Chioma's research interrogates our understanding of African colonial and postcolonial histories. She studies the local production of Igbo identity in 20th century Nigeria, as socially produced processes guided by local historical actors.
"African cultures are not static, backward or 'unmodern' as colonial and nationalist historiographies assume."
@abubachioma
The colonial state emerged through brutal conquest and was consolidated through Indigenous land alienation, brutal labor and tax regimes, and racially motivated segregationist policies. It ended as a fragile authoritarian state, leaving deeply divided ethnic units and emerging modern states with new economic prospects but uncertain political futures. The colonial state was also a patriarchal […]
Who takes responsibility for human rights abuses, insecurity, political instability, and poor economic performance in Africa? Well, your guess is as good as mine – nobody. Actually, the blame is being tossed around like a ball between African governments and their counterparts in the global South, and leaders of major countries in the North. Peter […]
The colonial state was a patriarchy – with a sprinkle of hegemonic masculinity. Its doctrinal principles tended to limit women’s social mobility by confining them to the homestead as the hearthside custodians of Christian virtues which included absolute submission to their husbands. And, while female education was not discouraged, educational curricula were structurally gendered especially […]
The renown historian Basil Davidson was apt in his assertion that “if you had been living in the 1920s you would think that Africans would never again be free to run their own countries.” Davidson was not referring to Africans’ ability to organize politically. That was not in question. His assertion stemmed from the fact […]
Among the many eye-catching events like the much talked about Swedish midsummer dance which drew my attention this summer, was the topical theme of the 2024 Canadian Association of African Studies (CAAS) Annual Conference. The organizers chose a pertinent theme “Sustainability and Sustainable Development in Africa: Past, Present and Future,” highlighting the conundrum of Africa’s […]
Ever wondered what it meant to be an African employee in the colonial bureaucracy? Well, quite a bit. The role of African intermediaries in the colonial administration has been a topic of much debate. And that is to be expected – because colonial conquest was brutal and decisive, to put it mildly. It thus becomes […]
Drinking cultures vary across countries, as do regulations over legal drinking age limits. Recently, the Canadian government updated its alcohol regulation with the publication of Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health Report. While drinking regulations continue to generate debates among researchers, the general public, and even political circles, scholars have cited concerns over neurological development […]
Development challenges in Africa are often blamed on the colonial legacy of coercion and cooptation, just as social transformations on the continent are considered “inventions” of the colonial twentieth century. These explanations are useful in helping us understand Africa’s current political and economic issues and the historical roots of some of its social crises. But […]
The knowledge of African history has changed significantly in the last half century and continues to take on new variations. This is due to two crucial factors: first, until the late 1950s, the documentation of African history was not undertaken by Africans themselves. Thus, the earliest knowledge about sub-Saharan Africa came from the accounts of […]
