Historian and author Max Siollun brings you an African history podcast that never forgets to remember. The world needs an African history podcast - because African history is box office!
Revolutionaries, intellectuals, and villainous assassins: Africa had them all. Dramatic blow by blow reconstructions of explosive historical events, and interviews with historical eyewitnesses and experts. New episodes are released every 2 weeks.
What Caused Boko Haram? Explaining Nigeria's Insurgency
How did a small, eccentric, and puritanical religious sect in north-east Nigeria become one of the world's deadliest insurgent organisations? In this discussion with Dr Atta Barkindo (an expert on Boko Haram who has worked with the Office of the National Security Adviser in Nigeria), we look at how the sect initially began as a non-violent group that preached against the corruption and injustice of Nigerian politicians. Within a decade, the sect radicalised, acquired military grade weapons, and became a national security threat. This interview reveals how the sect is often misunderstood. Some of its members are more educated and intelligent than outsiders realise, and its critiques of corruption and decadence in Nigerian society initially made it popular.
15 Sept 2026
Why Did Northern Nigeria Adopt Sharia Law?
In the early 2000s, twelve states in northern Nigeria adopted Sharia (Islamic) law into their legal codes. Why did they do this?It was bigger than Islam and Muslims. Sharia was part of a desire to purify northern society and return it to a revered bygone era, AND ironically - was part of a religious revival in both Islam and Christianity. Although other countries have Sharia, Nigeria's Sharia is more stringent than most other countries, which has contributed to its controversial status in Nigeria, and the violence between Christians and Muslims regarding it.
1 Sept 2026
History of Nigeria’s Ethnic Tensions: One Nation, Many Divides
Someone once called Nigeria "the most complicated country in the world"! Nigeria has over 500 different languages, and is the only country in the world with a population split 50:50 between Christians and Muslims. In this episode with Dr Brandon Kendhammer, we explore how Nigeria has spent the past 50 years trying to find ways to ensure equal treatment and peaceful co-existence between hundreds of different ethnic groups, and its major religions. Have these measures succeeded? Or have they instead amplified ethnic, regional, and religious differences?
15 Aug 2026
Maryam Babangida's Story: Glamour and Power of the First Lady
Maryam Babangida changed what it means to be Nigeria’s First Lady. She exercised power as if she was the joint president with her husband, and government ministers feared and bowed to her. Maryam and her husband were the first power couple of modern Nigerian politics. They were like the Barack and Michelle Obama of their era. Maryam's elegant, glamorous, and imperial appearance made her a celebrity. She was the first president's wife to constantly appear on magazine and newspaper front pages. She did not look out of place when she met the equally fashionable and glamorous Princess Diana.
Listen to this episode to learn more about the most famous and powerful First Lady in Nigeria's history: a woman who was so powerful that a minister claimed that she and her husband were a “joint imperial presidency”.
1 Aug 2026
Christianity and Islam in Nigeria: Religion, Conflict, and Coexistence
Religion is Nigeria's most incendiary divide. Why is religion such a huge issue in Nigeria? What is the relationship between Christianity, Islam, and politics? Is Nigeria a secular country?
I will be addressing these questions with Dr Alexander Thurston (an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Cincinnati, and an expert on Islam and politics in West Africa, who has written many books on both topics – including “Salafism in Nigeria: Islam, Preaching and Politics”).
16 Jul 2026
419: The Secret World of Nigeria's "Yahoo Boy" Internet Scammers (Part 1)
You've probably heard of the so-called "Nigerian Prince" scam (AKA "419", Yahoo, advance fee fraud etc). But who are the people behind the Nigerian scam? In this episode (Part 1 of 2 episodes on this topic), we will journey into the world of the so-called "Yahoo Boys".
I’ll be discussing their world with Carlos Barragan: a Spanish journalist who met and interviewed several Yahoo Boys after one of them scammed his mum and convinced her to fall in love with him, by pretending to be an American soldier.
1 Jul 2026
Nigeria Under General Sani Abacha: The Military v the People
What role did Nigeria's current President Bola Ahmed Tinubu play in the 1990s pro-democracy campaign? What was it like living under the military government of General Sani Abacha? This episode is a continuation from Episode 6 ("Untold Stories of the June 12 Election Annulment in Nigeria") and covers the terrifying 1993-1998 military rule era when a mysterious wave of assassinations, bomb blasts, and repression terrified Nigerians into fearing their own government.
15 Jun 2026
Nigeria at the 1994 World Cup in America: How the Super Eagles Shocked the World
How Nigeria amazed the footballing world with its breathtaking attacking and flair at the 1994 World Cup in America. Was this the best African team to ever play at the World Cup?
1 Jun 2026
Untold Stories of the June 12 Election Annulment in Nigeria
The Babangida military government’s annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election plunged Nigeria into its worst political crisis since its civil war over 20 years earlier. Why was the election annulled? The annulment also buried the role of many courageous pro-democracy activists who campaigned for an end to military rule (despite being targeted with a terrifying wave of assassinations, bomb blasts, and repression). In this episode, one of those pro-democracy activists (Kayode Ogundamisi) spoke to me about the key people and parts of the June 12 story that history forgot.
8 May 2026
Expat Adventures in Nigeria: Corporate Warfare (Part 1)
What is it like being an expat in Nigeria? British businessman and former CEO of Guinness Nigeria Keith Richards lived and worked in Nigeria for over 20 years. During that time he had movie style adventures such as encountering the niece of a powerful politician who wanted to kill him, a workplace where an employee tried to murder a rival executive by poisoning him, negotiating with armed vigilante group the Bakassi Boys (who were known for summarily executing criminals), and meeting Nigeria’s most powerful politicians such as formerPresident Obasanjo and the intimidating former Minister of Defence Theophilus “TYD” Danjuma. This is Part 1 of two episodes with Keith.
Keith also wrote a book about his time in Nigeria entitled “Never Quite the Insider: a Nigerian Memoir”. He also wrote a novel entitled “Which of your Sons?” You can read more about Keith on his website at: https://outsiderinside.co.uk/ (https://outsiderinside.co.uk/).
1 May 2026
Umaru Dikko Kidnapped in London: Secret Agents, a Diamond Dealer, and a Politician
When military intelligence agents from Nigeria and Israel abducted Nigeria’s former Minister of Transport Umaru Dikko in broad daylight on a London street in 1984, it triggered a spectacular three-country international scandal that involved secret agents, anti-terrorist police, fake passports, a diamond dealer, planes being impounded, a dramatic airport rescue, and the worst ever diplomatic crisis between Nigeria and Britain. This episode reveals the hidden story behind one of the most dramatic international espionage incidents in history.
1 Apr 2026
The Hidden Causes of the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War
Nearly 60 years after Nigeria’s civil war started, the war’s legacy still holds Nigeria hostage. The memory of the war between Nigeria and its breakaway south-eastern region which called itself Biafra, is simultaneously a cause for national disunity and national unity. Yet there is no agreement on what caused the war. Although the war started in 1967, most are not aware that the long road to war started 14 years earlier.
In this episode, social historian and filmmaker Ed Keazor joined me to discuss the long term causes of the war that have been overlooked for several decades. This is the first of two episodes with Ed about the Nigerian civil war.
1 Apr 2026
Yoruba History: The Rise and Fall of the Oyo Empire
The Oyo Empire was the most famous and powerful of the Yoruba kingdoms in West Africa. The Oyo Empire’s history is box office! It had regicide, revolutions, intrigue, ancestral curses, a scheming court official that engineered the death of four kings he worked for, and back stabbing that Game of Thrones would be proud of! Aside from its high stakes, cut throat drama, Oyo also had one of the most sophisticated government systems of any pre-colonial African state. It had a separation of powers, checks and balances between the different branches of its government, and appointed foreign ambassadors nicknamed “the king’s eyes” to keep watch over conquered foreign vassal states and its provinces.
In this episode, writer and Oyo Empire expert Tunde Leye (author of two books about the Oyo Empire: "Afonja The Rise" and "Afonja The Fall") joins me to discuss the Oyo Empire’s spectacular rise and fall.
1 Apr 2026
The Benin Bronzes, the British Museum, and the Benin Massacre
The Benin Kingdom (in modern-day Nigeria) was one of West Africa’s most sophisticated and powerful states. Its government had inter-continental diplomatic relations with European countries, a powerful military, and a brilliant guild of artists who made the "Benin Bronze" sculptures that were so technically brilliant that an astonished curator at the British Museum said: "there is absolutely nothing like them in any other part of the world".
The sculptures were actually a side show in a wider cat and mouse game between the British colonial officer James Phillips and the King of Benin. Phillips insisted on visiting Benin (despite Benin's king repeatedly telling him that he was not welcome). When Phillips ignored the King of Benin's objections and travelled to Benin in January 1897 with a group of British military officers, Benin's people interpreted his visit as an invasion. Phillips triggered consequences far beyond the wildest imagination of himself, the British government, and the King of Benin. Find out how British history and African history intertwined, in this conversation with Barnaby Phillips (a journalist and author who wrote a book about Benin entitled Loot: Britain and the Benin Bronzes).
7 Mar 2026
Third Podcast Trailer: A 4 minute crash course on the causes of the Nigerian civil war
This is the third trailer for my upcoming "Elephant Memories History Podcast". This trailer tries to do something impossible (!): summarise the long term causes of the Nigerian civil war in only 4 minutes. Listen, enjoy, and to subscribe to the podcast here, or on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts – and the other usual podcast outlets.
2 Mar 2026
Second Trailer for the Elephant Memories History Podcast
This is the second preview of what to expect from my upcoming African history podcast: dramatic reconstructions of historical events, and interviews with eyewitnesses and experts.
24 Jan 2026
First trailer for a new African history podcast
A preview of the Elephant Memories History Podcast: a new African history podcast - coming soon.
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