Introduction to Nigerian History: First Term Course

Course Overview

This first-term course introduces students to the discipline of history as applied to the Nigerian context. It moves from the nature of history as a field of study, through the sources and methods historians use, into the substantive story of Nigeria's peoples and states from earliest times to the colonial period. The emphasis throughout is on how we know what we know about Nigeria's past—not merely on memorizing dates and names.

Aims of the Course

By the end of the first term, students should be able to:

1. Explain what history is as an academic discipline and how it differs from mere storytelling or chronology

2. Identify and evaluate the sources used to reconstruct Nigerian history

3. Describe the major pre-colonial civilizations and states of Nigeria

4. Analyze the impact of European contact, the slave trade, and colonial rule

5. Think critically about historical evidence, bias, and interpretation