These 5 adverts from the 1970s and 1980s tell a hopeful story of Nigeria

The period following the Nigerian Civil War, is one of the best in the history of the Nigerian economy. The first drops of our oil windfall were trickling in.

It was also a period where Nigerian music and art blossomed into a variety of genres, including, perhaps most notably, psychedelic rock.

The middle class was also rich and sustained. Nothing reflects what it felt like to be in the average Nigerian home like the banners advertising the products that were a part of family life in Nigeria of the 1970s.

1. Guinness' "Guinness is good for you" banner

Guinness may not be exactly fantastic for you, but the Irish dark ale brand has been serving Nigerian men, young and old, for decades.

This ad from the cusp of the 1970s promoted the idea of Guinness as a drink for Nigerian professionals and active men.

2. Bournvita's "For Energy" Spread

More than half a decade after this ad banner was printed in the December 1966 edition of Reader's Digest, Bournvita is one of those few Nigerian household brands that even the youngest generation of Nigerians recognise.

The ad portrayed the nourishment and exuberance that was promised with the "Bournvita For Energy" line.

3. Bata's "The Best in Nigeria" banner

Although the name "Bata", Yoruba for "footwear" may have you thinking it's Nigerian, the original Bata Limited was reportedly set up as The T. & A. Baťa Shoe Company in the Czech republic 123 years ago.

In the 1980s, Bata was one of Nigeria's most iconic brands. This ad reflects the spirit of the early 80s when its school shoes were the standard and work footwear also sold widely.

4. Phensic's "Pain Reliever" Magazine Spot

The culture of over-the-counter dispensing and self medication elevated Phensic to a point where, particularly during the 1980s, it was Nigeria's most commonly used painkiller.

According to Brandish, the drug was also used to treat fevers. Phensic was well circulated, which means you could have both it nearly anywhere at a relatively low price at the time. The introduction of Chloroquine reduced its popularity.

5. Blue Band Margarine "Extra Nourishment" banner

""B without BB is like a train without an engine", one of the more popular Blue Band adverts from the late 2000s sings. For decades, generations of Nigerians have grown up with a brand of margarine that is an invitation to eat bread of the sliced variety.

This ad from the 1980s features hand-drawn style of portraiture that defined Nigerian pop art through that decade till the mid-1990s.

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Notice that the Blue Band pack looks like a large tin of tomato paste, instead of the plastic bowl and cover we're familiar with now?