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.

Exactly 40 years ago Nigeria's most famous journalist Dele Giwa was killed by a letter bomb shortly after researching stories about government corruption, and publishing articles about the inner workings of Nigeria's military government. The murder of Giwa made Nigerians afraid of their own government. It is one of the most mysterious murders in Nigerian history. Giwa was the editor of the investigative avant garde news magazine Newswatch. In this episode I discuss the murky circumstances of Giwa's murder with Yusuf Mohammed: the son of Yakubu Mohammed - who was Giwa's colleague and a co-founder of Newswatch.

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.

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?

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”.

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”).

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.

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?