Nigerian Davids: A Goliath Series Since 1960.com.ng – David Hundeyin & David Olusoga: ‘The UK is less equal than when I was young’
Our Series on Nigerians Called “David” begins Today October Ist 2023
Nigeria has a long history of Davids taking on Goliaths, from the early days of independence to the present day. Here are a few examples:
- Emeka Ojukwu and the Biafran War: In the late 1960s, the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria attempted to secede from the country and form their own independent nation called Biafra. The Nigerian government responded with military force, sparking a three-year civil war. Biafra was ultimately defeated, but Ojukwu’s resistance to the Nigerian government inspired many people around the world.
- Fela Kuti and the Afrobeat Revolution: Fela Kuti was a Nigerian musician and activist who used his music to criticize the corrupt and repressive military governments that ruled Nigeria for much of the 20th century. Kuti’s music was immensely popular, and his concerts often drew crowds of thousands of people. He was arrested and imprisoned multiple times for his political activism, but he never wavered in his commitment to fighting for justice and freedom.
- Gani Fawehinmi and the Fight for Human Rights: Gani Fawehinmi was a Nigerian lawyer and human rights activist who fought tirelessly to defend the rights of the oppressed and marginalized. He represented many prominent political prisoners, including Fela Kuti, and he was a vocal critic of military rule. Fawehinmi was often harassed and intimidated by the government, but he never backed down from his fight for justice.
- Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Struggle: Ken Saro-Wiwa was a Nigerian environmental activist who fought against the environmental damage caused by oil companies in the Ogoni region of Nigeria. He was a leading figure in the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), which campaigned for self-determination and environmental justice for the Ogoni people. Saro-Wiwa was executed by the Nigerian government in 1995, but his legacy continues to inspire people around the world.
- The #EndSARS Movement: The #EndSARS movement was a nationwide protest movement that erupted in Nigeria in 2020 in response to police brutality and extrajudicial killings. The protests were led by young Nigerians, many of whom used social media to organize and mobilize. The #EndSARS movement succeeded in pressuring the Nigerian government to disband the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a notoriously corrupt and brutal police unit.
These are just a few examples of the many Nigerians who have stood up to power and injustice. Their stories are a testament to the resilience and courage of the Nigerian people.
In addition to the examples above, here are a few other Nigerian Davids who have taken on Goliaths in recent years:
- Aisha Yesufu: Aisha Yesufu is a Nigerian activist and co-founder of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) movement, which campaigns for the release of the Chibok schoolgirls who were abducted by Boko Haram in 2014. Yesufu is a fearless advocate for human rights and social justice, and she has been outspoken in her criticism of the Nigerian government’s response to the Boko Haram insurgency.
- Omoyele Sowore: Omoyele Sowore is a Nigerian journalist and activist who is the founder of the Sahara Reporters news website. Sowore is known for his fearless reporting on corruption and human rights abuses in Nigeria. He has been arrested and imprisoned multiple times for his work, but he continues to speak out against the Nigerian government.
- Rinu Oduala: Rinu Oduala is a Nigerian activist who played a leading role in the #EndSARS protests. Oduala is a passionate advocate for police reform and social justice. She has been critical of the Nigerian government’s failure to implement the recommendations of the #EndSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry.
These are just a few examples of the many Nigerians who are continuing to fight for justice and change in their country. Their stories are a reminder that even the smallest of individuals can make a difference.
David Hundeyin is an award-winning Nigerian investigative journalist, writer, and researcher. He is known for his fearless reporting on corruption, human rights abuses, and other sensitive topics. Hundeyin’s work has been published in major international publications such as The New Yorker, The Africa Report, Business Day, and CNN. He has also appeared on Netflix and other international media platforms.
Hundeyin has won numerous awards for his work, including the PEN/Etisalat Nigeria Prize for Literature in 2019 and the West African Media Excellence Awards for Investigative Reporting in 2018 and 2020. He is also a recipient of the James Currey Fellowship, which is awarded to African scholars and writers who are working on projects that promote understanding of Africa.
Hundeyin’s work has had a significant impact on Nigerian society. His reporting has helped to expose corruption and human rights abuses, and it has led to positive change in some cases. For example, his reporting on the Nigerian military’s use of excessive force against civilians during the #EndSARS protests helped to raise awareness of the issue and led to the Nigerian government disbanding the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a notoriously corrupt and brutal police unit.
Hundeyin is a courageous and dedicated journalist who is committed to exposing the truth and holding the powerful to account. He is a valuable asset to Nigerian society, and his work is essential to the fight for justice and accountability.
However, it is important to note that Hundeyin’s work has also been controversial. Some people have criticized his reporting methods and accused him of sensationalism. Others have accused him of being biased against the Nigerian government. Hundeyin has defended his work, saying that he is committed to reporting the truth and that he is not afraid to hold the powerful to account.
Despite the criticism he has faced, Hundeyin remains one of the most respected and influential investigative journalists in Nigeria. His work is essential to the fight for justice and accountability in his country.
David Olusoga
The United Kingdom is becoming less and less united, says historian David Olusoga – not just along its borders but within each of its four nations. How can the union’s ties be renewed?
“London’s much more dominant than it was when I was growing up,” Mr Olusoga says. “In the 1970s, Britain was a much more equal society than it is today.”
Few other capital cities have a profile as powerful as the UK’s, he says.
“Most nations have a capital city that is not enormously out of scale with the other cities.”
Olusoga says London’s dominance shows how divisions in the UK’s union do not just run along borders but within nations themselves.
The historian – who has a new BBC Two series about the story of the union of the UK – grew up during the de-industrialisation of north-east England in the 1980s. The closure of factories, coal mines and shipyards swept across the region, causing widespread job losses and unemployment.
More than half a century later, it is not possible – he says – to “rely on industry spreading wealth and opportunity around the four nations”.
“We talk about left behind towns. We talk about levelling up,” he says.
“The urgency of doing something, I think, is apparent to many people, journalists, politicians, and whether we can rise to that challenge and in some ways, renew our bonds, renew the union.
“That is one of the big questions of the next decades.”
David Olusoga is a British-Nigerian historian, author, presenter and BAFTA winning film-maker. He is Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester. He has presented historical documentaries on the BBC and contributed to The One Show and The Guardian.
Olusoga was born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1970. He moved to the United Kingdom with his family when he was a child. He studied history at the University of Oxford and then went on to work as a television producer.
Olusoga has written several books on British history, including Black and British: A Forgotten History (2016) and The World’s War: A New History of the Second World War (2014). He has also presented numerous historical documentaries for the BBC, including Civilisations (2018), Black and British: A Forgotten History (2016) and Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners (2015).
Olusoga’s work is known for its engaging and accessible style, as well as its commitment to telling the stories of people who are often overlooked in traditional histories. He is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in the historical profession, and he is working to make history more accessible to everyone.
Olusoga has won numerous awards for his work, including the BAFTA Television Award for Best History Programme in 2016 and the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize in 2017. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2019 New Year Honours for services to history and to community integration.
Olusoga is a highly respected historian and broadcaster. He is making a significant contribution to our understanding of British history and to the promotion of diversity and inclusion in the historical profession.
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