Before the name 'Nigeria' existed, this territory hosted some of Africa's most sophisticated civilizations. These weren't scattered villages but organized states with complex governance, advanced metallurgy, international trade networks, standing armies, urban planning, and documented histories. Colonial powers encountered these civilizations, looted their treasures (now in European museums), then claimed Africans had no history. This is corrective scholarship."
FOR EACH CIVILIZATION:
Timeline (when it existed)
Geography (where - with map)
Governance Structure (how it was organized)
Economic Base (trade, production, resources)
Military/Defense (if applicable)
Cultural Achievements (art, architecture, technology)
Mythological Foundation (link to relevant mythology page)
Notable Rulers (link to kings/queens pages)
Colonial Encounter (what happened when Europeans arrived)
Legacy (what survives today)
Evidence (archaeological, written, oral traditions)
CORRECTIVE SECTIONS:
"Why You Weren't Taught This"
Colonial narrative construction
Destruction of African records
Looting of material evidence
Deliberate erasure in education systems
"The Archaeological Evidence"
Nok terracottas
Benin Bronzes
Igbo-Ukwu findings
Ife bronze/terracotta heads
Excavation sites and what they prove
"The Written Records"
Arabic manuscripts from Bornu
Portuguese accounts (15th-17th century)
Indigenous writing systems (Nsibidi, etc.)
Oral historical records (validated by archaeology)
"Technological Achievements"
Iron smelting (Nok - 900 BCE)
Bronze casting (lost-wax technique)
Urban planning (Benin city layout)
Textile production (Kano indigo dyeing)
Architectural engineering (defensive walls, palace complexes