Kenule (Ken) Beeson Saro-Wiwa was a Nigerian writer, activist and TV presenter born on the 10th of October, 1995 to an Ogoni chief, Jim Wiwa.
Ken Saro-Wiwa was a member of the Ogoni people, a minority tribe in Nigeria. His homeland, Ogoni land, situated in the Niger Delta has been a target for crude oil extraction since 1950 and thus suffer from environmental damages from the dumping of petroleum wastes…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>
Ken Saro-Wiwa and children L-R Zina, Tedum and Noo 1982 Port Harcourt – Source: Noo Saro-Wiwa
Ken was also the president of MOSOP (Movement of Survival of the Ogoni People) which led a non- violent campaign against the environmental degradation of Ogoni land by the petroleum industries, especially the Royal Dutch Shell company.
Ken Saro-Wiwa’s trial
During the non-violent campaign, Ken Saro-Wiwa was arrested and tried by a military tribunal for allegedly leading and planning the murder of some Ogoni chiefs at a pro- government meeting. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>
He was later executed alongside 8 other MOSOP leaders by hanging on the 10th of November, 1995, by the military dictatorship of General Sani Abacha.
This provoke international anger and resulted in Nigeria’s suspension from the Commonwealth of Nations for over three years.
Simon Mwita Mwere has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for the horrific abuse he inflicted upon his domestic worker. The victim, known only as “H,” worked as a “mama fua” (laundry lady) when she endured the traumatic incident.
Twenty Naira (₦20) is one of the most commonly used Nigerian currency notes which leaves many Nigerians questioning the identities of the individuals appearing on it. At the front, there is Murtala Muhammed, a former Nigerian military head of state, and on the back is Ladi Kwali whose biography we bring you today.
Ladi Kwali was born in the small village of Kwali, in present day Abuja, in about 1925. Some historians argued that she was born in 1920.
Her first name “Ladi” means “born on Sunday” while her surname “Kwali” is the name of her village in which she was born.
She hail from a family with pottery background. Growing up, she learnt the art of pottery from her aunt using the method called coiling and pinching.
Ladi Kwali at work
During her early years as a professional potter, Ladi Kwali was moved by her traditional and cultural environment to produce pottery pieces that were influenced by the Gbagyi tradition and accentuated with personal idioms.
She made large pots used for storing water and cooking pots from coils of clay, beaten from the inside with a flat wooden paddle, decorated with incised geometric and stylised figurative patterns.
In 1950, an English studio potter named Michael Cardew saw her work at the Emir’s palace, he was surprised by the level of her proficiency, as a result he stayed back for the purpose of spreading her work to the whole world.
Michael found the first pottery training in Abuja, where he recruited and trained men. She was the first woman to be enrolled at the Abuja pottery Center where she learned wheel throwing, glazing, kiln firing, production of saggars, and the use of slip, eventually assuming the role of instructor.
Meeting Cardew changed her life. Ladi Kwali became known all around the world and became Nigeria’s best known potter.
Her works were displayed on Nigeria’s Independence Day in 1960.
During her London famous tour, she showcased her pottery works and was honored the award of the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
Despite having no schooling, she was honored with a doctorate degree by the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Kaduna State in 1977; she was also a part-time lecturer and demonstrator at the university.
In 1980, the Nigerian Government (from the Cabinet Office of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) invested on her with the insignia of the Nigerian National Order of Merit Award (NNOM), the highest national honour for academic achievement. She also received the national honour of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) in 1981.
The Abuja Pottery was renamed the Ladi Kwali Pottery in the early 1980s. Ladi Kwali is the only woman on the Nigerian 20 naira note which has late General Muhammed Muritala on its front.
The book ‘Eze Goes to School‘ is undoubtedly one of the most popular and widely read classical novellas in Nigeria. Onuora Nzekwu co-authored the book with historian Michael Crowther in 1966 and has since been on the lips of Nigerians.
Onuora Nzekwu was born in Kafanchan on the 19th of February, 1928 to Mr. Obiese Nzekwu and Mrs. Mary Ogugua Nzekwu. He joined the Civil Service in 1956 as an editorial assistant at the Nigeria Magazine Division of the Federal Ministry of Information. He held this post till 1958 when got promoted to an editor-in-chief. Onuora Nzekwu left his job in 1966 when the Nigerian civil war/ Biafran war broke out. He migrated to Eastern Nigeria where he worked as a senior information officer…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>
When the Biafran war ended in 1970, Onoura Nzekwu left Eastern Nigeria and returned to the Federal Ministry of Information as a senior information officer at the information division. Onuora Nzekwu also served as the General Manager of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from July 1, 1979 till 1985 when he retired from service. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>
Front cover of Eze Goes to School
Onuora Nzekwu was awarded a Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship in 1961 and a UNESCO Fellowship in 1964. In 1966, Nzekwu co-authored ‘Eze Goes to School‘ with Michael Crowther and later co-authored ‘Eze Goes to College‘ with the same co-author. In 1997, Nzekwu published a non-fiction work titled ‘The Chima Dynasty in Onitsha’ where he recounted the history of Onitsha.
At the age of 89, Onuora Nzekwu died on Friday, 21st of April, 2017 in Onitsha, his hometown. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Justina Nzekwu, and six children.
