Africa & the World
Was the 1914 Amalgamation of Nigeria a Mistake?
A colonial decision to join two protectorates made one country. A century on, Nigerians still argue about whether it was a gift, a convenience or an error.
Section
Africa & the World
African history on its own terms and in global context
Africa & the World
Africans and the Atlantic Slave Trade: Complicity, Agency and Demand
It is one of history’s most uncomfortable debates: who sold, who bought, and who made the trade possible.
Africa & the World
The Benin Bronzes: Whose Art Is It?
In 1897 a British force burned Benin City and carried away thousands of works. The question of who should keep them is still being argued.
Africa & the World
Who Built Great Zimbabwe, and Who Tried to Erase Them?
The largest stone ruins in sub-Saharan Africa were credited to the Queen of Sheba, Phoenicians and anyone but the Africans who built them.
Africa & the World
Was Mansa Musa Really the Richest Person Ever?
His pilgrimage shook the economy of Cairo. The claim that he was “richer than anyone in history” says more about our habits than about Mali.
Africa & the World
Who Really Built the Pyramids?
Not slaves, and certainly not aliens. The evidence points to paid, organised and proud Egyptian workers.