Saw this somewhere & I decided to share it with u guys
1. Nigeria, with a 2013 estimated
population of 174,507,539 is the most
populous Black nation and the 7th
most populated nation in the entire world, trailing after—
from least to most—Pakistan, Brazil, Indonesia, USA, India
and China (1.3bn).
2. Nigerians are 1/5th the total population of Black Africa.
3. Nigeria, with 521 languages has the fourth most in the
world. This includes 510 living languages, two second
languages without native speakers and 9 extinct
languages.
4. The Portuguese reached Nigeria in 1472. In 1880 the
British began conquering Nigeria’s south. The north was
conquered by 1903.
5. Wole Soyinka is a Nigerian Nobel laureate. He wrote
'Telephone Conversation!'
6. With a net worth of $16.1bn, Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote is
the richest Black person in the world.
7. Yoruba and their bloodlines worldwide have the highest
rate of twinning (having twins) in the world.
8. The 2006 Census found Nigerians to be the highest
educated ethnic or racial group in America.
9. The Northern knot, Arewa insignia has Christian
origins, investigation by Ibraheem A. Waziri revealed. It is
adapted from the Church Celtic knot.
10. Pre-tribalism: Malam Umaru Altine, a northern Fulani
man was the first elected Mayor of Enugu, in the east, and
was even re-elected for a second term.
11. Pre-tribalism: John Umoru, from Etsako in today’s Edo
State (Western region) was elected for the House of
Assembly to represent Port Harcourt in the Eastern
Nigerian House of Assembly.
12. The Colonial Cantonments Proclamation of 1914
established ‘foreign quarters,’ ‘Sabon Gari,’
institutionalizing the Sabon Garuruwa system of
‘foreigner’ residential segregation in Nigeria.
13. Crispin Curtis Adeniyi-Jones (1876-1957) who the
street in Ikeja, ‘Adeniyi-Jones’ was named after, was a
medical director from Sierra Leone (a Saro). As a co-
founder of NNDP, he won one of the Lagos 3 legislative
council seats in 1923 and represented Nigerians for 15 yrs.
14. Saros was the name given to 19th and 20th century
‘Creole’ African literati migrants from Sierra Leone.
15. Amaros was the name for repatriated Brazilian and
Cuban slaves; the ‘Aguda’ people of Lagos today. This
Brazilian community includes deportees of the brave
“Malê Revolt” in Portugal.
16. British colonization was not all voluntary ‘happy slave
trade,’ but involved brutal terror against non-cooperation
and stiff opposition. Captain Lord Esme Gordon Lenox,
'With The West African Frontier Force,' describes: “…we
stormed down to Amassana, which was a town supposed
to be friendly and fined them 25 goats and 20 chickens for
non-assistance, then returned to Agbeni and burned
half...October 1st was spent in continuance of yesterdays
incendiraism by burning every town or farm we could
see. I shudder to think of how many houses we have
destroyed in these two days. On our way back to Egbbeddi
in the afternoon we passed by Sabagreia and told our old
friend Chief Ijor that most likely we should burn down
Sabagreia the next day…”
17. Nigeria’s population was just 16 million in 1911. It is
projected to hit 444 million by 2050, surpassing the US and
becoming the 4th largest in the world.
18. The population of Lagos today is about more than the
total population of all Eastern states combined.
19. Lagos’ population in 1872 was 60,000. By 2015 it will
be the third largest city in the entire world.
20. Nigeria’s north (719,000 sq. km), occupies 80% of
Nigeria’s land mass. In size it is four times the South.
21. 1st republic Aviation Minister, Chief Mbazulike
Amaechi hid former South African President, Nelson
Mandela, for six months in Nigeria to evade his arrest by
the apartheid regime.
22. Gangsta: In 1984 under the disciplinary Buhari/
Idiagbon government, there was a sophisticated attempt to
kidnap and repatriate ex-civilian regime minister of
transport, Umaru Dikko from the UK, anesthetized in a
freight crate, for the embezzlement of $1bn under the
Shagari regime.
23. Valor: Part of the ‘Forgotten Army,’ Nigerians
volunteered to fight with the allied forces among the 81st
and 82nd West African Divisions, in the Second World
War.
24. The Adubi war in 1918 was a major uprising by 30,000
Abeokuta Ebga warriors against the colonial government
for colonization, taxation and slave labor. One British was
killed and rail and telegraph lines destroyed. The British
rewarded their soldiers with medals for quelling the
uprising. Awape Adediran a Molashin/ Kingmaker was
imprisoned for his active involvement.
25. Activist Mrs. Fumilayo Ransome-Kuti travelled widely,
including to the Eastern bloc (Hungary, USSR and China
where she met Mao Zedong). These interactions angered
Nigeria, Britain and America. America called her a
communist and refused her a U.S. Visa.
26. Mrs. Fumilayo Ransome-Kuti, legendary Fela’s mother,
was one of the delegates that negotiated Nigeria’s
independence in Britain.
27. Once upon a time, the north was the more literate part
of Nigeria. According to Lord Luggard, there were 25,000
Qur’anic Arabic schools with about 250,000 pupils in the
north.
28. Sardauna of Sokoto said he preferred foreign workers
to Igbo’s because he felt Igbo’s are domineering. This was
while Nigeria existed as regions with regional
administrations.
29. Kaduna Nzeogwu killed Sardauna in Nigeria’s first
military coup.
30. In 1966, a mischievous Igbo owned bakery allegedly
made a loaf of bread with a label that depicted Nzeogwu
as the Saint in the ‘Saint George and the Dragon’ medieval
tale, killing Sardauna, the ‘dragon,’ this labeled bread
provoked deadly anti-Igbo riots.
31. Idrîs Aloma (1571-1603) King of Kanem-Bornu went
on pilgrimage and came across firearms. He brought some
guns back, along with Turks to train his army on how to
use them.
32. Travel Visa was not required to travel to the United
Kingdom till 1984.
33. A brand new car sold for N2000 in 1975. A ticket to
London was less than N100 in 1975.
34. In 1976, 75 kobo exchanged for one British Pound and
60 kobo for one US dollar.
35. A dollar was 90 kobo at the beginning of Babangida's
term in 1985.
36. Nigeria took its first loan from the World Bank in
1977.
37. Obasanjo’s first term and Babangida’s regime oversaw
the weakening of the naira.
38. General Buhari and Idiagbon rejected IMF demands
that Nigeria devalue its currency.
39. Babangida’s coup in 1985 was invaluable to the
colonialists suspected to have been in support as it led to
Nigeria accepting SAP restrictions, loans and crippling
foreign monetary conditions.
40. Nigeria has 5 of the 10 richest pastors in the entire
world, with net worth’s according to Forbes, from $10-150
million. They are Pastors, David Oyedepo, E. A. Adeboye,
Chris Oyakhilome, Mathew Ashimolowo and Temitope
Joshua.
41. Nigeria has the 4th highest number of poor, living
under a dollar a day in the entire world. 100 million are
‘destitute’ according to figures from the NBS (National
Bureau of Statistics).
42. Nigeria, the 3rd biggest economy in Africa is 160th out
of 177 countries in HDI (Human Development Index).
43. Nigeria has the highest paid legislators in the entire
world.
44. Based on amount squandered, of an income of $81
billion per year, Nigeria is the most corrupt nation in the
world.
45. The nation with the most defrauded people, aka
‘mugus,’ in history, is Nigeria. Successive administrations
continue to loot a greater percentage of the nation’s
wealth, running in hundreds of billions of dollars.
46. Nigeria in 2013 was rated the worst country to be born
based on welfare and prosperity projection.
47. Aliko Dangote funded Presidents Obasanjo, Yar’Adua
and Jonathan’s 4th republic campaigns. Buhari rejected
funding from Dangote.
48. Usman dan Fodio (1754–1817) was trained in classical
Islamic science, philosophy and theology and wrote over
100 books on society, culture, religion, governance and
politics. He could only declare Jihad when he was made
leader in Gudu {In Islam you can only declare Jihad if you
are an official Muslim leader}.
49. The Borno Empire rejected Dan Fodio’s colonization
jihad. Al-Hajj Muhammad al-Amîn ibn Muhammad al-
Kânemî not only militarily defended his Empire, but also
did so by religious, theological, legal and political debates,
challenging why a Muslim Empire should colonize
another.
50. Kano history has it that a great warrior princess
Magajiya Maimuna led her cavalry from Zaria to conquer
Kumbwada.
51. Kumbwada in Kano today is ruled by Queen Hajiya
Haidzatu Ahmed, who presides over up to half a million
subjects. A throne curse which makes men sick and die,
keeps males off the throne. {Sadly, the woman ruled
Kumbwada is the least funded chiefdom in Nigeria}.
52. Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) is Nigeria's leading trade
partner in Africa.
53. There are several Nigerian officials in the government
of English speaking The Gambia.
54. There is a Nigerian origin, Yoruba chief in Accra. Chief
Brimah is the only foreign Chief with a seat in the
Ghanaian traditional council.
55. Cross River State: The Ejagham (Ekoi) people in the
Southeast are believed to have originated the Nsibidi
(Nsibiri) writing system which later spread to the Efik,
Igbo, Ibibio, Efut, Banyang and Annag peoples.
56. Discovered in 1928, Nigeria’s North and North Central
region hosts West Africa’s oldest civilization; the Nok,
which flourished between 1000 BC and 300 BC. {Nok
sculptures recently went on display disappointingly in
Germany (not Africa).}
57. Finished in 1460 the Benin Iya or moat is a historic
world defense wonder. Spanning 1,200 kilometers with
walls as high as 18 metres, it is the world’s largest
archeological structure.
58. Sungbo's Eredo in Ogun state (6°49′N, 3°56′E) is a 100
mile system of up to 70 ft trenches and walls around Ijebu-
Ode. It’s Queen, Bilkisu Sungbo has been attributed to the
Biblical Queen Sheeba (Queen Bilkis in Quran).
59. Lord Lugard estimated in 1904 that there were 170
walled towns still in existence in the whole of just the
Kano province of northern Nigeria. He described Kano:
‘Commercial emporium of the western Sudan.’ Of its wall,
he said, ‘I have never seen, nor even imagined, anything
like it in Africa.’
60. Osun: Queen Luwo, the twenty-first Ooni (ruler) of Ile-
Ife paved the streets with quartz pebbles—and broken
pottery, in 1000AD. The architecture had decorations that
originated from Ancient America.
61. Borno: The capital city of Kanem-Borno, Ngazargamu,
was one of the largest cities in 1658 AD; the metropolis
housed “about quarter of a million people” and had 660
well planned, wide and unbending streets.
62. In 1246 AD the Kanemi of Borno created a sensation in
Tunisia when he sent a gift of a giraffe to Al-Mustapha,
king of Tunis.
63. Sokoto: Two-story buildings with constructions glazed
with tsoluwa, (laterite gravel), 10 mile circumference city
walls, some as high as 20 feet, is how 16th century Surame,
a Sokoto metropolis created by empire ruler, Muhammadu
Kanta Sarkin Kebbi, was. UNESCO describes Surame as
“one of the wonders of human history, creativity and
ingenuity.”
64. Kano: In 1851, this city, one of the largest in Africa,
made 10 million sandal pairs and 5 million hides for
export every year.
65. Kebbi: Nigeria's Sorko Sea lords of Kebbi state, made
ships (Kanta) which were used for far away expeditions,
including the 1311 AD, 2000 ship, famous voyage of
Songhai Empire’s Mansa Abubakari II to the America’s,
decades before Columbus.
66. Yobe: The oldest discovered boat in Africa, and 3rd
oldest on the world, the 8500 yr old Dufuna canoe was
discovered by a Fulani herdsman in 1987 in Dufuna
village, Fune LGA.
67. Ondo: Confusing evolution scientists, the 13,000 yr old
Iwo-Eleru cave skull, the oldest human fossil remains
found in West Africa, has ‘ancient’ (140,000 yr old Laetoli)
features, yet lived in more modern times.
68. Benin Kingdom: The high quality and highly
sophisticated bronze work of the Benin Kingdom dating as
far back as the 13th century is a world wonder. Great
works in iron, wood, ivory, and terra cotta products also
highlight the empire’s history.
69. Benin Kingdom: Lourenco Pinto, captain of a ship that
carried missionaries to Warri in 1619, described Benin
kingdom, ‘Great Benin where the king resides is larger
than Lisbon, all the streets run straight and as far as the
eyes can see….’
70. Akwa Ibom: King Jaja of Opobo (1821–1891) founded
Opobo city-state in 1867 and shipped palm oil to Britain
independently of British middle men.
71. Ancient Greeks appear to have Nigerian roots as
supported by the Benin Haplogroup or Haplogroup 19.
According to Jide Uwechia, ‘The Benin Haplotype (which
originates from Nigeria, West Africa) accounts for HbS
associated chromosomes in Sicily Northern Greece.’
72. Ilorin’s Oba Afonja utilized Fulani warriors to help
rebel against the Oyo Empire. The warriors after defeating
Oyo took over Ilorin and Sheikh Alimi, their leader
became the first Emir.
73. Much of north Nigeria was part of the Songhai Empire.
Muhammad Kanta annexed Kebbi and other states
between 1512 and 1517.
74. The Obasanjo military regime converted Nigeria from
a Parliamentary system to a Presidential system of
government.
75. Much of traditional pre-colonial Nigeria operated a
parliamentary form of government. The council of elders
could make or impeach the King.
76. General Johnson Thomas Umurakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi on
24 May 1966, with Decree No. 34, dissolved Nigeria’s
regions, creating provinces. He unified Regional Public
Services under a single Commission. Riots were provoked
in Kano and mutiny in Abeokuta; eventually there was a
coup.
77. In 1967 Gowon split the four regions into 12 states.
78. Gowon’s Decree No. 8 of 1967 after the Aburi
conference restored Nigeria as a confederacy.
79. Late President Murtala Muhammed’s dad, Pam Azatus
Iyok was from Dogon-Gaba, near Vom in Plateau state,
Nigeria’s Middle Belt. Pam became a Muslim and married
Ramat from Kano. Murtala Muhammed’s wife, Hafsat
Ajoke was a Yoruba lady.
80. Ex- President Yakubu Gowon from Jos state (Middle
Belt) is a Christian. General Obasanjo was his Army chief
who helped him defeat the Biafra attempted secession
from 1967-1970.
81. Nigeria has been ruled for 30 years by Christians (25
years if Azikiwe is excluded).
82. Mujahid Asari Dokubo, the leader of the southern
Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND)
and the most vocal enemy of the north, is a Muslim.
83. Nigeria is not roughly divided between a Muslim north
and a Christian South. The far north, east and far south do
have concentrations, but the rest of the nation defies such
demarcations.
84. In the Southwest, Osun, Lagos, Ondo and Oyo have a
higher population of Muslims than Christians according to
counts. Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau in the north have
Christian majorities.
85. According to the Senate joint committee, Nigeria’s chief
terrorist leader, Abubakar Shekau is not a Nigerian; he
hails from Niger republic. {Shekau is believed by security
services to be deceased.}
86. According to current demographics, after Hausa-
Fulani (29%), Yoruba (21%), Igbo (18%) and Ijaw (10%)
comes Kanuri (4%) and then Ibibio (3.5%) and Tiv
(2.5%).
87. Not really a northern caucus, but it was late M. K. O.
Abiola that orchestrated and sponsored the Buhari /
Idiagbon coup and then again the Babangida coup
overthrow of Buhari. –Shagari memoir, “Beckoned to
Serve;” Babangida, “Karl Maier –Midnight in
Nigeria.” (Max Siollun)
88. The leading caucus is basically a childhood friendship:
President Obasanjo was childhood friends with President
Babangida, President Abacha and Commander Danjuma.
89. President Babangida was childhood friends with
President Abdulsalam.
90. President Obasanjo graduated Abdulsalam who later
became President and went on to hand over power to
democratically arranged President Obasanjo.
91. Under the Presidential system, Nigerians have had 7
years total Northern rule and 11+ years Southern rule.
92. Total civilian rule, Parliamentary and Presidential,
Nigeria has had 12 years Northern and 11+ years Southern
rule.
93. 6 coups is the highest number of any nation in Africa.
Nigeria along with Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Uganda and
Mauritania are the nations with 6 coups.
94. The Biafra war included a ‘Mid West invasion.’ The
Midwest was either a battle field or in Biafra’s sights—Dr.
Nowamagbe A. Omoigui relays.
95. The Biafra 12th battalion headed by Lt Col Victor
Adebukunola Banjo captured Benin and set out to capture
Ibadan and Lagos.
96. The Biafra 13th battalion, led by Ivenso entered
Kwara, now Kogi and captured Okene, Atanai and Iloshi.
97. Cameroon was an administrative part of Nigeria in
1945, hence the NCNC party (National Council of Nigeria
and the Cameroons). Towards independence the UN
mandated British held former German territory, south
Cameroon opted to join French Cameroon and not Nigeria.
98. J.C. Vaughn, Ernest Ikoli, H.O. Davies, Obafemi
Awolowo and Sam Tsuiuel Akinsanya founded the
Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) in 1934 to promote
national unity particularly between Yoruba and Igbo.
99. Azikiwe left Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) because
he claimed the organization had been seized by Yoruba’s
and it discriminated against Igbo’s including himself.
100. Oyo defeats Ashanti: In 1764 the Ashanti army
marched on Dahomey, Togo. At Atakpamé, the Ashanti
army was ambushed and sacked by Dahomean infantry
and female elite soldiers allied with forces from the Oyo
Empire. Ashanti King Kusi Obodum was destooled after
the defeat.
Nigeria’s century compilation was created as a historical
snapshot of peculiar events, for our benefit and that of
Nigeria’s younger generations. It was compiled to the best
of our ability and influenced by our learning, recollection
and prejudices. We invite Nigerians to collect and share
with us more important and unique events that define 100
years of Nigeria. Resources utilized here can be found on
ENDS.ng.
Dr. Peregrino Brimah
Dr. Peregrino Brimah
http://ENDS.ng/ [Every Nigerian Do Something]
Email: drbrimah@ends.ng Twitter:
@EveryNigerian

Nigeria...great people,great nation!