How do Nigerians conduct themselves in the face of oppression?

The story of the Ogoni Nine—put to death by the Abacha regime in 1995—is still fairly well-known because it remains a rallying point for the environmental issues that plague the Niger Delta to this day. Their fight, though remarkable in scope, is but one chapter in a larger story—a story of ordinary Nigerians rising to confront extraordinary injustices.

Our second issue of The Archivist is an examination of similar and lesser-known stories of resistance that exist in the archives.

Ultimately, we wanted to discover how well the popular saying about our parents’ silence holds up under historical scrutiny. But first, a little detour.

The Taste Test

When we launched The Archivist in August, it was in a bid to see how much we could uncover from the past. Digitising old newspapers is not the endgame of Archivi.ng but an entry point into a vast library of Nigerian history.

When Enajite wrote the editor’s note for the publication’s launch, she promised every quarterly issue of The Archivist would be a deep dive into specific events with new insights highlighting their relevance to contemporary issues.

Nearly 30,000 people read our lead story in the first issue about Nigeria’s top scorers in the 2009 WASSCE. But we also explored why Nigeria did not celebrate Independence Day in 1992, what happened when Nigeria abducted a wanted former minister in London in 1984, the history of Nigeria's political third force since 1960, and what Enajite found when she read old newspapers every day for two weeks.

The first issue was a taste test, to develop your appetite for subsequent issues. We learnt, and our focus is sharpened for future issues.

The Second Issue: Civil Disobedience

Fighting power anywhere can invite serious consequences. Yet, pushback against injustice—from leaders, institutions, customs, and even wicked in-laws—is the only path to enforcing meaningful change.

Our lead story ties into the fourth anniversary of the Lekki Toll Gate massacre of 2020. Many young Nigerians today remember contributing to the “death” of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) with protests, but the history of how the unit came to life in 1992—before many of them were born—is not as accessible. We spoke to the family of Colonel Ezra Rimdan, the army colonel who was a victim of police brutality and a catalyst for the unit that ended as it started: with violence.

Another story in this issue is one of Nigeria’s most dramatic events you have likely never heard about: the plane hijacking of 1993. It was a coincidence that a Netflix film about the same event started streaming around the same time. The film's recounting of the real hijack story leaves some gaping factual holes: particularly that no one died. Our archival research showed that Ethelbert Nwanze Igwe, a plane crew member, was killed when security operatives stormed the plane to rescue the hostages. This validates Archivi.ng’s work of preserving history as it happened, and makes us a great resource for storytellers producing historical work in different formats.

Another story I am particularly pleased is a part of this issue revolves around the generational fight of Nigerian women against the customs that block their path to inheritance. Mojekwu v. Mojekwu and Ukeje v. Ukeje expose the wicked customs surrounding inheritance and how women always get the short end of the stick. But they don’t always stay quiet about it.

Down the line, we will explore Onyeka Onwenu's career as a rebellious journalist, the significance of Chinua Achebe rejecting national awards from two different Nigerian presidents, why Fela married 27 wives, and take a closer look at one of the biggest minority rights activists in Nigeria.

I want every story in this issue to compel you to ask questions: Were our parents as silent as we think today, or did the tellers of their stories blur how much they stood up in the face of oppression? Is our generation doing any better than theirs in fighting oppression, or do we have lessons to learn from them?

We are always happy to hear what you think about our work, so please be generous with the feedback. You can tag us on all social media platforms @startarchiving.

See you again next year.

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