Kenny4lyfe: As Nigeria celebrates her 53rd Independence anniversary today, Daily Times serves our readers 53 unique things about the nation. Happy reading:
1. The most commonly spoken phrase in Nigeria is "How far?”
2. Nigeria is home to seven percent (7%) of the total languages spoken on earth. Taraba State alone has more languages than 30 African countries.
3. The Walls of Benin (800-1400AD), in present day Edo State, are the longest ancient earthworks in the world.
4. The Yoruba tribe has the highest rate of twin births in the world. Igbo-Ora, a little town in Oyo state, has been nicknamed ‘Twin capital of the World’ because of its unusually high rate of twins that is put as high as 158 twins per 1000 births.
5. Sarki Muhammad Kanta The Great of Kebbi, was the only ruler who resisted control by Songhai, West Africa’s greatest empire at that time. He founded and ruled the Hausa city-state of Kebbi around 1600 A.D.
6. Africa’s oldest known boat is The Dufuna canoe, which was discovered in Dufuna village, Yobe State, by a Fulani Herdsman in May 1987, while he dug a well.
7. Sungbo’s Eredo, a 160 km rampart equipped with guard houses and moats, is reputed to be the largest single pre-colonial monument (or ancient fortification if you like) in Africa. It is located in present-day Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
8. The Jos Plateau Indigobird, a small reddish-brown bird, is found nowhere else on the planet but Plateau State.
9. The Anambra waxbill, a small bird of many beautiful colours, is found only in Southern Nigeria and nowhere else on earth.
10. The Niger Delta (which is the second largest delta on the planet), has the highest concentration of monotypic fish families in the world, and is also home to 60 percent of Nigeria’s mangrove forests.
11. Nigeria’s mangrove forests are the largest in Africa and third largest on earth.
12. According to the World Resources Institute, Nigeria is home to 4,715 different types of plant species, and over 550 species of breeding birds and mammals, making it one of the most ecologically vibrant places of the planet.
13. Ile-Ife, in present day Osun State, was paved as early as 1000AD, with decorations that originated from ancient America.
14. Though the country has three dominant tribes, Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba and the Ibo (Igbo), there are over 250 ethnic groups.
15. Nigeria derives her name from the Niger River which is the largest and the longest river in West Africa and is about 4,180 kilometres long.
16. The Nigerian movie industry which produces between 150-200 movies every week is known as Nollywood – it is ranked as the world’s second-largest producer of movies and trails just behind the Indian Bollywood industry.
17. Areas surrounding Cross State River and Calabar towards the south of Nigeria are home to the largest diversity of butterflies in the world.
18. Sarki Abdullah Burja of Kano (ruled 1438-1452 AD), the 18th ruler of Ancient Kano, created the first Golden Age in Northern Nigeria and ushered in a period of great prosperity. During his reign, Hausa became the biggest indigenous language spoken in Africa after Swahili.
19. Two of the world’s rarest species of animals live in the mysterious Nigerian forests - the Drill monkey that lives in the Afi Mountain ranges and the lowland Gorilla.
20. Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets became the first team from Africa to win a FIFA competition when they won the U16 (now U17) World Cup in China in 1985.
21. Nigeria is the first African nation to have won the football gold medal of an Olympics achieving this feat at Atlanta’96.
22. The 50,000-seater ‘Faith Tabernacle” of Winners Chapel Churches is the largest church auditorium in the world. Its 2008 Guinness Book world record has not been broken even in 2013.
23. The University of Nigeria was the first full-fledged indigenous and first autonomous university in Nigeria. The origins of the university are in Yaba College, founded in 1932 in Yaba, Lagos as the first tertiary educational institute in Nigeria.
24. Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s Finance Minister is Forbes’ 83rd Most Powerful Woman in the World.
25. Nigeria’s Mrs Esther Taiwo Olukoya and Mrs Emily Kehinde Olukoga-Ogunde, who looked almost identical, are probably the third set of twins in the world to hit the century age and perhaps the first in Africa.
26. A Nigerian man, Aliko Dangote – founder of Dangote Group, is the richest man in Africa and richest black man in the world.
27. The richest woman in Africa, Folorunsho Alakija, is a Nigerian. She is worth about $600 million (N97 billion).
28. Iwe–Irohin, Nigeria's first newspaper was established by a missionary, Henry Townsend in 1859.
29. It is on record that Daily Times Nigeria is the only Nigerian newspaper to attain a 500,000 copy circulation with one title. The Daily Times had emerged a colossus.
30. Nigerian terror sect, Boko Haram carried out its first known attack in Borno in January 2011.
31. A Nigerian university, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile- Ife, Osun State has the most beautiful campus in Africa. It was founded in 1962.
32. The Igbos of Eastern Nigeria launched a series of massive riots that put paid to Colonialism in Nigeria. This was led by the women of Aba, protesting the heavy taxation of the colonial lords. They marched on the colonial offices and chased the administrators away.
33. President Musa Yar'Adua is the first democratically elected president to die in office.
34. Okobaba Sawmil, situated at Ebute Meta Lagos, Nigeria is the largest sawmill in Africa.
35. The largest Christian gatherings in the world have been held in Nigeria - (Holy Ghost Festivals; Redeemed Christian Church of God; 5 to 12 million People).
36. If you go to some areas in the Niger-Delta and step firmly on the soil, crude oil will gush out.
37. Goodluck Jonathan is the first democratic president that was not elected after assuming the mantel of leadership with the death of President Musa Yar’Adua in 2010. He went on to win the Presidential election a year later.
38. Late Musa Yar'dua was the first president to declare his assets according to the provision of 1999 constitution of Nigeria.
39. The pastor of the largest church in the United Kingdom is a Nigerian; Matthew Ashimolow of the Kingsway International Christian Centre.
40. Since Nigeria made her first FIFA World Cup finals appearance at USA’94; she has gone on to appear in three other finals but has never gone beyond the second round.
41. Liberty Stadium Ibadan Oyo State, Nigeria is the first stadium to be built in Africa. The stadium was opened in 1960 during the tenure of Chief Obafemi Awolowo as the Premier of the Western Region.
42. Hubert Ogunde was the first professional theatre man in Nigeria who lived entirely by the art.
43. According to reports, the late MKO Abiola sent $10m to Youeri Museveni to help topple the despot, Idi Amin Dada.
44. Nigerian pidgin (which uses a primary English lexicon) is also a common lingua franca. Roughly a third of Nigeria's population speak Pidgin English which is a simplified form of the language.
45. Some traditional cultural expressions are found in the various masquerades of Nigeria, such as the Eyo masquerades, the Ekpe and Ekpo Masquerades of the Efik/Ibibio/Annang/Igbo peoples of coastal south-eastern Nigeria, and the Northern Edo Masquerades. The most popular Yoruba wooden masks are the Gelede masquerades.
46. The country is listed among the "Next Eleven" economies, and is one of the fastest growing in the world with the International Monetary Fund projecting growth of 9 per cent in 2008 and 8.3 per cent in 2009.
47.In Intercontinental Hotel, Nigeria has the tallest hotel in West Africa built at a cost of N30 billion located in Lagos, with a 23-storey building containing 358 rooms and 37 suites and a Presidential suite.
48. Lagos is the second fastest growing city in Africa and the seventh fastest growing city in the world. The newest reports of the Nigeria Census estimate the population is now 21 million, making Lagos the largest city in Africa.
49. Nigeria has the highest maternal mortality rate in Africa. Nigeria accounts for 10 per cent of maternal deaths in the world, ranking the second highest after India.
50. The Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) generates only 3,200 megawatts while the nation needs at least 8,000 megawatts.
51. Nigeriahas more writers and authors than the rest of West African combined. And in Professor Wole Soyinka has the region’s first Nobel Prize winner.
52. Nigeria has the 4th largest number of doctors in the world.
53. There are more Muslims in Nigeria than there are in Saudi Arabia - 60 million v 20 million. In fact, there are more Muslims in Nigeria than there are in any other country in Africa.
OLAADEGBU:Doctor Prays Over Dead Patient, Raises Him From the Dead
After suffering a massive heart attack, Jeff Markin was dead in the ER. Doctors had done everything they could but decided there was nothing more they could do. As he was leaving the room, cardiologist Chauncey Crandall received a clear message from the Lord to pray over Jeff. Miraculously, doctors were able to revive the dead patient after Dr. Crandall’s prayer. See how Jeff is doing today!
omanifrank: N1000 packets like this one were given out by a bride's family to guests that attended their daughter/sister's wedding on the 13th of September, 2013. Bride's name is Ummi Shagari.
ganase2: Its simply impossible! How can one survive this scenerio as seen in the picture when its not a movie?
This happened to a Chinese who woman made a miraculous escape after her car was crushed by a giant container as she was driving alongside a lorry carrying the huge, orange box, which suddenly listed to one side.
More pictures of her escape after the cut
The container fell off the side of the lorry, flattening the top half of the car which came to a halt on the road in China.
Firefighters were called to the scene just 1pm on Saturday, but had to wait almost twenty minutes for a crane powerful enough to life the container off of the car.
Rescuers and members of the crowd which had gathered were then astounded to hear a voice from inside the car shouting for help.
They were able to cut the car open with tools and pull the woman, who had sustained no serious injuries, to safety.
MyTeenCity: Absolutely correct. Unfortunately it just goes to demonstrate how far I have expanded my beliefs about men from African who date African American women-they only want a Green Card. This is awful. I can only pray that one day I feel different. Prayerfully something will spark a change of heart. But for now, I will not date any man from Africa regardless of their city, tribe, or sub-culture. If the dominant culture is Africa-it is hands off for me.
Op I really understand how you feels , but I want to let you know that Love is always repaired by Love alone and the spaces between your fingers were created so that another person's fingers could fill them in , you cannot Love again unless you have accepted forgiveness , the deeper your forgiveness is , the greater is your Love , A woman has got to Love a bad man once or twice in her life , so that she will be thankful for a good man when she find one , Time is too slow for those who wait Time is too swift for those who fear Time is too long for those who grieve Time is too short for those who rejoice But for those who Love Time is eternity, you can never lose by loving but you always lose by holding back . Move on and forget the past Believed it or not your next husband go na bi an Africana ,( A NIGERIAN ) Finally IF YOU TRY AND FAIL DON'T FAIL TO TRY AGAIN ( GOODLUCK )
Jbluv55: Reality dawns on you when the babe that you dumped finds another good guy while all the other girls you get to meet are just taking you as maga.
Maga or mugu any one can serve you right if u don't have brain
Politics › Re: President Jonathan Visits Super-Eagles In Ethiopia by ONESON1(m): 1:35pm On Oct 13, 2013
