Last week, we shared the story of Awolowo’s free education program. Many months ago, we shared another Awolowo classic, namely, the story of how he built Cocoa House, the first ever skyscraper built in West Africa.

The Cocoa House paid homage to thousands of Cocoa Farmers whose labours had built the Western Region of Nigeria’s First Republic. It embodied Western Nigeria’s self-determination, economic vision and the tangible fruits of agricultural prosperity. It was also what funded Awolowo’s education scheme.

Today, we are staying in the farms ahead of what will occupy the most of our time in the coming weeks—the Dangote Refinery IPO.

Unless you’ve been living under a stone, the hype around the coming IPO has been super intense. In short, the Securities and Exchange Commission recently had to issue a cease-and-desist order against many platforms that were promoting it.

The IPO has been confirmed after all. We will closely monitor events. We will also be sharing insider insights. So to stay on top of events, just stay subscribed.

But before Dangote, before oil, what built this country?

The answer lies not in a refinery or a stock listing event, but in the soil beneath our feet—in cocoa beans, groundnuts, and sesame seeds that once made Nigeria an agricultural powerhouse and a symbol of African economic possibility.

Most of it is gone and forgotten, like the great groundnut pyramids of Northern Nigeria, stolen by the oil boom that made Nigeria incredibly but also irresponsibly wealthy. Some are on the verge of collapse and another is replacing the old cash crops.

We invite you to discover them all.

How Sesame Seeds Became Nigeria’s Top Agricultural Export

Before the discovery of crude oil transformed Nigeria’s economic landscape in the 1960s, the nation’s wealth flowed from the rich soils of its agricultural heartlands. Yet, as oil revenues began to dominate Nigeria’s export portfolio, these traditional cash crops gradually faded from economic prominence.

However, a small, drought-resistant sesame seeds, locally known as “benne seeds,” has been quietly rewriting Nigeria’s economic history. They have steadily grown into what has become the country’s leading agricultural export, surpassing even the once-mighty cocoa in international trade value.

👉 Full story here: How Sesame Seeds Became Nigeria’s Top Agricultural Export

Nigeria’s Rubber Industry Is On Its Deathbed, Here’s How To Avoid Its Demise

Nigeria’s rubber industry was once a pillar of the nation’s agricultural exports. It is now teetering on the brink of collapse. This article examines why Nigeria’s rubber industry collapsed, the lingering potential for revival and actionable solutions to prevent its total demise.

👉 Full story here: Nigeria’s Rubber Industry Is On Its Deathbed, Here’s How To Avoid Its Demise

ICYMI: Cocoa House: The Story of Nigeria’s First Skyscraper

At 26 storeys tall, Cocoa House was the first ever skyscraper built in West Africa. It paid homage to thousands of Cocoa Farmers whose labours had built the Western Region of Nigeria’s First Republic. It embodied Western Nigeria’s self-determination, economic vision and the tangible fruits of agricultural prosperity.

Unlike the groundnut pyramids of the Northern region that have long disappeared, Cocoa House still stands but in disrepair. But it stands nonetheless, to the memory of those who built it as the symbol of the economic aspirations of Western Nigeria.

👉 Full story here: Cocoa House: The Story of Nigeria’s First Skyscraper

ICYMI: What Happened to Nigeria’s Groundnut Pyramids?

The groundnut pyramids were once symbols of northern Nigeria’s wealth and economic power. Originally invented as a way to store groundnuts ahead of transportation for shipment, they became landmarks that defined a city and an era.

When foreign dignitaries visited, they were driven to see them. When the first naira notes, stamps and postcards were printed, the pyramids made it there ahead of other landmarks. But when the oil boom of the 70s came, they gradually disappeared to never be seen again.

Today, they exist only on faded photographs and in the memories of an older generation that saw the last glimpses of them. Here’s the story of what happened to them.

👉 Full story here: What Happened to Nigeria’s Groundnut Pyramids?

Till next Saturday.