The Oldest Kingdoms in Nigeria

The history of Nigeria could be dated far back before the colonial era. In this period around 900AD, few kingdoms which still survive till now, were in existence then. In this write-up, we will investigate the history of Nigeria, and subsequently infer the oldest kingdom in the country.

History of Kingdoms in Nigeria
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Evidence of Nigerian kingdoms dates back thousands of years before the country was known of its current name. This was preceeding the colonial rule when the country eventually got independence. Before the British invasion of West Africa, i.e Nigeria’s colonial masters taking control in the late 19th century, many indigenous polities emerged in the country.
The prominent Hausa empire was what is now the northern part of the country. This included states of
Kano, Katsina, Zaria, Gombe, and the rest of others which make up the largest kingdom in Nigeria then.
The Kanem-Borno empire was what is now Borno and Adamawa states; and the Jukun states of Kwararafa, Kona, Pinduga, and Wukari were other smaller kingdoms which were in the northern part of Nigeria. Others included those of the Igala, Nupe, and Ebira.
Down south, a lot of notable kingdoms existed even till the present time. The Yoruba empires of Ife and Oyo were the occupants of the southwestern region of the country. Edo kingdom of Benin, which is an ancient empire in the country, make up what is now Edo state. The Ibibio-Efik kingdom make up the present day Akwa Ibom and Cross River states. In
the delta region of the Niger, the Itsekiri kingdom of Warri, the Ibibio kingdom of Akwa-Cross, and the Ijo
(Ijaw) city-states of Nembe, Elem Kalabari, Bonny, and Okrika complements the list of old empires in the country.
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