Introduction to the history of Nigeria
The Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa, occupy the basins of Niger and Benue Rivers and extensive adjacent territories. Population (1963) 55,678,055, Area 356,699 sq metres by miles. Nigeria consisted of four regions known officially as:
Northern Nigeria; Eastern Nigeria; Western Nigeria; and Mid-West Nigeria (which is now known as six geopolitical zones as South East, South West, South South, North Central, North East, North West)

And the Federal territory of Lagos until the reorganization in 1967, which divided the country into 12 states. Today, the country comprises of 36 states which come on stream in 1996 with the federal capital territory moved from Lagos to Abuja in 1991. The population is presently estimated at 170 million.

The Republic is a member of the commonwealth of Nations. It extends northwards from the elbow of the Gulf of Guinea between latitude 4o and 14oN and is bounded west by the Republic of Dahamey (Republic of Benin), north by the Republic of the Niger, and by the Republics of Chad and Cameroun.
Very little is known of the history of Nigeria until the country was first visited by the Portuguese navigators in the second half of the 15th century. Before this time, there was little contact between inhabitants of the country and the northern region of the country. Until the Europeans visited the coast of Nigeria, the only contacts of Nigeria with the outside world were with the Eastern Sudan and across the Sahara, with the Muslim states of North Africa.

THE TRIBES OF NIGERIA
1. Bornu and the Hausa Lands
The principal people in the north were the Kanuri who occupied Bornu, the Hausa-speaking tribe, and the Fulani. The entire Kanem, of which Bornu was a province, by the end of the 11th century A.D extended both east and west of Lake Chad and included the greater part of the Hausa lands. Toward the end of the 14th century the power of Kanem waned and the empire shrank until little was left of it except Bornu. Meanwhile, to the west of Bornu, the fortunes of the Hausa state rose and fell. These states, the most important of which Kano, Daura, Gobir, and Katsina has existed from an early date, each independent of the others, and often fighting for supremacy, but joining from time to time in a loose confederancy for mutual defence. Conquered in turn by Kanem and by Mohammed Askia the Great King of Songhai (Gao) early in the 16th century they retained their identities under native rulers who acknowledged their suzerainty of the conquerors. When the influence of Songhai declined and the Hausa states recovered their independence they engaged again in internecine wars and were overrun at different time by the armies of Borno or of Kebbi, a state to the west of the Hausa lands, which was of importance in the 16th century.

Meanwhile for several centuries there had been a steady movement into the Hausa lands of Pastoral tribe, the Fulani, of whose origin little is known, while most of the Fulani remained with their herds, moving from place to place in search of water and pastorage, a number drifted to the towns and mingled with the Hausa population. These ‘town Fulani” were quickly established in positions of influence.

Such a position had been taken by Usman (Othman) dan Fodio, a fanatical Fulani Sheikh of great reputed sancity who had made the pilgrim to Mecca. When, about 1802, Usman intervened on behalf of a number of Muslims who had been enslaved, the pagan king of Gobir ordered his arrest and Usman roused his followers to revolt. Recognized as Sakin Musulmi (Commander of the faithful) Usman was supported by the Fulani and some Muslim Hausa and easily defeated the forces of the king of Gobir, later conquering all the Hausa lands in a triumphant Jihad which was directed at Lax or lukewarm Muslims and pegans. Bornu a Muslim state was overrun in 1808 but quickly recovered its independence. Fulani emirs were appointed as rulers of the various states and the Fulani empire was established from Gondo (Gandu) in the west to Adamawa in the east. Usman was succeeded by his son Bello, who as a sultan of Sokoto, was recognized as Sarkin Musulmi of Suzerain of all the Fulani emirates.

The courts and the system of government and taxation which were based on Koranic law of Hausa state were adapted with little change by the new Fulani rulers, and for a time a high standard of justice and administration was maintained. However gradually the courts became corrupt and the administration extortionate and tyrannical (amirs raiding neighbouring pegan tribe and sometimes even their own subjects to get slaves). This state of affairs continued until the British occupation of the country.

When the Bornu armies were defeated by the fulani in 1808 and the Mai (king) was forced to flee before the invaders, the country was saved by a military skill of Lamino (Mohammed al-Amin al-Kanemi) a Muslim Sheikh born in Fezzan of Arab and Kanem descent. With a small force of fanatical followers he defeated the Fulani in a number of battles and drove them from Bornu. He restored the Mai to his throne and allowed him to continue as a titular ruler but retained all powers to himself, governing the country wisely and well, with the title of Shehu (Sheikh), until his death in 1835. The puppet Mai then attempted to recover his lost power but was defeated and killed by Omar, Laminu’s son who continued to rule Bornu with a title of Shehu.

In 1893 Bornu was invaded by Rabah-Zubuyr who made himself ruler of Bornu. In 1900, however, Rabih was defeated and killed by the French, who were extending their control over the western Sudan.

2. The Coastal Tribes
To the south of Bornu and the Hausaland were a large number of tribes having various origins and customs and speaking distinct languages of these the largest and most important were the Yoruba and Beni or Bini (also Benin) who occupied what later became the western region of Nigeria and the Igbo in what became the Eastern region. The Ibo(Igbo) tribe was divided into several clan speaking different dialects and lacking any central organization. For this reason, it had practically no recorded history until after the British occupation. The same could be said of the numerous small tribes which inhabited the forest area and the mountainous areas of the north.

The Bini and Yoruba, on the other hand, had long established states which at various time reached a much higher standard of organization and culture than most of the purely Negro people attained. When the first Portuguese ships reached the Nigerian coast in the 15th century, the Bini had long been an important nation, and the Oba(King) of Benin was a powerful monarch whose authority extended over the Yoruba country and even farther west. Friendly intercourse and a certain amount of trade, mainly in slave were established between the Portuguese and the Bini. But the tribe gradually declined in power as the Oba came under the influence of a theocracy that maintained authority by the terror created through wholesale human sacrifices. They discouraged contacts with Europeans, trade dwindled, and by the beginning of the 18th century Benin had lost influence.

In the meantime the Yoruba had risen in importance. Little is known of their origin: read more here: http://www.247tops.net/2017/05/the-entity-called-nigeria-by-baba-ali.html

Interesting

Did you just say the igbo?s lacked central org? Until british invasion? Your just a lost soul. The igbos were well organised. Ur tribe is the confused one here

wow. Nice one. But fulani self

Little is known of whose origin

This Baba Ali Mustspha should have concentrated on the history of Northern Nigeria which he knows well.Before the British came,it was only in Igbo land that institutions existed which could be termed democratic.The Nze na Ozo titled men provided leadership.Members were akin to senators in a republic.The age grade system was a system that served many purposes,including the supply of soldiers during wars. In many areas,disputes were either settled by the Nze na Ozo or the masquerades, who served as judges.This is a far more organised society than the kind of absolute monarchies found in the north.