[size=18pt] 50 events that shaped Nigeria’s history [/size]


October 1, 1960 - Nigeria gains independence from Britain, with Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as the Prime Minister leading a coalition government of parliamentary system.

October 1, 1963 - Nigeria becomes a republic, breaking away from the British monarchy.

January 15, 1966 - Fall of the First Republic, as Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa is killed in unsuccessful coup led by some Majors.

January 16, 1966 - Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi takes over as the nation’s Head of State.

July 29, 1966 - Aguiyi Ironsi killed in a counter-coup by a group of northern army officers who revolted against the government, and he is replaced by Yakubu Gowon.

January 5, 1967 - Military leaders and senior police officials of each region (East, North and South) sign an accord in Aburi, Ghana and agree on a loose confederation of regions.

May 30, 1967 - Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the Eastern Region’s military governor, announces the break-away of the eastern states as the Republic of Biafra, sparking bloody civil war that led to the deaths over a million people.

January 12, 1970 - Biafran leaders surrender, as the officer administering the government, Phillip Effiong calls for a cease-fire. The region was reintegrated into Nigeria.

July 25, 1975 - Yakubu Gowon overthrown in a coup led by Murtala Ramat Mohammed, while attending the OAU summit in Uganda

February 13, 1976 - Murtala Mohammed assassinated in a failed coup attempt. His deputy, Olusegun Obasanjo, takes over

September 21, 1978 - A new constitution, styled on American presidential system, published, and the ban on political activity lifted.

1979 - Nation heads to the polls for a general election which saw the election of Shehu Shagari as the democratic president.

January 1983 - Government expels more than one million foreigners, mostly Ghanaians, saying they had overstayed their visas and taking jobs from Nigerians.

August, September 1983 - Shehu Shagari re-elected as the president, amid accusations of irregularities and corruption.

December 31, 1983 - Muhammad Buhari heads military officers who seize power in bloodless coup, to be become Commander in Command and Head of State.

August 27, 1985 - Ibrahim Babangida seizes power in bloodless coup, curtails political activity.

1986 - Babangida launches controversial Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) which shook up the nation’s economy

October 19, 1986 - Foremost journalist, Dele Giwa, assassinated by a parcel bomb which is often blamed on the Babaginda regime

April 22, 1990 - Gideon Orka leads coup to topple Babaginda, but the coup is unsuccessful.

December 12, 1991 - Nigeria’s capital city moved from Lagos to Abuja

June 12, 1993 - Babangida annuls the presidential elections adjudged to have been won by businessman, Moshood Abiola.

August 27 1993 - Babangida transfers power to Interim National Government led by Ernest Shonekan, following massive protest against his administration

November 17, 1993 - Sani Abacha seizes power from the Interim National Government and suppresses opposition.

1994 - Acclaimed winner of the June 12 election, MKO Abiola, arrested after proclaiming himself president.

November 10, 1995 - Ken Saro-Wiwa, writer and campaigner against the oil industry damage to his Ogoni homeland, executed following a hasty trial. In protest, the US and European Union impose sanctions on Nigeria

June 8, 1998 - Abacha passes away under controversial circumstances and succeeded by Abdulsalami Abubakar.

July 7, 1998 - Abiola dies in custody days after meeting a US delegation

1999 - Parliamentary and presidential elections lead to the election of Olusegun Obasanjo as the nation’s president.

2000 - Adoption of Sharia law by several northern states in the face of opposition from Christians

2001 - Tribal war in Benue State, displacing thousands of people, as soldiers sent to quash the fighting kill more than 200 unarmed civilians, apparently in retaliation for the abduction and murder of 19 soldiers.

November 2002 - Many lives lost in four days of protest stoked by fury from Northern Nigeria over the planned Miss World beauty pageant in Abuja

July 10, 2003 - Governor of Anambra State, Chris Ngige, abducted by a team of police officials and forced to sign his resignation letter, which was upheld by the State’s House of Assembly but over-turned by the Supreme Court.

September 27, 2003 - Nigeria’s first satellite, NigeriaSat-1 launched via Russian rocket into the space.

May 18, 2004 - State of emergency declared in Plateau State, after more than 200 people are killed in Yelwa in what would result in tit-for-tat killings by Muslims and Christians in the state

January 2005 - Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun, forced to resign from office on corruption charges and subsequently tried and jailed by a court of law.

July 2005 - Paris Club of rich lenders agrees to write off two-thirds of Nigeria’s $30 billion debt.

January 9, 2006 - Militants in the Niger Delta commence major attack on pipelines and other oil facilities, and kidnap foreign oil workers for ransom, as they demand more control over the region’s oil wealth.

April 2006 - With record oil prices, Nigeria becomes first African nation to pay off its debt to the Paris Club of rich lenders.

May 17, 2006 - Senate rejects proposed changes to the constitution which would have allowed the President to stand for a third term in 2007.

August 6, 2006 - Nigeria cedes sovereignty over the disputed Bakassi peninsula to neighbouring Cameroon under the terms of a 2002 International Court of Justice ruling.

October29, 2006 - Sultan of Sokoto and tens of others die in a plane crash, the country’s third major civilian air disaster in the year.

August 14, 2008 - Nigeria finally hands over the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon, ending a long-standing dispute.

May 2009 - Niger Delta militant group, MEND, rejects government offer of amnesty and declares offensive against Nigerian military.

August 2009 - Two-month offer of a government amnesty for Niger Delta militants comes into force, as thousands of militants drop their arms.

November 23, 2009 - President Yar’Adua travels to Saudi Arabia to be treated for a heart condition. His extended absence triggers a constitutional crisis and leads to calls for him to step down.

February 10, 2010 - National Assembly votes to transfer power to the Vice-President, Goodluck Jonathan, until Mr Yar’Adua is able to resume presidency. Mr Yar’Adua returns to Nigeria but does not return to work.

May 6, 2010 - Umaru Yar’Adua dies after a long illness. His vice-president, Goodluck Jonathan, already acting in Yar’Adua’s stead, succeeds him.


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/5625838-147/50_events_that_shaped_nigerias_history.csp


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I do not see the widespread slaughter of Eastern groups (Igbo, Ijaws, Ibibio) in the north.

This timeline is incomplete.

Plus, it blames the war on Ojukwu. Nigeria declared war on Biafra.

MaziUche0:

I do not see the widespread slaughter of Eastern groups (Igbo, Ijaws, Ibibio) in the north.

This timeline is incomplete.

1967-1970. . . .Millions of NIGERIANS died.

@Ileke-Idi

Would you know if that was IBB's bag Shonekan is carrying?

Sorry, just couldn't resist.

I doubt my boo Ileke-Idi knows anything about Nigerian history. But at least she is here to learn.

@MaziUche0
I am sure she knows more than you think. Mine was just a joke at Shonekan's expense!

Your boo, he? Let her husband catch you and your mouth 

MaziUche0:

I doubt my boo Ileke-Idi knows anything about Nigerian history. But at least she is here to learn.

i wonder if Buhari and Babangida speak to each other.

MaziUche0:

I doubt[b] my boo [/b]Ileke-Idi knows anything about Nigerian history. But at least she is here to learn.

"Anything"? Dont insult me.
And be careful dear, you know Aigbofa never hesitates to drop a line or two

koruji:

@MaziUche0
I am sure she knows more than you think. Mine was just a joke at Shonekan's expense!

Your boo, he? Let her husband catch you and your mouth 

davidylan:

i wonder if Buhari and Babangida speak to each other.

That would be very interesting.

Babangida would be liked, I had to do it. You would have executed me and Buhari probably would laugh and say, of course I would.

Ileke-IdI:

"Anything"? Dont insult me.
And be careful dear, you know Aigbofa never hesitates to drop a line or two

Please forgive me my dear. And I'll be the first person to invite Aigbofa to our wedding in my town of Arochukwu.

MaziUche0:

Please forgive me my dear. And I'll be the first person to invite Aigbofa to our wedding in my your town of Arochukwu Ado.

Interesting. . . . keep at it, it might happen.

But I see that you've modified your post. . . . Nigeria delcared war?

@poster
Good job.
The only correction I'll make is to start the event from 1914 when Lugard 'mistakenly' amalgamated 2 totally alien groups into one country for his own convinience and purpose.

Ileke-IdI:

Interesting. . . . keep at it, it might happen.

But I see that you've modified your post. . . . Nigeria delcared war?

My dear should I bring out the Aro charm?   We Aro men can be Aro-man-tic!

Yes, Nigeria declared war on Biafra! Since they couldn't allow us to secede.

naijaking1:

@poster
Good job.
The only correction I'll make is to start the event from 1914 when Lugard 'mistakenly' amalgamated 2 totally alien groups into one country for his own convinience and purpose.

Actually it was 3 alien groups.

Igbos, Yorubas and Hausa.

My forefathers probably knew the Hausa existed before the Yoruba to be honest.

MaziUche0:

My dear should I bring out the Aro charm?   We Aro men can be Aro-man-tic!

Yes, Nigeria declared war on Biafra! Since they couldn't allow us to secede.

Bring it out

MaziUche0:

My forefathers probably knew the Hausa existed before the Yoruba to be honest.

Oh really.

Any evidence behind that?

Ileke-IdI:

Bring it out
Oh really.

Any evidence behind that?

Oh you will see soon enough.

And there is plenty of evidence since the Igbo traded with the Hausa before Europeans came. I remember there is a story among the Northern Igbo clans, most likely the Nike who said how an Igbo trader went to Hausaland and fell in love with a Hausa woman. However, he did not stay with her, but he left his seed in her. So the woman gave birth to a boy and as the man grew up, he wanted to search for his father. His mother told him that he was from a people to the south of them and he traveled to Alaigbo and eventually found his father.

MaziUche0:

Oh you will see soon enough.

And there is plenty of evidence since the Igbo traded with the Hausa before Europeans came. I remember there is a story among the Northern Igbo clans, most likely the Nike who said how an Igbo trader went to Hausaland and fell in love with a Hausa woman. However, he did not stay with her, but he left his seed in her. So the woman gave birth to a boy and as the man grew up, he wanted to search for his father. His mother told him that he was from a people to the south of them and he traveled to Alaigbo and eventually found his father.

Any source for that? You k now I cant just take your word for it

naijaking1:

@poster
Good job.
The only correction I'll make is to start the event from 1914 when Lugard 'mistakenly' amalgamated 2 totally alien groups into one country for his own convinience and purpose.

MaziUche0:

Actually it was 3 alien groups.

Igbos, Yorubas and Hausa.

My forefathers probably knew the Hausa existed before the Yoruba to be honest.

Nah, I'd say just Hausa and Yoruba/Igbo.

Ileke-IdI:

Any source for that? You k now I cant just take your word for it

You don't take my word? lol

Aro traders went North as well. My people were found as far as Equatorial Guinea.

MaziUche0:

You don't take my word? lol

Aro traders went North as well. My people were found as far as Equatorial Guinea.

No.

Someone is prolly going to come and refute your post later on today.

i'm just enjoying this,

Why is May 2007n not on your timeline.

Do you feel the coming in of Yaradua is not an event that has shaped this country, or how would the amnesty deal have come into play without a Yaradua.

Why is it that when we talk about Nigerian history, nobody goes back to the very beginning (even before The Berlin conference & the "scramble for Africa"

Have we forgotten Sir George Dashwood Taubman Goldie ? How he was able to secure the region for Britain against stiff competition from France
and Germany?

Goldie gave up the territories of the Royal Niger Company in January 1, 1900 to the British government cos he couldn't take the heat from Germany and France anymore. These territories were the then "Northern & Southern protectorates". Lord Lugard only did what was natural to promote the interests of his government in 1914.

The funny thing is  the interests of Britain, Germany & France were mainly in the resource-rich south. The north was just a pawn in the game that was eventually promoted in order to secure the lucrative "Lower Niger" territory from the French who were the dominant force in the Sahara regions up to Sudan/ Niger/Chad areas.

What is going on in Nigeria cannot be blamed on anybody now, cos the evil has already been done more that a century ago. We only have to learn to put our differences aside and find a way to forge ahead.

Peace!

immigrants sending $$$$ to nigeria should be on that list. imo, it shaped Nigeria

Does anybody know how much of our problems would have been solved
in one fell swoop if someone gunned them all down in that picture with a
rambo-style gatlin gun?

Nigeria would have moved forward at least 100 years.

No comment !!!

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the thread started from a fault, how can somebody talk of the events that shaped Nigeria's history without mentioning the regretable 1914 AMALGAMATION , the useles marriage that started the hopleness called Nigeria,

Buhari is the cutest of all, next is goodluck nd then , can't determine,

koruji:

@Ileke-Idi

Would you know if that was IBB's bag Shonekan is carrying?

Sorry, just couldn't resist.

LMFAO

but why was he holding on to the bag, abi the man no get oddly or a pa?

lol@shonekan carrying ibb's bag.

that sure was an awkward looking photo.

abdusalami is a smart dude sha. dude looted his own and faded into outerspace.

hackney:

Does anybody know how much of our problems would have been solved
in one fell swoop if someone gunned them all down in that picture with a
rambo-style gatlin gun?

Nigeria would have moved forward at least 100 years.

new tyrants are typically born after a bloody revolution.

didn't guys like stalin come out of the ashes of the russian revolution?