeking to control West African trade and territory, the British invaded Benin in 1897, consequently looting and burning it to the ground. They later made the kingdom part of British Nigeria (which became Nigeria after the country gained independence in 1960). Today, a modern Benin City has been built on the same plain of the lost ancient empire. Remnants of its history can however be found in ancient Benin art - The 'Benin Bronzes' are a group of sculptures which include elaborately decorated cast plaques, commemorative heads, animal and human figures, items of royal regalia, and personal ornaments. They can be seen in museums in Nigeria and London. Cited: Koutonin, M. (2016, March 18). Story of cities #5: Benin City, The Mighty Medieval Capital now lost without trace. The Guardian. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/mar/18/story-of-cities-5-benin-city-edo-nigeria-mighty-medieval-capital-lost-without-trace National Geographic Society. (2022, May). The Kingdom of Benin. National Geographic Society. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/kingdom-benin https://www.davidaenara.com/frk daily 0.75 2023-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/1641598051280-22XCCHR692W2J6UNQ84A/image-asset.png FRK - Funmilayo Ransome Kuti Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, AKA ‘Lioness of Lisabi’ I meannn you have to have done something pretty spectacular to earn a nickname as tough as that. Funmilayo Ransom Kuti definitely did that! Abigail Olufunmilayo Thomas was born on 25th October, 1900 in Abeokuta, South-Western Nigeria (now Abeokuta, Ogun State). She was the first female student at the Abeokuta Grammar School (a secondary school), which she attended from 1914 to 1917. She later left for Wincham Hall School for Girls, Cheshire, England, to further her studies and then returned to Abeokuta to teach at her alma-mater. While in Abeokuta, she married Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, an Anglican clergyman and teacher in 1925. While she was teaching at the Abeokuta Grammar School, she organized the Abeokuta Ladies Club (ALC), in 1932. Initially a civic and charitable group of mostly Western-educated Christian women, the organization gradually became more political and feminist in its orientation. In 1944 it formally admitted market women (women vendors in Abeokuta’s open-air markets), who were generally impoverished, illiterate, and exploited by colonial authorities. In that year, the club was renamed the ‘Abeokuta Women’s Union’. The Union resolved to fight for women’s rights and demanded better representation of women in local governing bodies, as well as an end to unfair taxes on market women. The organization also created educational opportunities for women and girls, enforced sanitary regulations, and the provision of health care and other social services for women. Their efforts helped improve the living standards of women in Nigeria and became one of the most important women’s movements of the 20th century. Ransom-Kuti’s unwavering commitment to cooperation, solidarity and unity led her to play an active role in politics, notably in the pre-independence constitutional negotiations of 1946. She later earned the title "Lioness of Lisabi", a nickname given to her by the press for her relentless activism. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti also participated in the Nigerian independence movement, attending conferences and joining overseas delegations to discuss proposed national constitutions. Additionally, she led the Nigerian Women’s Union and the Federation of Nigerian Women’s Societies, advocating for Nigerian women’s right to vote. Icon begets icon? Her children Beko, Olikoye and Fela, would all go on to play important roles in education, healthcare, the arts and political activism. Funmilayo Ranome-Kuti died aged 77 after being wounded in a military raid on her family property. She received the Lenin Peace Prize and was awarded membership in the Order of the Niger for her work. Cited: UNESCO. (2019). Biography. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti biography | Women. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://en.unesco.org/womeninafrica/funmilayo-ransome-kuti/biography Recommended reading: Wole Soyinka’s memoir, ‘Ake’ details the women’s tax revolt in his hometown of Abeokuta Another historic example of feminist and anti-colonial protest: Aba women’s riot was held in 1929. See painting and summary here https://www.davidaenara.com/queen-amina daily 0.75 2023-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/1641597855646-HWSCS65VD4RORKSTA41N/image-asset.png Queen Amina - Queen Amina of Zazzau Hausa Warrior Queen, Amina of Zazzau (modern day Zaria, Nigeria) Zazzau was one of the seven Hausa city-states which dominated the sub-saharan trade after the collapse of the Songhai Empire at the end of the 16th century. The city-state accumulated its wealth through the sale of leather, textile, horses, salt, kola, cloth, and metals. Amina was a Hausa Warrior queen who led the city. Much of what is known about her is based on oral traditions, rendering much of her story to be classified as legendary. Although historians widely agree she was a real person. Amina was born around 1533 to King Nikatau and Queen Bakwa Turunku (who was the founding ruler of Zazzau as a kingdom). Amina grew up in her grandfather’s (then king) court, where from a young age, he instructed her in political & military matters. At the age of 16, Amina was named Magajiya (heir apparent), seen as a potential successor to her mother’s throne. Amina began being trained in royal duties from her mother. Although her mother’s reign had been one of peace and prosperity, Amina chose to learn military skills from the warriors. After the death of her parents around 1566, Amina’s younger brother, Karama, became king of Zazzau. During Karama’s reign, Amina emerged as principal warrior of the kingdom’s cavalry and gained respect and power for her military skills and success. When her brother died after a ten-year reign, Amina was crowned queen of Zazzau in 1576. Zazzau achieved prominence under Amina’s over three-decade rule. Leading an army of 20,000 men, she expanded the kingdom to the Atlantic and made it the trading hub for all of southern Hausaland. However, her priority was not on annexation of neighboring lands, but on forcing local rulers to accept vassal status and allow Hausa traders safe passage. Amina is also credited as the architect of the strong walls around the city of Zazzau, which became the prototype for the fortifications used in all Hausa states. During her reign, she established military camps and commissioned the construction of defensive muralled walls around each one. Later, those camps evolved into prosperous cities within those walls, and some can still be seen today in northern Nigeria. Those cities are known as ‘ganuwar of Amina’ or ‘Amina’s walls‘. Amina is believed to have died in the town of Altagara in 1610. Her exploits earned her the title Amina, rana de Yar Bakwa ta San’ (Amina, daughter of Nikatau, woman as capable as a man). Cited: Y., D. (2014, January 18). Queen amina of zazzau: The great hausa warrior born to rule. African Heritage. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://afrolegends.com/2014/01/17/queen-amina-of-zazzau-the-great-hausa-warrior-ruler-born-to-rule/ Lewis, J. J. (2019, June 3). Amina - learn about an African warrior queen in what is today Nigeria. ThoughtCo. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://www.thoughtco.com/amina-queen-of-zazzua-3529742 Recommended Readings and more: 2021 Netflix movie, ‘Amina’, tells Amina’s story. African Princesses book on Amazon: African Princess: The Amazing Lives of Africa's Royal Women: Hansen, Joyce, McGaw, Laurie: 9780786851164: Amazon.com: Books In Lagos State, at the National Arts Theatre, there is a statue of Amina. Many schools are named for her. https://www.davidaenara.com/ooni-luwoo daily 0.75 2023-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/1641597297173-GLFBKJZE43EX25SEAFSN/image-asset.png Ooni Luwoo - Ooni Luwoo of Ile Ife “With great power comes great responsibility” - (Spider-Man comics). Tranascribed oral tradition has it that Ooni Luwoo (in some records called the Lúwo Gbàgìdá), was the 21st Ooni (ruler of Ife) and the first and only ever female Ooni of Ife till date. She ruled in the 10th century. Ooni Luwoo, being a beautiful woman who derived great joy from her physical appearance and that of her surroundings, kept the men and women of Ife on their toes by ensuring they partook in keeping their environment well-groomed at all times. Ooni Luwoo didn’t quite enjoy walking on bare soil, so she commissioned and supervised the construction of paved walkways consisting of quartz pebbles and broken poetry. The walkways are popularly known as “apaadi Luwo” - Luwoo’s potsherd pavements (now owned by the Ife Museum). Although they were originally made to pave the way for the queen so as not to soil her feet & dress during the rainy season, by the 14th & 15th centuries, apaadi Luwoo had become part of the architectural heritage of the Ife people. The elders of the land came to view her as high-handed, so at the end of her reign, the council of Obas had a meeting and decided never to make a woman the Ooni of Ife again. Ooni Luwoo, though given negative labels by her council of chiefs, still played a vital role in helping her son Adekola Tolu create the city of Iwo, contributing to his becoming the first Oluwo of Iwo. Cited: Lambert, M. (2010). Toyin Falola and ARIBIDESI Usman, eds. movements, borders, and identities in Africa. Rochester: University of Rochester Press, 2009. X + 318 pp. figures. tables. maps. photographs. bibliography. index. no price reported. cloth. African Studies Review, 53(3), 143–144. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0002020600005710 Ezeh, R. (2019, September 27). Queen Lúwo Gbàgìdá, the first and only female ooni of ife. SwiftTalk Limited. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://swifttalk.net/2019/09/27/queen-luwo-gbagida-the-first-and-only-female-ooni-of-ife/ https://www.davidaenara.com/queen-moremi daily 0.75 2023-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d7888e75576e536b61c2be/1641599730258-WRR6BDKFC3IC54KYKLZ6/image-asset.png Queen Moremi - Queen Moremi Ajasoro of Ile- Ife Legend has it that Queen Moremi Ajasoro lived in the 12th century and was queen of the mediaeval Kingdom of Ile‐Ife, was married to Oranmiyan, Ile-Ife’s king. Ile-Ife was the aboriginal settlement of a people known as the Igbos (believed by scholars to be distinct from the Igbos of modern day Southeastern Nigeria), where the Yoruba, arrived in their search for a homeland. After settling, the Yoruba subjugated the Igbos and imposed their own polity on them, as well as raided their town, looted their market and captured their people as slaves. The Igbos later regrouped and successfully wreaked vengeance on the Yoruba settlers. They often invaded Ile-Ife, disguised in costumes of raffia which were likely the cult vestments of their deities. The people of Ile-Ife were perplexed about their attackers, thinking them to be spirits owing to the garb they wore. The market matron, leader of the women's guild, and queen, Moremi Ajasoro resolved to take action to defend her people. Seeking a solution, Moremi ventured to a sacred stream to consult with the local river spirit, Esimirin. The river spirit suggested that Moremi allow herself to be captured by the Igbo in order to infiltrate their society and discover their weaknesses. Esmirin offered to protect Moremi, but demanded eventual payment in the form of a sacrificial offering, which Moremi agreed to. As planned, during the next raid Moremi allowed herself to be captured by the Igbos. When the captives were shown to the Igbo King, Moremi’s beauty captivated him and he ordered she be brought to his court as a wife. Over time, as Moremi integrated herself into the Igbo society, she discovered that the Igbo warriors, thought to be spirits by the people of Ile-Ife, were actually just humans disguised in raffia to intimidate the people of Ile‐Ife into submission during raids. Learning the weakness of the Igbos, Moremi returned to her people in Ile-Ife with her insights and a plan to finally end the raids. Knowing that raffia was highly flammable, on the next market day, the torch‐bearing people of Ile-Ife, many of whom were market women, cast their burning torches at the Igbo raiders. The raffia‐dressed Igbo masquerades were sent into retreat, terrified at the prospect of being burned alive. The raids ended & Ile-fe was victorious, liberated by both the torch & Moremi’s heroic plan! After the Igbo raids had stopped, Moremi returned to Esimirin to pay her offering as promised. The river spirit demanded that she sacrifice her only son, Oluorogbo and although the demand was inconceivable for Moremi, she kept her promise and paid the price. Today, the legend of Moremi and her sacrifice are remembered in Ile-Ife’s Edi festival, which spans seven days. In 2016, the festival included an unveiling of a statue of Moremi, depicted holding a flaming torch. The statue is the tallest in Nigeria. Cited Adebisi, A. A. (n.d.). Moremi Ajasoro. African Poems. Retrieved January 12, 2023, from https://africanpoems.net/modern-poetry-in-oral-manner/moremi-ajasoro/ Layiwola, D. (1991). Ufahamu: A journal of african studies - escholarship. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://escholarship.org/content/qt4x1824zj/qt4x1824zj.pdf?t=mnipzt Olajubu, O. (2003). Women in the Yoruba religious sphere. State University of New York Press. Onyeakagbu, A. (2022, November 14). Among the 7 tallest statues in Africa, Nigeria shows up twice. Pulse Nigeria. 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