Who Shapes Nigeria’s Founding Story? Lessons from Hamilton’s Revolution

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton opens with a central question about narrative power: who gets remembered and whose story survives history? In Hamilton, an outsider rises from obscurity to shape a nation’s destiny. That same challenge echoes in Nigeria’s own origin story. We celebrate leaders like Azikiwe, Awolowo and Bello, but what about figures such as Herbert Macaulay, Samuel Ajayi Crowther or Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti? These overlooked pioneers fought colonial structures and championed rights, yet their contributions often go unrecognized. Reflecting on Hamilton prompts us to ask: who decided which Nigerians became our founding heroes, and whose voices remain unheard?

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