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The “Crisis in the Soul”: Chinua Achebe on Cultural Alienation and National Identity
Photo: Chinua Achebe shot by Eliot Elisofon in Enugu months after the release of Things Fall Apart (1958), 1959. Smithsonian. Chinua Achebe, one of Africa’s most influential literary voices, highlighted the deep-seated psychological and cultural challenges that countries like Nigeria faced post-independence. In a 1972 interview, Achebe described what he called a “crisis in the soul,”…
Education and Skill Development Among Igbo Students: A Focus on Domestic Sewing Lessons
Igbo student at domestic sewing lessons, taken by Drs. G.W. (Gerrit Willem) Grootenhuis, 1967. In 1967, a photograph taken by Dr. Gerrit Willem Grootenhuis captured a significant moment in the education of an Igbo student engaged in domestic sewing lessons. This image reflects broader socio-cultural and economic efforts to empower women and young learners within Igbo…
Alvan Ikoku: The Life and Legacy of a Nigerian Educational Pioneer
Mazi Alvan Ikoku, whose portrait graces the Nigerian 10 naira note, is one of Nigeria’s most celebrated educationists. Despite this honour, few Nigerians truly understand his contributions to education, nationalism, and community development. This paper delves into Ikoku’s life, exploring the events and achievements that merited his enduring legacy on Nigerian currency and in history. Who…
The Aba Women’s War of 1929: A Historic Anti-Colonial Revolt in Nigeria
  The Aba women protest 1929-1930. Introduction The Aba Women’s War, also known as the “Women’s War” in Igbo history, erupted in southeastern Nigeria in late 1929 as Igbo-Ibibio women protested oppressive colonial policies. This uprising, led by market women from Calabar and Owerri Provinces, was one of the most significant challenges to British rule in Nigeria,…
Labour, Exploitation, and Resistance: The Legacy of the Ekulu Coal Mine and the Iva Valley Massacre in Colonial Nigeria
"The Ekulu coal mine is one of five currently being operated by the statutory Nigerian Coal Corporation. Nigeria is the only country in Equatorial West Africa at present producing coal." Eliot Elisofon, 1959. Smithsonian Institute. The Ekulu coal mine, one of five coal mines operated by the Nigerian Coal Corporation (NCC), played a pivotal role in…
Igbo Knowledge of Stars and Seasons
The Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria have a rich culture that includes a deep understanding of the stars and the changing seasons. Centuries earlier, the Igbo depended on observations of the celestial world to guide their agricultural activities, spiritual rituals, and social life. This article looks at Igbo knowledge of stars and seasons, how this…

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