President John A. Hannah (third from front) marches in the opening convocation procession of the University of Nigeria at Nsukka in Eastern Nigeria, in 1960. For many years, Michigan State University worked closely with the Nigerian government in the total development of the University of Nigeria in the eastern section of the West African nation. This promising institution was cut short by Civil War in 1967.

War machine. Benjamin Adekunle, Yakubu Gowon

Nnamdi Azikiwe at the Nigerian High Commission Office in London, Aug. 28, 1969, as he urged Biafra to abandon its fight against the federal Nigerian government.

War machine. Benjamin Adekunle, Yakubu Gowon

Omowale Malcolm X visits Nigeria in 1964 - there he was given the name Omowale by the Yoruba people meanining, the child has returned home

what did our leaders do to us?

OBJ in Aba during the war

EDNA PARK, MISS NIGERIA AT THE MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT (MIAMI, 1964)
Twenty-year-old Edna Park was the first Miss Nigeria to represent her country in the Miss Universe pageant, and she impressed all in attendance with her regal bearing and unflappable confidence.

(Photo from Ebony magazine, October 1964)

EDNA PARK, MISS NIGERIA AT THE MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT (MIAMI, 1964)
One of the questions on the forms for the contestant biographies required the contestants to state what they hoped to gain from their participation in the competition. Most of them replied with typically insincere, faux-inspirational pageantry cliches like "To represent my country," "To make friends" and "To travel." Edna Park however, stated in no uncertain terms, " To win the crown."

EDNA PARK, MISS NIGERIA AT THE MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT (MIAMI, 1964)
When the names of the finalists were announced, Edna Park was not among them. Ms. Park immediately collapsed in tears and had to be carried off the stage. When she failed to stop crying after two hours, she was administered sedatives by a physician and admitted to the hospital for overnight observation before eventually returning to Nigeria. To her dismay, she found that the incident had earned her much ridicule in the Nigerian press.

Baba, Oloye Hubert Adedeji Ogunde (May 31, 1916 in Ososa, near Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria – April 4, 1990 in London, England) amongst his wives and daughters on a trip to London. Nigerian playwright, actor, theatre manager, and musician, who was a pioneer in the field of Nigerian folk opera (drama in which music and dancing play a significant role). He was the founder of the Ogunde Concert Party (1945), the first professional theatrical company in Nigeria. Often regarded as the father of Nigerian theatre, Ogunde sought to reawaken interest in his country’s indigenous culture.

That Lagos - Ibadan expressway pic presents some serious food for thought!  

THUNDERBOLT BALOGUN (1955)
Teslimi "Thunderbolt" Balogun (1927-72) was a pioneering hero of Nigerian football. From his debut in 1945, he played for a number of local teams (including the Nigerian national side), and was the first Nigerian footballer to play with clubs in the UK. He also became the first African to qualify as a professional coach, helming Nigeria's team in the 1968 Olympics.

EzeUche:



Northern soldiers attacking Igbos in Northern Nigeria. circa 1966.

Prior to 1977's FESTAC, which celebrated the arts and culture from the worldwide African diaspora, Nigeria held the annual All-Nigeria Festival of Arts and Culture, meant to re-unify Nigerians after the divisive era of the 1960s. The inaugural festival convened at Ibadan in 1971, with subsequent sessions in Kaduna and Lagos.

EzeUche:

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OGUNDE AND HIS WIVES (1969)
Theatre don Chief Hubert Ogunde and eight of his twelve wives in London during a tour of Britain with his Ogunde Dancers group.

Hmmm. This guy enjoy ooo during his days.

beautiful pix,informative.

The Ataru of Auchi, The Ikelebe the 3rd 1980, Edo State of Nigeria

Just depressing. Nigeria used to be so beautiful. Just looking at the pictures you can tell that the country was about something.

The destruction of Nigeria's Second Division convoy at Abagana by a Biafran ambush party

ukonu's club

June ploughing, Katsina 1978

Outstrip:

Just depressing. Nigeria used to be so beautiful. Just looking at the pictures you can tell that the country was about something.

Honestly!

Katsina city walls 1978

Headquarters of the Western Region Housing Corporation, Ibadan, Nigeria

Colonial Flag of Nigeria - Hoisted at the 1960 olympics games in Rome

Very pretty girl simply identified as 'Bola'. Photo courtesy of Tex Sherman, taken in the Western Region between 1962 and 1966.

ukonu's club

These old pictures of Nigeria looks like a country about to become a super-power in few years time. If only the regions had remained the way they were, with the central government having no concentration of powers things would have turned out really different in Nigeria. West doing their own thing, East doing their own thing, north doing their own, there would have been no need for a civil war, each region will be innovative and look inwards to sources of wealth, anyways it's too late now.