Sonny Okosun, Ojukwu, and Christie Essien Igbokwe

Fela and Queens 1979

Quaritch: Oloye Hubert Adedeji Ogunde (31 May 1916 in Ososa, near Ijebu-Ode, Ogun, Nigeria - 4 April 1990 in London England), and eight of his twelve wives, London 1969.

Great one. lol

Quaritch: Fela and Queens 1979

Another good one.

This is a great thread.

Biafra surrenders~ Philip Effiong meets Yakubu Gowon~

'The day I K Dairo saw 'Satan' in London.
I K Dairo started his music career at the age of 8. He was at some time a hairdresser and a petty trader.

On a musical tour to London, he fled from a theatre after a 10 minute stay. He had seen 'satan'- scantily dressed people!!! His words' this kind of life will never be practised here in Nigeria'. He believed this would never be acceptable in Nigeria.

He returned from the trip with a new message for Nigerian women- ' the Gods are in the warpath against womanhood for its shameful drift to diminutive and immoral dressing'.

Sunday Times 1971

Cyprian Odiatu Duaka (COD) Ekwensi (September 26 1921 to November 4 2007)

Between stints as a teacher, forester, pharmacist, broadcaster and film-maker, the west African novelist Cyprian Ekwensi published more than 40 books as well as radio and television scripts. His first novel, "People of the City" (1954), appearing four years before Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart", was the second Nigerian novel to be published in Britain to international acclaim following Amos Tutuola's "Pamwine Drinkard". "Jagua Nana" (1961) won Ekwensi the 1968 Dag Hammarskjöld prize in literature.

"People of the City" tells the story of a young crime reporter who doubles as a bandleader in a large west African city. As one British critic wrote, the novel said more about west Africa than 50 government reports. However, Ireland banned the novel on the grounds of indecency. Controversy was to dog Ekwensi's literary career.

Of Igbo extraction, Ekwensi was born in Minna, in Northern Nigeria. His father, David Anadumaka, a famed storyteller and elephant hunter, inspired him towards creative writing. Ekwensi was a brilliant, gregarious pupil at boarding school - Government college, Ibadan (1936-41) - and became engrossed in Yoruba culture. His school life and multi-ethnic upbringing were to be reflected in his work. After stints at various Nigerian and Ghanaian colleges, he worked as a forestry officer (1945-47).

In that wild and lonely environment, he began writing short adventure stories, some of which were published in 1947 as "Ikolo the Wrestler and Other Ibo Tales". The same year, five of his works were published in England by Lutterworth Press as part of its African new writing series. Another collection of light romance stories came out in 1948 from an Onitsha publisher in Nigeria. In 1949, Ekwensi began to read his stories on the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation while also writing for several Lagos newspapers.

Two years later, he won a scholarship to study pharmacy at London University. He said that it was while he was on the ship to England that he began to assemble "People of the City". Working as a pharmacy assistant at Oldchurch hospital, Romford, Essex, he wrote plays that were broadcast by the BBC. He also recorded a voiceover for "Man of Africa" (1953), which featured at the 1954 Venice film festival. Ekwensi's film scripts included "Nigeria Greets the Queen", marking her first visit to Nigeria in 1956.

On his return to Nigeria that year, he worked for the broadcasting corporation, becoming director of information in 1961. Two children's novellas, "The Drummer Boy" and "The Passport of Mallam Illia", were published in 1960 and the novel "Jagua Nana" and the equally successful collection of vignettes, "Burning Grass", in 1961. From 1961 to 1966, Ekwensi published at least one major work each year. "Jagua Nana", the story of a high-class Lagos prostitute, was vehemently attacked by the Catholic and Anglican churches for its sexually explicit language and was banned in several schools. An application to film the book was rejected by the Nigerian parliament - but then came the Dag Hammarskjöld prize.

When the Nigerian civil war broke out in 1966, Ekwensi became an adviser to secessionist leader Odumegwu Ojukwu, chairing Biafra's external publicity bureau. After the war, he resumed his literary and pharmaceutical career. He helped form the Association of Nigerian Authors in 1981, and in 2001, was made a member of the Order of the Federal Republic. Four years later, he was inducted into the Nigerian Academy of Arts.

"Five decades or more of writing have brought me world fame but not fortune," he said. "If I were an American living in America or Europe, I would be floating in a foam bath in my own private yacht off the coast of Florida." He was working on his (still unpublished) biography in 2007 when he passed at the age of 86. He is survived by Chinwe, his wife, and their nine children.

(Adapted from the Guardian (UK) Tuesday February 5 2008)

Baba 70 , Fela Kuti enjoying a game of table tennis , Lagos 1970s .

Maj. Gen. ID Bisala Being tied to the stake. At Page 37, of the Magazine 'Daily Times Historical Account of July 29 and After' detailing the official version of the circumstances surrounding the bloody coup of 1976.

AMSTERDAM 1968: Reverend father Iloju from Biafra discussed the situation in his country. The press conference was organized by the Action Committee Biafra.
Source: The Netherlands National News Agency (ANP)

Brigadier Murtala Muhammed Overthrows General Gowon: 1975:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw8iHwN-V0s via @youtube

The children of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Madam H.I.D Awolowo. Clockwise from left: Ayo, Segun, Tola, Oluwole and Tokunbo. Photo: Early 1950s

Wole Soyinka’s mother and father, Grace Eniola Soyinka and Samuel Ayodele Soyinka, called “Wild Christian” and “Essay” in many of his books. Photo:: 1930s

Brilliant thread!

The famous photo that heralded the armistice and official end of the Nigerian civil war in the newsmedia in January 1970: federal troops celebrating while running on the Uli air strip that had been the final foothold of the secessionists, and from where rebel leader Ojukwu fled into exile in Cote D'Ivoire.

The contemporary Yoruba Kings: Oba Adeniji Adele of Lagos with the Olubadan of Ibadan Oba Asanike, Alake of Abeokuta, and Oba Ademola. Circa 1950

1964. Mrs T Ayo Manuwa "Aunty Ayo", founder of Aunty Ayo Prep, Aunty Ayo Comprehensive School for Girls, Aunty Ayo International School. Aunty Ayo's Youth, Seen here in Australia, on a Federal Government sponsored trip, to represent Nigeria at the Canberra meeting of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, the Lagos branch of which she is founder. While in Perth, Mrs Manuwa was the guest of the Australia-Asia Association at a function to launch its Australia-Asia House project for a community meeting centre for all overseas students in Perth.

HighLife Musician Roy Chicago (1931-1989) , And His Dancers In the 1970s .

1958 LancasterHouse Conference on Nigerian Independence —(From Left) Alan Lennox-Boyd, British Colonial Secretary with the big four: Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Premier of the West Region; Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Federal Prime Minister; Alhajii Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, Premier of the North Region; Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Premier of the East Region.

"Oga is going ofa seas" Advert by Napak Ltd, popular clearing agents at the time, announcing a business tour by its MD. These sorts of adverts were common in the 60's and 70's and were an effective advertising tool and status symbol. From Daily Times- June 1975

Date: December 14, 1943: US First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, sponsor and guest of honor at an African Dance Festival held at Carnegie Hall New York photographed during reception held for her before the performance in the art gallety of the hall. With her are Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe (center) Head of the Academy of African Arts and Research which organized the festival and Mbonu Ojike (right) of the University of Chicago representing African students. Both men are described as wearing African robes.

K.O. Mbadiwe (1915-1990), many will recall later emerged as Nigerian nationalist, and federal minister - a very colorful politician who often introduced himself with superlatives during campaigns - " a man of timber and calibre!"

Ogbuefi Nzeduba Dibor, pictured in Awka 1950. a Merchant, blacksmith and community leader who was active in Warri, Agbor, Awka and Onitsha.
his statue which is one of the few relics that were not stolen during the civil war is located in the Dibor family compound in Umuogbu Awka.