Queen Amina & Queen Bakwa Turunku
15. Queen Amina of Hausaland (ruled 1576-1610 AD)Greatest conqueror of the Nigeria region and its greatest military architect Princess Amina of the Hausa city state of Zazzau was born around 1533. In 1549 she became the heir apparent (Magajiya) to her mother. With the title came responsibility for a ward in the city where she […]
Dahia al-Kahina & Askia Daud
17. Dahia al-Kahina of Mauritania (ruled 688-705 AD)Powerful ruler of the Hausas In 639 AD a new conquering force swept into Africa. The Arabians seized Egypt, Cyrenaica, Tripoli, and pushed on to Carthage and Numidia. The invasion swept away 600 years of Roman occupation. The new conquerors spread Islam from Egypt to Morocco and also […]
Pharaoh Djoser & Mai Dunama ibn Salma
19. Pharaoh Djoser of Egypt (5018-4989 BC)Builder of the highly celebrated Saqqara Complex With the Negro Third Egyptian Dynasty (5046-4872 BC) there was a change in public administration. The Prime Minister now led the bureaucratic structure. The great ruler of this dynasty was Pharaoh Djoser. During his 29 years, Egyptian power was felt in Lower […]
Oba Esigie & Oba Ewuare
21. Oba Esigie of Benin (ruled c.1504-c.1550 AD)Great ruler of the southern Nigeria region who commissioned great art Great Benin, also known as Edo, was an important state that flourished in southern Nigeria. Oba Esigie ascended the throne in c.1504 and had a long and eventful reign of perhaps 46 years. He introduced a special […]
Pharaoh Khashekemui & Pharaoh Khufu
31. Pharaoh Khashekemui of Egypt (ruled 5094-5046 BC)First of the great Egyptian builders Pharaoh Khasekhemui, the last king of the Negro Second Egyptian Dynasty, presided over a brilliant 48 years of political and religious stability. Stone sculpture developed greatly during his time. Private individuals as well as royalty had portrait sculptures carved. Khasekhemui built the […]
Pharaoh Mer-Meith & King Micipsa
35. Pharaoh Mer-Meith of Ancient Egypt (ruled 5524-c.5507 BC) First Female Pharaoh of Egypt Pharaoh Mer-Neith (5524-c.5507 BC), of the Negro First Egyptian Dynasty, succeeded to the throne and ruled as its first female pharaoh. Her name means ‘beloved of Neith’, named after the same goddess that the Greeks would, at a much later date, […]
Queen Oluwo & St Perpetua
41. Queen Oluwo of Ife (c.1000 AD)Yoruba Queen who paved the southern Nigeria city of Ife Professor Ekpo Eyo, a former head of the Nigerian museums system, narrates a curious oral tradition concerning Oni Oluwo, a distinguished Yoruba ruler. Apparently she was walking around the capital city of Ife when her regalia got splashed with […]