Complete History of Africa

Cutting Off Hands Became a Form of Payment  In one of history’s most twisted systems of control, soldiers in the Congo Free State were ordered to bring back severed human hands as proof that each bullet they used had killed someone. This grotesque practice wasn’t about efficiency; it was about profit. Bullets were expensive, and King Leopold II didn’t want them wasted. But he had no such concern for human lives.  The soldiers, under pressure to meet rubber quotas and avoid punishment themselves, adopted this warped logic. Soldiers often cut off hands from living people—children included—or collected them from corpses for bureaucratic verification.  The force carrying out these atrocities was called the Force Publique , a colonial army formed by Leopold himself. It was a mix of mostly Belgian or other European white officers and African conscripts. The system Leopold built didn’t just exploit a land as it trained people to believe that human suffering was a necessary cost ...

A powerful African tale of how revenge, masked as strength, destroys a family from within. Generational trauma, exposed and exiled. Read this unforgettable story. The Need for Revenge How a Father’s Bitterness Poisoned His Legacy In the village of Okee, where drums echoed through mango trees and the scent of roasted yam hung in the air, lived a man named Ilua. His smile could calm arguments; his carved walking sticks were prized from one end of the market to the other. He told stories, laughed often, and gave freely. But beneath the warmth was something colder—something that remembered every insult, every imagined slight. Ilua didn’t forget. And he didn’t forgive. His wife, Asil, a gifted potter with quiet eyes, had once mistaken his grudge-bearing nature for strength. She married him for his charm but slowly learned to tread carefully, saying little when his bitterness surfaced. When she asked for honey from the market, Ilua returned with n...

Health Drink in Mauritania: A Perspective on Tradition In Mauritania, a vast desert nation in West Africa, cultural traditions have long shaped unique standards of beauty, particularly for women. The preference for fuller-figured women, celebrated as symbols of beauty, fertility, and prosperity, has deep roots in certain communities.  However, as modern influences like social media and health awareness grow, Mauritania is navigating a delicate balance between honoring tradition and addressing health concerns tied to practices like leblouh (force-feeding).  In the eleventh-largest country in Africa, beauty standards among some ethnic groups, particularly the White Moor Arabs (approximately 30% of the population), have historically favored women with fuller figures.  Larger body sizes are associated with wealth, fertility, and marital desirability, symbolizing a prosperous household. In contrast, thinness is at times linked to poverty or poor health, potentially affecting a...

Three Ordinary Influential Women from 1895 Nigeria   For those intrigued by the history of Black women in Africa , this photograph offers a compelling glimpse into the past. Taken on July 19, 1895, in Lagos, Nigeria, it features three women: Amina, Kemi, and Nneka.  This image likely originated from one of the early Lagos-based photographic studios that catered to middle-class Africans eager to document their aspirations. Such portraits weren’t merely keepsakes—they were statements of identity, pride, and social standing in an era of shifting norms. Amina, Kemi, and Nneka In 1895, Lagos was transforming rapidly. The British colonial administration had annexed Lagos just three decades earlier, in 1861. This was a period of expanding infrastructure, increased missionary influence, and economic restructuring. Yet amidst these shifts, African women like Amina, Kemi, and Nneka found ways to assert influence within their spheres.  Everyday Heroines Black Women in Colonial ...

  A Cataclysm That Shook Africa’s Wildlife For students fascinated by animals and Earth’s wild history, the African megatsunami is a jaw-dropping tale. About 73,000 years ago, a massive chunk of Fogo volcano in Cape Verde—160 cubic kilometers of rock—crashed into the Atlantic, unleashing a wave up to 270 meters (880 feet) high. This wasn’t just a wave; it reshaped coastlines and hurled boulders the size of delivery trucks onto Santiago Island, 200 meters above sea level. Confirmed by cosmogenic dating, this event shows how animals survived a catastrophe that changed their world forever. Curious about wildlife in natural disasters ? Let’s dive in! What Is a Megatsunami? Unlike regular tsunamis triggered by earthquakes, megatsunamis—like the one in Cape Verde—stem from massive displacements, such as volcanic collapses, landslides, or even asteroid impacts. These walls of water can tower over skyscrapers, reaching heights like the 880 feet of the Fogo event. They’re rare, but their ...

Grief often lingers in the quiet places. It’s in the stillness of early morning, the soft lap of water against the shore, the silence where a voice used to be. For one man, remembering his wife wasn’t about grand gestures, it was about a small plaque by the lake, where they once laughed, talked, and cast their lines into the water. Over the years, that humble memorial became more than a marker; it became a gathering place for healing, just a man, his son, and the memory of someone deeply loved. Where the Plaque Once Stood: A Short Story of Grief and Healing For twenty years, the plaque stood by Lake Victoria. It was a bronze and simple plaque with her name and the words, “Loved beyond words, missed beyond measure.” It was his way of keeping her close. She died young. Too young. And every weekend, he’d bring their son to that spot. They’d fish, just like she used to with them. The plaque was more than a memorial . It was a promise kept. But time changed the small town. A new park p...

If Africa carried a beer belly, it would take the shape of Nigeria, lively, loud, and overflowing with lager-soaked swagger. Nigeria is bold, unapologetic, and full of life, much like the proud, rounded belly of someone who’s enjoyed a few too many cold ones.  Nigeria’s cultural influence is undeniable. From the infectious beats of Afrobeats to the cinematic juggernaut of Nollywood, the country’s creative output is a global force. Artists like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido have taken Afrobeats to international stages, blending traditional rhythms with modern sounds that make you want to move, no matter where you’re from.  Now, let’s talk about the literal beer in Nigeria’s beer belly. Nigeria loves its brews, and the beer industry is a cultural and economic staple. Brands like Guinness, Star, and Gulder are household names, with Guinness Nigeria being a particularly iconic player. Nigeria: The Beer Belly of Africa Where the Bulge Brews Big Beer lovers, meet Nigeria, a na...