#river niger

[historyfiles]

Modern Niger: following independence in 1960, the new national entity which was the republic of Niger - gaining its name from the river - enjoyed a troubled life and a shortened First Republic.

Kingdoms of West Africa - Niger

Coverage of the various historical cultures, rulers, and states of Africa

[ltwilliammowett]

British ships lying off a settlement on the banks of the River Niger, by Tim Thompson (1951-)

[afrotumble]

[kalyan-gullapalli]

Post # 127

Timbuktu - the mystery behind a metaphor!

The word Timbuktu, in the English language, is a metaphor for a far-off place. It is used to denote a distant, imaginary place.

Examples of usage:

"You can search every shop from here till Timbuktu, but you won't find another item of this quality."

"Why are you late? Where are you coming from? From Timbukto?"

The tone of the user of this word is generally funny, sarcastic, exaggerating or downright offensive.

But does Timbuktu really exist? In 2006, a survey of 150 people in Great Britain revealed that all of them thought that such a place is mythical and doesn't exist.

Would it surprise you to learn that Timbuktu is a real place in West Africa, that it has existed for centuries, and that it was actually very difficult to reach that place from Europe - a prize money of 10,000 francs was awarded to the first European to visit it and come back alive. Hence, it became a metaphor for a distant place.

Therein lies a tale...

Timbuktu is a city in the Republic of Mali, a prominent country in West Africa. Today, it is a poor, nothing-town in the desert, with a population of roughly 50000 people. But in the 14th century, its golden period, it was a bustling city of the Mali Empire and an important trade center for salt, gold, ivory and slaves. It is spelt as Tombouctou in some maps. Being at the banks of the River Niger and at the mouth of the Saharan desert made it a commercial meeting point for medieval traders.

In those days, Timbuktu was also reputed as a center for scholarly studies. The Sankore University (as in the photo below) had 25000 students from across Africa, studying Islamic courses.

About 70000 manuscripts of that Golden era, on art, medicine, philosophy, religion and science, are today found with private collectors. These manuscripts are called The Timbuktu manuscripts.

One of the greatest king of the Mali Empire was Mansa Musa. He is said to have made a pilgrimage to Mecca, with a procession of 60000 people wearing Persian silk, 12000 slaves each carrying 1.8 kg gold bars and 80 camels carrying gold dust. He came back and built The Djinguereber Mosque in Timbuktu, which has been named as a UNESCO world heritage site.

Soon, tales of Timbuktu's fabled riches reached the Europeans. They set out to explore this African El Dorado.

The earliest explorer was a young Scottish adventurer, Mungo Park. It is believed that Park was the first Westerner to have reached the city, but he died on his way back, without having the chance to report his findings. In 1824, the Paris-based Société de Geographie offered a 10,000-franc-prize to the first non-Muslim to reach the town and return with information about it. Another Scotsman, Gordon Laing, arrived in Timbuktu in August, 1826 but was killed the following month by local Muslims who were fearful of European colonialism. The Frenchman René Callie arrived in 1828, travelling alone, disguised as a Muslim, having trained as an Arab and fluent in Arabic. He was able to safely return and claim the prize. He reported that Timbuktu has lost its past glory. There was nothing but sand dust any more. The below picture is Rene Callie's impression of Timbuktu.

In 1893, France colonialised Mali and ruled over it until 1960, when Mali became a republic. Today, Timbuktu is a shadow of its past - an unworthy metaphor!

[alineuponthewind]

British ships lying off a settlement on the banks of the River Niger -  Timothy Franklin Ross Thompson

[sahljournal]

MALI. 2002. Village of Mopti. Sunset over the river Niger, with canoes in the foreground.

[nirvnabj]

Photo of the Week: Niger Bridge - Where steel met the river

Niger Bridge – Eyes of a Lagos Boy 2025 Before the River Niger Bridge was built, people and goods crossing between Onitsha and Asaba relied entirely on ferries and canoes. These crossings were slow, weather-dependent, limited in capacity, and often dangerous — especially for traders moving palm oil, agricultural produce, timber, rubber, and passengers. Journeys were timed to the river’s mood.…

Photo of the Week: Niger Bridge - Where steel met the river

[morganablenewsmedia]

When the Waters Return Again 

When the water returns again, every rainy season in Nigeria tells a familiar story. When the skies darken and rivers begin to swell, millions of Nigerians hold their breath, waiting for what has become an annual nightmare.  In Kogi, Benue, and down to Bayelsa, families live with their bags half-packed, ready to flee at the first sign of danger. For them, the flood season is not just another…

When the Waters Return Again