GONZAGA JESUIT COLLEGE

SECOND TERM LESSON NOTE

2022/2023 ACADEMIC SESSION

HISTORY
JSS1

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HISTORY SCHEME (JSS1) – SECOND TERM
WK TOPIC CONTENT LEARNING GOALS: EVALUATION
students should be able
to:
Historical
sites in
Nigeria
1 Nok I Location of NOK culture area Identify the location of Identify the NOK
civilization on the map of Nigeria NOK on the map of culture area on the
ii The NOK culture Nigeria map of Nigeria
- Meaning Explain the NOK culture Describe the artefacts
- Artefacts of NOK culture.
- People Write a short note on
- Occupational activities the occupation of NOK
iii Significance of NOK culture in people.
Nigerian History State the significance of State four significance
NOK culture of NOK culture to
Nigerian History.
2 Ife I Location of Ife culture area on Identify the location of Ife Identify the Ife culture
civilization the map of Nigeria on the map of Nigeria area on the map of
ii The Ife culture Nigeria.
- Meaning Explain the Ife culture Highlight three
- Artefacts features of the
- People artefacts of Ife culture.
- Occupational activities List five occupational
iii Significance of Ife culture in activities of the people
Nigerian History of Ife culture.
State the significance of State three
Ife culture significance of Ife
culture to Nigerian
History.
4&5 Benin I Location of Benin culture area Identify the location of Draw the map of
civilization on the map of Nigeria Benin on the map of Nigeria and locate the
ii The Benin culture Nigeria Benin culture area on
- Meaning it.
- Artefacts Explain the Benin culture Highlight four features
- People of the artefacts of
- Occupational activities Benin culture.
iii Significance of Benin culture in List three types of
Nigerian History artworks made by
Benin artists based on
materials used.
State the significance of Highlight four
Benin culture significance of Benin
culture to Nigerian
History.
6 Igbo-Ukwu I Location of Igbo-Ukwu culture Identify the location of Draw the map of
civilization area on the map of Nigeria Igbo-Ukwu on the map of Nigeria and locate the
ii The Igbo-Ukwu culture Nigeria
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 - Meaning Igbo-Ukwu culture
- Artefacts area on it.
- People Explain the Igbo-Ukwu List four major
- Occupational activities culture artefacts discovered in
iii Significance of Igbo-Ukwu Igbo-Ukwu
culture in Nigerian History Highlight four features
of the artefacts of
Igbo-Ukwu culture.
State the significance of Highlight four
Ife culture significance of Igbo-
Ukwu culture to
Nigerian History.
6 Nigerian i Early life Write a short story of Write a short story of
Heroes: ii Educational Attainment Nnamdi Azikiwe early life Nnamdi Azikiwe’s
Nnamdi early life
Azikiwe 1 Highlight Zik’s trajectory Highlight Zik’s life
and educational trajectory and
attainment in USA educational
attainment
7 Nigerian i Nationalist roles/activities Highlight Zik’s role and Highlight the
Heroes: struggle/Achievements achievements as a achievements of
Nnamdi ii Recognitions and awards nationalist Nnamdi Azikiwe as a
Azikiwe 2 nationalist
List honours and awards List the honours and
conferred on Nnamdi awards conferred on
Azikiwe Nnamdi Azikiwe

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WEEK 1: HISTORICAL SITES IN NIGERIA

NOK CIVILIZATION
LEARNING GOALS: At the end of the lesson the students should be able to:
1. Locate the NOK culture area on the map of Nigeria
2. Identify the main features of the NOK culture.
3. Highlight the occupational activities of the NOK culture
4. Explain the significance of Nok to Nigerian history.

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA
NOK is a village within the Kafanchan area of Jabba Local Government Area in present Kaduna State of
Nigeria. The name today is synonymous with a great civilization that flourished within that area and beyond.
The larger area of the NOK culture is within the Benue-Plateau area extending to Abuja, Niger state and
most parts of Central Nigeria from Katsina Ala, south of Benue River to Kagana in Kaduna State. The NOK
culture shows evidence of one of the earliest ancient civilizations in Nigeria.

EXCAVATIONS, FINDINGS AND FEATURES OF THE NOK CULTURE

In 1928 an English man Lt. Colonel John Dent-Young led some mining operations in the village of Nok.
During one of the operations, a miner found small terracotta of monkey head and also later found terracotta
of human head and a foot. The first place where these objects were discovered is Taruga. Through
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archaeological excavation in 1943 by Bernard Fagg such figures were also found at Wemba, Jema, and
Katsina-Ala. Further studies on the Nok culture have been carried out by a German Archaeologist Angela
Fagg and a Nigerian Archaeologist, Joseph Jemkur.

The Nok civilization is seen as a transitional culture between the Stone Age and the Iron Age. This is
because the objects found at Nok were made of stone and iron. The civilization dates back to 500BC. The
men of Nok culture engaged in both iron smelting and making of terracotta sculptures. Remains of the
oldest iron smelting furnaces in Nigeria were discovered in Niger state which is within the Nok culture area.
In other words, the Nok culture people made use of iron tools which enabled their culture flourish.

The people of Nok were also known for their extremely advanced social system and were the earliest
producers of life-sized terracotta in Nigeria and even in the entire sub-Saharan Africa.

ARTEFACTS FOUND IN NOK

Some of the material remains excavated in the Nok culture are:

 Terracotta sculptures of human figures

especially human heads
 Terracotta sculptures of animal figures
 Iron smelting furnaces
 Grinding stones made of metamorphic
rocks
 Stone axes
 A human foot
 Pottery
 Tin beads
 Ornaments such as bracelets, lip-plugs,
earlobes and necklaces

Nok human head figurines

Most of the human head figurines were made in unique styles. They are life-size figurines with triangular
eyes, with the pupils of the eyes and the lips and ears pierced. They all have either one or another of two
types of hair braids which are still common to people of the Nok area today.

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THE NOK PEOPLE AND THEIR OCCUPATIONAL ACTIVITIES

The people of Nok culture engaged in iron smelting and making of terracotta sculptures and exhibited great
craftsmanship in both. They were also engaged in farming. In fact, the iron implements of Nok culture
people were actually made to enhance their farming. They were equally great hunters and it is rather obvious
that instruments and objects created by them such as terracotta monkey heads, terracotta bowls; bronze
bracelets, stone axes and other iron tools bear witness to that.

SIGNIFICANCE OF NOK CULTURE IN NIGERIAN HISTORY

i. A major significance of the Nok culture is that it helped to push back the antiquity of Nigerian
history. Carbon dates from the Nok culture objects show that people have been living in the
Nigerian area since 500BC.
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 ii. Findings from Nok show that people of what is today Nigeria produced and made use of iron
implements/weapons as early as 500BC. The discovery of metal objects and iron smelting
furnaces give credible evidence to this.
iii. Shows that there was a well organized economy in the Nok area and Nigeria from the earliest of
times.
iv. Shows that Nigeria passed through different stages in her development such as the Stone Age,
Iron Age etc.
v. Shows that Nigerians engaged in different economic activities from the earliest of times.
vi. It improves the artistic potentials of the Nigerian people. The rest of the world today recognize
and respect our artistic potentials due largely to the evidence produced by Nok and other such
early civilizations in Nigeria.
vii. It shows inter-group relationship that existed among the people of Nigeria in times past. Features
found in Nok culture were also commonly found in other cultures of Nigeria. These strongly
bear evidence of inter-group relationship among the peoples of ancient Nigeria.

WEEK 2: HISTORICAL SITES IN NIGERIA

IFE CIVILIZATION
LEARNING GOALS: At the end of the lesson the students should be able to:
1. Locate the Ife culture area on the map of Nigeria
2. Identify the place of Ife in Yoruba History
3. State the main features of the Ife civilization.
4. Highlight the occupational activities of the Ife culture
5. Explain the significance of Ife to Nigerian history.

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OF CIVILIZATION: Ile-Ife (Ife) is today a town in Osun state and is
the host town of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU). It is also believed to be the cradle of the Yoruba
people. Their ancestor, Oduduwa, first settled there. The meaning of the word ‘Ile’ in Yoruba is ‘land’, ‘Ife’
means expansion, so ‘Ile Ife’ means ‘land of expansion’. The town regarded as the oldest in Yoruba land
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lies at the intersection of roads from Ibadan, Ilesha and Ondo. However, the Ife civilization extended to
other parts of Yoruba land including Oyo, Oshogbo, Ede etc. This means the Ife civilization flourished in
some states of present South-West Geo-political zone of Nigeria.

THE PLACE OF IFE IN YORUBA HISTORY

Ife is the ancestral home of the Yoruba. It was here they first settled before expanding to other parts of what
is today Yoruba land.

According to Yoruba creation story, Olodumare (God) lowered a chain at Ile Ife. Oduduwa came down
through this chain. He had with him a cock, some earth and a palm kernel. When he threw the earth into the
water, the cock scratched it and it became land. The palm kernel grew into a big tree with 16 limbs which
represents the original 16 kingdoms. This account of creation, called the Oduduwa legend, claims that Ife
is the center of the planet. This then makes Ile Ife a very important town in Yoruba history.

In another account, it is believed that the Yoruba migrated and settled in their present location from Arabia
and that Ile-Ife was their first place of settlement before they expanded to other parts of Yoruba land.

Ile Ife has political, cultural and spiritual supremacy in Yoruba land. It is the fountainhead of Yoruba
civilization. Ife people and the ancient city of Ife are very precious and sacred to the Yoruba people. Every
Yoruba group is forbidden to attack them no matter the situation. Attacking an Ife citizen or the town is an
abomination of the highest order. All other Yoruba groups would come together to fight such a person or
town. Till date, Ile Ife is regarded as the source and spiritual homeland of the Yoruba.

Though modernity has erased most of its cultural heritage, Ife people are still known to worship deities. In
fact, Ife is a land of deities, having a total of 401 deities. Till date, some traditional festivals are still very
much celebrated. The Ikedu tradition is the oldest Ife tradition. It highlights the origin of Yoruba people.
Since Ile Ife is regarded as the origin of the Yoruba, pagan worship originated from there; the most
prominent being Ifa, with its temple at Ile Ife.

All over the world, there are Ifa worshippers. As a matter of fact, Ifa worship is found anywhere Yoruba
people are found. The belief in Ifa is very strong and Yoruba people do not toy with it. Ifa priests who are
in disapora visit the Ifa temple in Ile Ife for initiation.

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Ile Ife has many traditional festivals to commemorate the many deities known in the history of the city and
in Yoruba land because of its importance in creation. The king’s presence is always required at the most
spectacular and most popular ones. Some of these are the Edi festival for Moremi Ajasoro, the Itapa festival
for Obatala and Obameri, the Igare masqueraders and the Olojo festival for Ogun. During these festivals,
the traditional priests render prayer for the blessing of Ile-Ife and the world in general.

The traditional ruler of Ile Ife, and by extension the spiritual head of the Yoruba, is referred to as the Ooni
of Ife. He must be of direct descent from Oduduwa and is counted among the foremost Yoruba kings.
Remember that Ile Ife is referred to as the city of 401 deities, the Ooni is considered as the 401 st deity and
he is worshipped likewise. He is also the custodian of the sacred staff of Oranmiyan; a 5.5 metre rod in the
shape of the elephant’s tusk.

The incumbent Ooni of Ife whose pictures appear below is Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ojaja II).
Before ascending the throne of his ancestors on 7 December, 2015 he was a practicing Accountant and
Entrepreneur.

Ooni of Ife Ooni and Prince Charles (now King of England) Ooni and Kanu Nwankwo

Oranmiyan staff at Ile-Ife

FINDINGS, FEATURES, INTERPRETATIONS OF IFE

 Archaeological discoveries brought out findings such as terra- cotta and bronze heads.

 Ife artists carved stools and figures on hard stones such as quartz.

 Cire perdu (lost wax) method of metal casting was used in the Ife culture.

 Ife Artists represented objects in their natural form. Ife art therefore is a classic example of
naturalism in pre-colonial Nigerian art.

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  Most of the terra cotta and bronze heads had the stratification marks common with the Yoruba of
today.

 Most of the human figurines were burst of former Ife monarch and they always wore a cap with a
crest in front; a major paraphernalia (costume of office) of Ife monarchs in modern times.

 Ife is also said to have manufactured glass beads. This shows a high level of technological
development and social organisation.

THE PEOPLE OF IFE AND THEIR OCCUPATIONAL ACTIVITIES

The people of pre-colonial Ife were mostly farmers. Ile Ife is a major collection point for cocoa, kolanut
and cotton. For local markets, palm oil, yams, cassava, and pumpkin were cultivated. Palm wine was also
produced in abundance. All these and others were sold in the Ile Ife open markets. Blacksmithing was also
practiced in the ancient Ife culture. Blacksmiths produced machetes, hoes and other implements for farming.
There were others who were hunters. The families of hunters fed on the meat killed and the remaining were
sold at the market by wives and children. There were carvers (popularly called gbenagbena). Another
important industry that grew among them was cloth weaving, especially the production of the popular Aso-
Oke among the Yoruba; an industry made possible by the availability of cotton within the Ife culture area.
In a similar vein, they produced the tie and dye cloth known among the Yoruba as Adire. Cloth weaving
and industry and production of tie and dye clothes among the people have survived to the present.

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 Aso-Oke and its traditional weaving

Summarily, below are the different occupational activities of the people of Ife;

i. Farming vii. Pottery

ii. Palm wine tapping viii. Trading
iii. Palm oil production ix. Fishing
iv. Blacksmithing x. Drumming
v. Hunting xi. Cloth weaving
vi. Carving

SIGNIFICANCE OF IFE CULTURE IN NIGERIAN HISTORY

The uniqueness of Ile Ife in Nigeria history manifested itself at many levels. Spiritually, Ile Ife had been
and still remains a holy city. It is the home of many deities (orisha), the Ooni being one of them. Nigeria
has from time been a religious nation. The many tribes that make up Nigeria all practice one form of religion
or the other. Ile Ife can boast of being the source of these religions since, according to an account, human
beings were created there.

Politically, Ile Ife is significant in Nigeria history because it was the source from where many kings were
sent to rule kingdoms and empires. Till date, Ile Ife is a source of legitimacy for these rulers. This form of
kingship has been practiced way before Nigeria was born.

In the cultural history of Nigeria, Ile Ife ranks foremost. It was an early center of urban tradition. The
Oduduwa dynasty happened over a thousand years ago, a time which Nigeria wasn’t yet born. This has
added to the richness of Nigeria cultural history. The art of Ife which combines terracotta, stone sculptures
and bronze are life-seized. These terracotta represent kings, queens and general people.

The Ife cultural artefacts which are found in many parts of West Africa up to Ghana and Mali, has helped
to enrich Nigeria’s art and cultural history.

There is also an argument that Ife art was borrowed from Benin art culture with which it shares common
characteristics in looks, method of creation and message. Others even suggest a commonality between Ife
and Nok arts. The bottom line of these postulations is that Ife interacted symbiotically with other Nigerian
peoples and culture way before the colonization of Nigeria.
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WEEK 3: HISTORICAL SITES IN NIGERIA

A. BENIN CIVILIZATION 1
LEARNING GOALS: At the end of the lesson the students should be able to:
1. Locate Benin culture area on the map of Nigeria
2. State the origin of the Benin people and evolution of Benin monarchy
3. List types of artworks made by Benin artists
4. Highlight the features of Benin culture
5. State the occupational activities of the Benin civilization
6. Explain the significance of Benin culture to Nigerian History

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OF THE BENIN CULTURE AREA

Benin today is the capital of Edo state and the homeland of the Edo speaking people of Nigeria. It is the
base of the famous Eweka dynasty that has for hundreds of years produced powerful and influential
monarchs including the incumbent monarch: Oba Ewuare II. The Benin civilization stretched to parts of
present day Delta state, Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Kogi, and Anambra state.

TRADITIONS OF ORIGIN AND EMERGENCE OF A MONARCHY

The origin of the Benin people, like that of most non-literate societies of pre-colonial Africa is not very
clear. However, two interesting traditions exist of their origin.

The first tradition of Benin origin is what may be called Osanubua legend. This tradition states that Benin
god, Osanubua at a point sent down his children from the sky to populate the earth. Some settled in Ile-Ife
while some settled in other Yoruba areas. The youngest son of Osanubua settled on the land that is today
Benin. He established a kingdom there and became the first king of Benin.

The second tradition has it that the Edo speaking people who founded the Benin empire migrated from
Egypt, with a brief stay in Sudan; then crossing the Sahara desert and eventually landed in their present
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abode. It goes on to say that they were led and ruled by the Ogisso (kings of the sky) who called their land
Igodomigodo. Upon landing in Benin, these rulers, ruled in a line of kingship known as the Ogisso dynasty.
Igedo was the first Ogisso king. The tradition further states that the Ogisso’s produced about fifteen (15)
kings. The last Ogisso ruler, Owodo was said to have been banished because of misrule. That was followed
by a period of republican government and political crisis in Benin. Try as the people could to bring back
peace in Benin, they failed. As a result, the Benin nobles appealed to Oduduwa for help. Oduduwa in turn
sent his grandson Oranmiyan to rule in Benin. It was he Oranmiyan who named Benin ILe-ibinu (land of
vexation), which was corrupted to Ubini and Bini and later Benin. However, it is said that Oranmiyan found
the task of ruling Benin daunting and said that it is only a Benin man that can rule Benin. So he married a
daughter of a Bini chief who gave him a son Eweka. Afterwards, Oranmiyan is said to have returned back
to Yorubaland to found Oyo Empire. It was his son Eweka that later became the king of Benin (Oba) and
founded the Eweka dynasty that has ruled in Benin till today and have produced about thirty-seven Obas
including the incumbent Oba Ewuare II.

Oba of Benin Ewuare II

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WEEK 4: HISTORICAL SITES IN NIGERIA

BENIN CIVILIZATION 2
LEARNING GOALS: At the end of the lesson the students should be able to:
1. Highlight the features of Benin culture
2. State the occupational activities of the Benin civilization
3. Explain the significance of Benin culture to Nigerian History

FEATURES OF BENIN CIVILIZATION:

 Benin people are known for the production and use of brass and bronze metals. They equally carved
wood and ivory objects but were more known for the production of bronze and brass objects.
 Benin figurines usually have protruding eye balls’
 The head of the figurines are usually bigger than other parts
 Benin arts are highly aesthetic and decorative
 Lost wax or Cire perdu method was used making most of the Benin artworks
 Benin artworks were a mixture of naturalism, graphics and other methods or art forms
 The most important feature of the Benin arts is that they greatly portray royal figures. In fact, the
Benin arts tell thousand stories of the Benin monarchy and history, sometimes far more than words
can.
 Most of these artworks were used to decorate the palace of the Oba as well as other important royal
offices.

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OCCUPATIONAL ACTIVITIES OF THE BENIN PEOPLE

The main occupational activity of the Benin people of our period of study was Agriculture. They produced
food crops and cash crops such as palm oil, rubber, kola nut, pepper, yam, cassava etc. Most of these
produce were sold as commodities in the Trans-Saharan and Trans-Atlantic trade.

This is so as ancient Benin people were also renowned traders who sold their Agro-produce, forest resources
like timber, ivory and so on; as well as their craftworks for which Benin is famous today. The Benin people
were the first set of Nigerians to start a direct international trading relationship with the European who came
into contact with them during the reign of Oba Ozolua in the15th century.

Most importantly though, Benin is famous today because of the well organized craft industry which it
developed and produced so many artworks. These artworks found their way to so many parts of the world
after the British invasion of Benin in 1897 and massive looting of Benin artworks by the invaders.

Rubber Production in Benin

SIGNIFICANCE/IMPORTANCE OF BENIN CIVILIZATION

 Benin is important for its artworks. The craftsmen of Benin carved in wood and ivory and cast
objects in bronze and brass.

 Art historians have it that the Benin art method of casting has a link to the same method in Ife. This
again suggests a relationship between these two neighbours.

 One common feature of Benin bronze casting is Bas relief (a pictorial kind of bronze casting often
used to depict the Oba and his courtiers)

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  One of the most significant things about Benin art is the evidence it provides of a well organized
kingdom with long standing system of government. This is more so as the art works centered on the
Oba, his rituals, paraphernalia and courtiers.

 Benin culture reveals that some degrees of specialization were achieved in the production of its
artworks. While some guild of artists worked on one form of art like bronze casting, others worked
on brass, wood and ivory.

 Discoveries in Benin show evidence that the people did not only have a flourishing inter-group
relationship with their contemporary neighbouring communities especially the Yoruba and the Igbo.
Such relationship is evidenced by style and methods (eg naturalism style and lost wax method both
of which are also evidenced in Ife culture); as well as by names given to the objects (eg. the
‘‘okukor’’ artwork which was recently returned back to Benin from Cambridge University)

 Similarly, discoveries from Benin show copious evidence of Benin contact with the Europeans and
the introduction of Christianity. It was in Benin that the earliest attempt at introducing Christianity
was made by the early Portuguese visitors.

 Ivory mask of Queen Idia (mother of Oba Esigie, a 16th century monarch) was used as symbol of
FESTAC 77. That particular artwork has become an iconic national cultural symbol in Nigeria
today.

Ivory mask of Queen Idia Okukor recently returned to Nigeria from UK

Benin is today important for the tourist attraction it provides in Nigeria. The land houses important artifacts
which consist of bronze, brass, woodwork and terracotta. Till date, there are still bronze casters and wood
carvers operating at Igbesamwan and Igun streets.

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Other tourist attractions in the ancient city of Benin abound. One of these is the Benin moats which say a
lot about how Benin people protected themselves in those days. The Benin moats were dug around the 16th
century to serve as a barricade against attack form their neighbours. These moats have contributed to the
history of Nigeria because it is one of the largest man-made earthworks in the world. It stands today as one
of the wonders of the world and attracts lots of tourist attention.

The Benin Moats

Another edifice is the Holy Aruosa Catheral in Benin City. The cathedral which is at Akpakpava road,
close to Ring Road, was built in the 15th century. The pattern of worship is a mixture of indigenous beliefs
and Roman Catholic practices.

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 The Oldest Church in Africa

Benin provides Nigeria with the rich cultural heritage that the country is known for. The sculptures, religion,
festival, artifacts and historical sites all sum the history of Nigeria. The artwork of Benin reflects the rich
history, culture and tradition of the Benin people. These are projected in the carvings of their heroes,
ancestral gods and festivals. These artworks projected the Benin people and Nigeria to foreign countries.
Benin bronze works are one of the best known of all Nigerian artworks. The looting of the treasured
artworks during the British invasion led to the popularization of the Benin artworks globally.

It exposed one of the earliest civilizations in Nigeria to the outside world. People had to come to appreciate
the people that produced such beautiful objects with advanced technology of casting in lost-wax, and who
could organize themselves in craft guilds to promote and protect their trade.

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WEEK 5: HISTORICAL SITES IN NIGERIA

IGBO-UKWU CIVILIZATION
LEARNING GOALS: At the end of the lesson the students should be able to:
1. Identify the location of Igbo-Ukwu on the map of Nigeria
2. Highlight the features of Igbo-Ukwu culture
3. State the occupational activities of Igbo-Ukwu people
4. Explain the significance of Igbo-Ukwu culture

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONOF IGBO-UKWU CULTURE AREA

Igbo-Ukwu is a town in Anambra state. It lies 30 kilometres south-east of Onitsha. It is popularly known as
an archaeology village because of the numerous archaeological excavations done there.

FINDINGS/FEATURES OF IGBO-UKWU CIVILIZATION

Findings began here in 1939 following an accidental discovery of an archaeological site. However, most of
what we know today about the Igbo-Ukwu findings were made by Professor Thurstan Shaw; a British
Archaeologist who was living and working in Nigeria as a research scholar with the University of Ibadan.

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Three major sites were excavated. The first was under a compound wall. The second was a burial chamber,
while the third was a pit.

 From the first site came bronze objects of various kinds, ornaments, bells, chains and anklets, staff
heads, an altar etc. There were also many copper ornaments and vessels one of which was covered
with cloth.

 From the second site came among other things a leopard skull set on a copper rod, a bronze hilt
made of a horse and its rider as well as three ivory tusks.

 From the third site came among other things pots. These pots were decorated and had motifs of
snake, ram head and Chameleon.

DATES AND INTERPRETATIONS OF THE IGBO-UKWU FINDINGS

 The findings excavated at Igbo-Ukwu have been dated to the middle of the 9th century A.D.
 Art historians suggest that the findings in Igbo-Ukwu are evidence of the wealth in the area
 The objects themselves must have been used for ritual purposes.
 Findings in the chamber are a pointer to the existence of a monarch. Possibly this monarch must
have been the Eze Nri.
 The findings give us an insight into the complex socio-economic organisation of its creators.
 Copper was common in the findings but there is yet no evidence of copper deposit in Igbo-Ukwu.
This raises evidence of a possible contact between Igbo-Ukwu and the nearest sources of copper
which are Abakaliki and Calabar.
 Igbo-Ukwu has also been observed to have a distinctive art style from Nok, Ife and Benin.
 Igbo-Ukwu, most significantly, has helped to throw more light on Igbo history and culture.

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 The Igbo-Ukwu Traditional Masks

OCCUPATIONAL ACTIVITIES OF THE IGBO-UKWU

From the artifacts that were discovered, people of Igbo-Ukwu were about the earliest smiths of copper in
West Africa and were engaged in metal work art. They worked metal by hammering, bending, twisting and
incising. Apart from bronze art for which they have now become famous, they also worked on other metals
such as iron to produce objects mentioned earlier as well as agricultural tools. They were real experts at
their crafts.

Farming in Igbo-Ukwu

The occupational activities of the people of Igbo-Ukwu were greatly influenced by the climate and
vegetation of the place. It was a fresh water forest zone with good land, streams, lakes and rivers. As such,
the people were mostly farmers, fishermen, craftsmen and traders. They produced such crops like yam and
cocoyam.

Another major occupational activity among the Igbo-Ukwu people was hunting. This is highly reflected in
the artworks they produced. Most Igbo-Ukwu artefacts bear motifs (artistic engraftment) of different
animals like leopards, Chameleons, snake etc.

Like other Igbo people, the Igbo-Ukwu people were known traders who sold produce of their farms, the
games they hunted and the products of their craft.

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SIGNIFICANCE OF IGBO-UKWU CULTURE IN NIGERIAN HISTORY
The uniqueness of the history of Nigeria is incomplete without the mention of Igbo-Ukwu because the
artifacts discovered in Igbo-Ukwu showe high level of craftsmanship. This contributes to the history of
Nigeria as one of the pioneers of technology in Africa and the world at large.

Igbo-Ukwu showcases the wealth of Nigeria because the artifacts signified a concentration of wealth and
extensive trade which portrays Nigeria as a wealthy nation.

The world marveled at the high level of technical sophistication that created the Igbo-Ukwu bronzes which
makes some of the artifacts to be referred to as some of man’s finest jewelry. These artifacts were made
without any contact with Europe and this settled the speculation that advanced technology came into
existence in Nigeria only after European contact; this is a further source of pride to Nigeria.

The most sophisticated art of Nigeria is Igbo-Ukwu bronze art. It is one of the earliest types of art in Nigeria
and it has further put Nigeria on a prominent place in terms of rich history.

The bronzes found in Igbo-Ukwu provide us with the first evidence of the artistic use of copper alloy in the
whole of Black Africa. Igbo-Ukwu culture has the largest deposits of bronze objects discovered in the
history of Nigeria and Africa. It represents one of the earliest examples of bronze casting in Sub-Saharan
Africa.

The people were among the earliest groups of West Africans to employ the lost-wax casting techniques in
making bronze sculptures. This is an advanced way of casting bronze.

The Igbo-Ukwu objects are beautiful with unique designs. The surface decoration of objects showed the
creative genius of the Igbo artisans. Some have described the objects as the best that were ever produced in
the world.

There were trade relations with foreigners. Some of the beads found in the excavation sites indicate that the
Igbo-ukwu people had trade interaction and other relationships with groups that were not their immediate
neighbors.

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The burial chamber that was excavated and the content, show that the ancestors of the Igbo were associated
with traditional chieftaincy institution. All the objects found within it indicated that the dead figure was a
priestly king of one of the clans of Umueri. The culture, therefore, signified the possession of wealth among
the kings in the past.

SIGNIFICANCE OF ALL THE CENTRES OF EARLY CIVILIZATION ON NIGERIAN

HISTORY
1. It is now clear that people have been living in the Nigerian area since or earlier than 500 B.C.

2. The different centres show that quite early in history, Nigerians were engaged in various socio-
economic activities.

3. The study makes us know that the various Nigerian peoples have had centuries of beneficial
interactions and peaceful co-existence.

4. The finds have helped to portray centuries old socio-political organisations managed by Nigerian
people. This is mostly so as the art works depicted largely the kings, their rituals, paraphernalia and
courtiers. Again it must have taken good socio-political organisation for a people to create such
invaluable works.

5. The various artworks and manufactures from these centres show a high level of technological
development.

6. The various objects excavated are themselves priceless showpiece of Nigerian craftsmanship. Some
of them are sold for very high prices in museums scattered all over the world.

7. The study has above all, thrown more light on Nigeria’s cultural heritage and this has helped to
increase the pride of Nigerians in their country and also brought international respect and
recognition to the country.

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WEEK 6: NIGERIAN HEROES

NNAMDI AZIKIWE 1
LEARNING GOALS: At the end of the lesson the students should be able to:
1. Write a short story of Nnamdi Azikiwe’s early life
2. Highlight Zik’s trajectory and educational attainment

INTRODUCTION

Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe, (16 November 1904 – 11 May 1996), usually referred to as "Zik", was a
Nigerian statesman and political leader who served as the first President of Nigeria from 1963 to 1966.
Considered a driving force behind the nation's independence, he came to be known as the "father of Nigerian
Nationalism".

EARLY LIFE

Azikiwe was born on 16 November 1904 in Zungeru, Northern Nigeria. His first name means "my father
is alive" in the Igbo language, and his parents were Igbo. His father, Obed-Edom Chukwuemeka Azikiwe
(1879–3 March 1958), a native Onitsha Anambra state, was a clerk in the British Administration of Nigeria
who travelled extensively as part of his job. Azikiwe's mother was Rachel Chinwe Ogbenyeanu
(Aghadiuno) Azikiwe (1883-January 1958), who was sometimes called Nwanonaku and was the third
daughter of Aghadiuno Ajie. Her family descended from a royal family in Onitsha, and her paternal great-
grandfather was Obi (Ugogwu) Anazenwu. Azikiwe had one sibling, a sister named Cecilia Eziamaka
Arinze.

As a young boy growing up in Zungeru, in present Niger State, Azikiwe spoke Hausa, the regional language.
His father, concerned about his son's fluency in Hausa and not Igbo, sent him to Onitsha in 1912 to live
with his paternal grandmother and aunt to learn the Igbo language and culture.

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

In Onitsha, Azikiwe attended Holy Trinity School (a Roman Catholic mission school) and Christ Church
School (an Anglican primary school). In 1914, while his father was working in Lagos, Azikiwe was bitten
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by a dog; this prompted his worried father to ask him to come to Lagos to heal and to attend school in the
city. His father was sent to Kaduna two years later, and Azikiwe briefly lived with a relative who was
married to a Muslim from Sierra Leone. In 1918, he was back in Onitsha and finished his elementary
education at CMS Central School. Azikiwe then worked at the school as a student-teacher, supporting his
mother with his earnings. In 1920, his father was posted back to southern Nigeria in the south-eastern city
of Calabar. Azikiwe joined his father in Calabar, beginning secondary school at the Hope Waddell Training
College. He was introduced to the teachings of Marcus Garvey, Garveyism, which became an important
part of his nationalistic rhetoric.

After attending Hope Waddell, Azikiwe was transferred to Methodist Boys' High School in Lagos and
befriended classmates from old Lagos families such as George Shyngle, Francis Cole and Ade Williams (a
son of the Akarigbo of Remo). These connections were later beneficial to his political career in Lagos.
Azikiwe heard a lecture by James Aggrey, an educator who believed that Africans should receive a college
education abroad and return to effect change. After the lecture, Aggrey gave the young Azikiwe a list of
schools accepting black students in America. After completing his secondary education, Azikiwe applied
to the colonial service and was accepted as a clerk in the' treasury department. His time in the colonial
service exposed him to racial bias in the colonial government. Determined to travel abroad for further
education, Azikiwe applied to universities in the U.S. He was admitted by Storer College, contingent on his
finding a way to America. To reach America, he contacted a seaman and made a deal with him to become
a stowaway. However, one of his friends on the ship became ill and they were advised to disembark in
Sekondi Ghana. In Ghana, Azikiwe worked as a police officer; his mother visited, and asked him to return
to Nigeria. He returned, and his father was willing to sponsor his trip to America.

While in the United States of America Nnamdi Azikiwe attended so many universities and obtained arrays
of degrees. The universities and degrees were:

i. Howard University: in Washington, D.C. in 1927.

ii. Lincoln University: In 1929, he transferred from Howard University to Lincoln where he graduated
in 1930 with a BA in Political Science. At Lincoln he became a member of Phi Beta Sigma club.
He then enrolled at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and in the University of Pennsylvania
simultaneously in 1930, receiving a master's degree in religion from Lincoln University and a
master's degree in anthropology and History from the University of Pennsylvania.
iii. University of Pennsylvania in 1932. Azikiwe became a graduate-student instructor in the history
and political-science departments at Lincoln University, where he created a course in African
history.
iv. Columbia University: He was a candidate for a doctoral degree at Columbia University before
returning to Nigeria in 1934. Azikiwe's doctoral research focused on Liberia in world politics, and
his research paper was published by A. H. Stockwell in 1934. During his time in America, he was a
columnist for the Baltimore Afro-American, Philadelphia Tribune and the Associated Negro Press.
Azikiwe was influenced by the ideals of the African-American press, Garveyism and pan-
Africanism.

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WEEK 7: NIGERIAN HEROES

NNAMDI AZIKIWE 2
LEARNING GOALS: At the end of the lesson the students should be able to:
1. State five achievements of Nnamdi Azikiwe as a nationalist and leader
2. List the honours and awards conferred on Nnamdi Azikiwe

ACHIEVEMENTS OF NNAMDI AZIKIWE

Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe accomplished so much in his career as a journalist, nationalist and political leader.
Some of the most notable of these achievements include but not limited to the following:

i. He founded one of the first and most celebrate/widely read Newspaper in Nigeria: the West African
Pilot which became one of the most effective tools deployed to fight against British rule in Nigeria.
He was not only a founder of the Newspaper but was also a columnist and Editor-in-Chief of the
paper. Today, the story of Nigeria’s independence cannot be told without a copious mention of the
role played by that Newspaper.

ii. Similarly, Nnamdi Azikiwe co-founded the National Congress of Nigeria and the Cameroons
(NCNC) in 1944; a political party that championed the realization of independence of Nigeria from
the United Kingdom. Nnamdi Azikiwe also founded and led another major political during Nigeria’s
second Republic 1979-1983. The party, Nigeria Peoples’ Party – NPP, won gubernatorial elections
in three out of the nineteen states (Anambra, Imo and Plateau) of that era. it also produced the
Speaker House of Representative of the 2nd Republic in the person of Chief Edwin Umezoke.

iii. Nnamdi Azikiwe’s role as a nationalist was instrumental to so many constitutional developments in
Nigeria such as the Sir Arthur Richards Constitution of 1946, John Macpherson Constitution of
1951, Oliver Lyttleton Constitution of 1954, James Robertson Constitution of 1960, The Republican
Constitution of 1963 and the Presidential Constitution of 1979.
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 iv. The most important achievement of Nnamdi Azikiwe is the dethronement of British colonial rule
and the attainment of independence for Nigeria which he was the greatest champion. That Nigeria
got independence on October 1, 1960 is due largely to the nationalist struggles of Nnamdi Azikiwe
and his co-travellers.

v. Upon independence on 1st October, 1960

Nnamdi Azikiwe became the Governor-
General of Nigeria. In 1963 when the
country became a Republic he assumed
office as the first President of Nigeria
AND REMAINED so until January 15,
1966 when that government was ousted by
a military.

vi. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe founded the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and also served as its first
Chancellor. The university which opened its doors to students on 7th October, 1960 and became
Nigeria’s first indigenious university was established by Zik as a means of realising his dreams of
opening education opportunities for Nigerians and African in the most beneficial way to them. The
university since inception has remained a leading/frontline Nigerian university.

University of
Nigeria, Nsukka

So many prominent Nigerians including the Governor of Anambra State Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo
are graduates of the university. Zik was also instrumental to the establishment of the first tertiary educational
institution – the Yaba Higher College in 1932 as well as of University College Ibadan in 1948.

vii. As a Nigerian Nationalist who desired to loans to encourage indigenous

bring about economic freedom for his entrepreneurship.
people, Nnamdi established and
indigenous bank to facilitate such
economic freedom and empowerment.
The bank named African Continental
Bank – ACB, was noted for advancing

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viii. It was during his tenure as President of between 1960 and 1966 that major infrastructural
development took place in Nigeria. These include:

 The construction of the first Niger Bridge, which was constructed by DUMEZ Construction
Company and commissioned for use by Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa in
December 1965.

 The construction of the Eko Bridge in Lagos, which was the first project done by Julius
Berger Construction Company in Nigeria.

 The establishment of Nigeria’s first refinery at Eleme Port-Harcourt in 1965, which was nine
years after the discovery of crude oil Nigeria at Oloibiri Bayelsa State.

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HONOURS AND AWARDS CONFERED ON ZIK
Nnamdi Azikiwe is the most honoured and decorated Nigerian dead or alive. A catalogue of such honours
and awards will form a lesson of its own. Be that as it may, we will highlight just a few of them.

1. He is a recipient of the highest national honours award given by the Nigerian government. This
honours award is the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic – GCFR.

2. His portrait adorns the ₦500 banknote of the Nigerian currency.

3. Consequent upon his accomplishments as a Nigerian nationalist and leader the Nigerian State and
even foreign states have named many national edifice and institutions after Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe
as a way to immortalize his name. Such places named after Azikiwe include:

 Azikiwe-Nkrumah Hall, the oldest building on the Lincoln University campus

 Nnamdi Azikiwe Library at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka
 Nnamdi Azikwe Hall, University of Ibadan
 Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja
 Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu
 Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State
 Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital in Nnewi
 Nnamdi Azikiwe Press Centre, Dodan Barracks, Obalende, Ikoyi, Lagos

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  Azikiwe Avenue in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
 CRDB Azikiwe Branch in Dar es Salaam
 Chancellor University of Nigeria, Nsukka
 Chancellor University of Lagos

4. So many universities in Nigeria and across the globe have honoured Nnamdi Azikiwe with honorary
Doctorate degrees of their institution. This includes the University of Pennslyvania and the Lincoln
University both in the United States of America.

5. Nnamdi Azikiwe was inducted into the Agbalanze society of Onitsha as Nnanyelugo in 1946, a
recognition for Onitsha men with significant accomplishments. In 1972 Chief Azikiwe was installed
as the Owelle of Onitsha, making him a first-rank hereditary red cap nobleman (Ndichie Ume) in
his native Onitsha.

WORKS/PUBLICATIONS

 Zik (1961)
 My Odyssey: An Autobiography (1971)
 Renascent Africa (1973)
 Liberia in World Politics (1931)
 One Hundred Quotable Quotes and Poems of the Rt. Hon. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (1966).
 Political Blueprint for Nigeria (1943)
 Economic Reconstruction of Nigeria (1943)
 Zik: A Selection of the Speeches of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (1961)
 Assassination Story: True or False? (1946)
 Before Us Lies the Open Grave (1947)
 The Future of Pan-Africanism (1961)
 The Realities of African Unity (1965)
 Origins of the Nigerian Civil War (1969)
 I Believe in One Nigeria (1969)
 Peace Proposals for Ending the Nigerian Civil War (1969)
 Dialogue on a New Capital for Nigeria (1974)
 Creation of More States in Nigeria, A Political Analysis (1974)
 Democracy with Military Vigilance (1974)
 Reorientation of Nigerian Ideologies: lecture on 9 December 1976, on the eve of the launching of the UNN
Endowment Fund (1976)
 Our Struggle for Freedom; Onitsha Market Crisis (1976)
 Let Us Forgive Our Children. An appeal to the leaders and people of Onitsha during the market crisis (1976)
 A Collection of Poems (1977)
 Civil War Soliloquies: More Collection of Poems (1977)
 Themes in African Social and Political Thought (1978)
 Restoration of Nigerian Democracy (1978)
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  Matchless Past Performance: My Reply to Chief Awolowo's Challenge (1979)
 A Matter of Conscience (1979)
 Ideology for Nigeria: Capitalism, Socialism or Welfarism? (1980)
 Breach of Trust by the NPN (1983)
 History Will Vindicate The Just (1983)

Nnamdi Azikiwe passed on to glory on 11th May, 1996 at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital,
Enugu. He was buried at the Zik’s Mausoleum in his native hometown Onitsha Anambra State.

Zik’s Mausoleum (outside & inside)

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