Applying History: Towards a Responsive Writing

Authors

• Wazeer Murtala KU Leuven

Abstract

This article discusses African historiography with emphasis on Nigerian. It posits that the themes in African historiography have continued to evolve with historians of different eras paying attention to a variety of issues across a broad spectrum. It recounts that at a point, the need to recall the glory of Africa’s past, to debunk the series of Eurocentric bias and prejudice by early European writers of African history was a central theme in historical research on the continent. Citing how historical research was used to address pressing issues of nationalism and to combat the malevolent Afro-pessimist Euro-centric bias of the past, the paper suggests that contemporary historians can use historical writing to understand, analyze and make recommendations for policy makers in Africa in the areas of governance, trade, bilateral relations and more. By looking at contemporary issues, it has become clear that today’s historians can do more to contribute to finding solutions to some of the current challenges in different African communities.