Nigeria has come a long way, some personalities and events have shaped the history of this great country, below are some personalities worth mentioning, if you feel there are some individuals worth being on that list you may add them up strictly in the spirit of history of our great country;
(1) Herbert Macaulay was the first Nigerian to own a car.
(2) Bishop Ajayi Crowther was the first Nigerian (African) Bishop. He was also the first man to translate the English Bible into a Nigerian language (Yoruba Language).
(3) Chief Obafemi Awolowo was the first man to introduce Universal Primary Education in Nigeria in the then Western Region in the year 1956.
(4) The name Nigeria was given by Flora Shaw, then girlfriend of Lord Lugard.
(5) Mary Slessor was the first Missionary to stop the killing of twins in Nigeria, she started I Calabar.
(6) The first Aeroplane landed in Kano in the year 1925.
(7) The first indigenous Inspector-General of Police is Mr. Louis O. Edet.
(8 ) The Nigerian Flag was designed by a Nigerian student in London as at then in the year 1960 by Mr. Taiwo Akinkunmi.
(9) The first ever Nigerian National Anthem was written by Miss Lynda U. Williams from Britain. The anthem was composed by Miss Francisca Benda.
(10) The National Anthem was composed by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ben Odiase.
(11) Abuja was declared Federal Capital Territory on 4th February,1976 by General Ramat Murtala Mohammed.
(12) Usman Dan Fodio was the first man to launch a Jihad against then Northern Nigeria in 1802.
(13) Formal education started in Nigeria in 1842.
(14) University College, the first standard University in Nigeria was established in the year 1948 at Ibadan.
(15) The first female to drive a motor car was Mrs. Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti.
(16) The first Eclipse of the Sun by the Moon occurred in Nigeria in 1947.
(17) The first hospital in Nigeria was established in Abeokuta, Ogun State on 27th January 1895.
(18) The first Psychiatric Hospital was established in Calabar, Cross Rivers State of Nigeria in the year 1903
(19) Shehu Usman Dan Fodio introduced Islamic religion to the northern part of Nigeria in the year 1804.
(20) The first Nigerian (and the first black-skinned African) to win a Nobel Laureate was Professor Wole Soyinka, he won the coveted Nobel Laureate in Literature in the year 1986.
(21) Chief Emeka Anyaoku was the first Nigerian to become the Secretary-General of Commonwealth of Nations and the first African to be President of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
(22) Professor Chike Obi was the first Nigerian Professor of Mathematics.
(23) Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe was the first indigenous President of Nigeria.
(24) Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was the first Prime Minister of Nigeria.
(25) General Aguiyi Ironsi was the first military Head of State of Nigeria.
(26) Dr Teslim Elias was the first Attorney-General of Nigeria.
(27) Dr Clement Isong was the first Governor of Central Bank of Nigeia.
(28) Professor Grace Alele Williams was the first female Vice-Chancellor in Nigeria.
(29) Flora Nwakpa was the first female author in Nigeria.
(30) Chinyere Onyemachara was the first female pilot in Nigeria.
(31) Dr Elizabeth Abimbola was the first female doctor in Nigeria.
(32) Mrs. Latifat Okunnu was the first female deputy Governor in Nigeria.
(33) Mrs Dorothy Miller was the first female Commissioner in Nigeria.
(34) Mrs Efunroye Tinubu was the first female to buy a car in Nigeria.
(35) Sapara Williams (a Nigerian) was the first Black Lawyer in Africa.

@ no 19, Usman dan Fodio did not introduce islam in Northern Nigeria. Islam was already rooted in the north even before the birth of Fodio. However, well done bro.

The first Nigerian indigenous literature, Omenuko written by Pita Nwanna and published in 1933.

The first Nigerian indigenous V.C was Prof Kenneth Dike.

Andre Uweh: @ no 19, Usman dan Fodio did not introduce islam in Northern Nigeria. Islam was already rooted in the north even before the birth of Fodio. However, well done bro.

Really? I never knew that! But who introduced the religion then? Any clue?

The first Nigerian indigenous university established in Nsukka in 1960.

Andre Uweh: @ no 19, Usman dan Fodio did not introduce islam in Northern Nigeria. Islam was already rooted in the north even before the birth of Fodio. However, well done bro.

Correct...

Uthman Dan Fodio brought Jihad to Nigeria, however, he never introduced Islam to any part of Nigeria... Nigeria had Muslims from way back at the heights of the Kingdoms of Songhay, Ghana, and Mali - and they traded with people from those kingdoms...

Strong black women -

(15) The first female to drive a motor car was Mrs. Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti.
(28) Professor Grace Alele Williams was the first female Vice-Chancellor in Nigeria.
(29) Flora Nwakpa was the first female author in Nigeria.
(30) Chinyere Onyemachara was the first female pilot in Nigeria.
(31) Dr Elizabeth Abimbola was the first female doctor in Nigeria.
(32) Mrs. Latifat Okunnu was the first female deputy Governor in Nigeria.
(33) Mrs Dorothy Miller was the first female Commissioner in Nigeria.
(34) Mrs Efunroye Tinubu was the first female to buy a car in Nigeria.

shymexx:

Correct...

Uthman Dan Fodio brought Jihad to Nigeria, however, he never introduced Islam to any part of Nigeria... Nigeria had Muslims from way back at the heights of the Kingdoms of Songhay, Ghana, and Mali - and they traded with people from those kingdoms...

I mean who actually brought the religion to the northern part of this country? Any clue?

shymexx: Strong black women -

(7) The first indigenous Inspector-General of Police is Mr. Louis O. Edet.
(15) The first female to drive a motor car was Mrs. Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti.
(28) Professor Grace Alele Williams was the first female Vice-Chancellor in Nigeria.
(29) Flora Nwakpa was the first female author in Nigeria.
(30) Chinyere Onyemachara was the first female pilot in Nigeria.
(31) Dr Elizabeth Abimbola was the first female doctor in Nigeria.
(32) Mrs. Latifat Okunnu was the first female deputy Governor in Nigeria.
(33) Mrs Dorothy Miller was the first female Commissioner in Nigeria.
(34) Mrs Efunroye Tinubu was the first female to buy a car in Nigeria.

Do you know something we don't? ? ?

(22) Professor Chike Obi was the first Nigerian Professor of Mathematics.
(26) Dr Teslim Elias was the first Attorney-General of Nigeria.

^^^^I've read a lot about these two great men - can someone please tell me more about them??

Katsumoto:

Do you know something we don't? ? ?

Bwahahahaha

That was an error - edited...

Katsumoto:

Do you know something we don't? ? ?

You are bad. LMAO

Katsumoto:

Do you know something we don't? ? ?

I tot as much, that should be a typo I guess

tomakint:
I mean who actually brought the religion to the northern part of this country? Any clue?

No one, to be honest...

The Northerners were kind of part of the Songhay Empire - so, I guess a lot of them converted to Islam when it gained a foothold in the Empire... A lot of Yoruba people converted to Islam as well during the same period due to trading...


Map of Songhay Empire:

[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/SONGHAI_empire_map.PNG[/img]

shymexx:

^^^^I've read a lot about these two great men - can someone please tell me more about them??

Teslim Elias

Oppenheimer Research Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, Nuffield College and Queen Elizabeth House

In 1956 he was visiting professor of political science at the University of Delhi.

He returned to London in 1957 and was appointed a Governor of the School of Oriental and African Studies. As the constitutional and legal adviser to the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (which later became the National Convention of Nigerian Citizens), he participated in the 1958 Nigerian Constitutional Conference in London. He was one of the architects of Nigeria's independence constitution.

In 1960 Elias was invited to become Nigeria's Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.[3] He served in this capacity through the whole of the first republic. Although later dismissed after the coup d'état in January 1966, he was reinstated in November of that year.

He was a member of the United Nations International Law Commission from 1961 to 1975, he served as General Rapporteur from 1965 to 1966 and was its Chairman in 1970

He was a member of the United Nations Committee of Experts which drafted the constitution of the Congo, 1961-1962. He also helped to draft the charter of the Organization of African Unity (O.A.U.), and its Protocol of Mediation, Conciliation and Arbitration. Elias also represented the O.A.U. and Nigeria before the International Court of Justice in the proceedings concerning the status of Namibia.

In 1966 Elias was appointed Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Lagos.

Later in 1966, Elias was re-appointed as Nigeria's Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice (a position he held while remaining Dean and Professor at the University of Lagos), until 1972, when he became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He was ousted from this position by a military regime that took power in Nigeria at the end of July 1975.

A few months later (in October 1975), he was elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations to the International Court of Justice at The Hague. In 1979, he was elected Vice-President by his colleagues on that Court. In 1981, after the death of Sir Humphrey Waldock, the President of the Court, he took over as Acting President. In 1982, the members of the Court elected him President of the Court. He thus became the first African jurist to hold that honor. Five years later, Elias was also appointed to the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague.

From Wiki

Fearing pyguru.

Did anyone have a clue when Christianity was brought to Nigeria by the Portuguese?

Katsumoto:
Teslim Elias

Oppenheimer Research Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, Nuffield College and Queen Elizabeth House

In 1956 he was visiting professor of political science at the University of Delhi.

He returned to London in 1957 and was appointed a Governor of the School of Oriental and African Studies. As the constitutional and legal adviser to the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (which later became the National Convention of Nigerian Citizens), he participated in the 1958 Nigerian Constitutional Conference in London. He was one of the architects of Nigeria's independence constitution.

In 1960 Elias was invited to become Nigeria's Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.[3] He served in this capacity through the whole of the first republic. Although later dismissed after the coup d'état in January 1966, he was reinstated in November of that year.

He was a member of the United Nations International Law Commission from 1961 to 1975, he served as General Rapporteur from 1965 to 1966 and was its Chairman in 1970

He was a member of the United Nations Committee of Experts which drafted the constitution of the Congo, 1961-1962. He also helped to draft the charter of the Organization of African Unity (O.A.U.), and its Protocol of Mediation, Conciliation and Arbitration. Elias also represented the O.A.U. and Nigeria before the International Court of Justice in the proceedings concerning the status of Namibia.

In 1966 Elias was appointed Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Lagos.

Later in 1966, Elias was re-appointed as Nigeria's Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice (a position he held while remaining Dean and Professor at the University of Lagos), until 1972, when he became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He was ousted from this position by a military regime that took power in Nigeria at the end of July 1975.

A few months later (in October 1975), he was elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations to the International Court of Justice at The Hague. In 1979, he was elected Vice-President by his colleagues on that Court. In 1981, after the death of Sir Humphrey Waldock, the President of the Court, he took over as Acting President. In 1982, the members of the Court elected him President of the Court. He thus became the first African jurist to hold that honor. Five years later, Elias was also appointed to the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague.

From Wiki

Fearing pyguru.

Governor of SOAS??

That's big achievement!!! SOAS is like a resident top 15 University in the UK...

I wish I was born in the 60s when Nigeria had technocrats and intellectuals running the affairs of the country - good times right there...

tomakint: Did anyone have a clue when Christianity was brought to Nigeria by the Portuguese?

They introduced Catholicism in the 15th century but it didn't grow until the 19th century when missionaries made their way to Western Nigeria. The methodists (Wesleyans) also made their entry into Yorubaland in the 1840s.

tomakint: Did anyone have a clue when Christianity was brought to Nigeria by the Portuguese?

That should be around the 17th-18th century...

shymexx:

Governor of SOAS??

That's big achievement!!! SOAS is like a resident top 15 University in the UK...

I wish I was born in the 60s when Nigeria had technocrats and intellectuals running the affairs of country - good times right there...

Trust me, Nigeria had brains in the past. Reasons are not far fetched.

Katsumoto:

They introduced Catholicism in the 15th century but it didn't grow until the 19th century when missionaries made their way to Western Nigeria. The methodists (Wesleyans) also made their entry into Yorubaland in the 1840s.

....meaning Islam was generally accepted before Christianity? I thought I heard something different though

tomakint:
....meaning Islam was generally accepted before Christianity? I thought I heard something different though

Correct

Catholicism was mainly around Lagos and the Niger Delta.

Katsumoto:

Trust me, Nigeria had brains in the past. Reasons are not far fetched.

True... The CV of some of the major players in the first republic is quite scary... Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, LSE, Imperial College, MIT, Kings College, Warwick etc. and most of them graduated with 1st class degrees... If those people at that time in our history could be so brilliant(and they overachieved, to be honest) - how come this generation is so messed up??

shymexx:


True... The CV of some of the major players in the first republic is quite scary... Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, LSE, Imperial College, MIT, Kings College, Warwick etc. and most of them graduated with 1st class degrees... If those people at that time in our history could be so brilliant(and they overachieved, to be honest) - how come this generation is so messed up??

The truth is we still have many brilliant minds amidst us but the failure of our past leaders to discourage short cut to 'monetary gains' bastardized the whole show, now 'great minds' who ought to continue in their chosen path of the academics veer off the track to chase money, why? Money is the in-thing now no more 'the die-hard selfless services of those titans in those days'

shymexx:


True... The CV of some of the major players in the first republic is quite scary... Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, LSE, Imperial College, MIT, Kings College, Warwick etc. and most of them graduated with 1st class degrees... If those people at that time in our history could be so brilliant(and they overachieved, to be honest) - how come this generation is so messed up??

The quality of education, and standard of living in general, started decreasing after the British left as the desire to acquire wealth increased. So administrators started to pilfer budgets. People taught the corruption under Balewa was bad until corruption took a turn for the worst under Gowon. Then it got worse under Shagari before Babangida institutionalized corruption.

And like Tomakint stated, Nigeria still has many brilliant minds. Unfortunately, they are not being nurtured and many have to leave Nigeria to progress.

Katsumoto:

The quality of education, and standard of living in general, started decreasing after the British left as the desire to acquire wealth increased. So administrators started to pilfer budgets. People taught the corruption under Balewa was bad until corruption took a turn for the worst under Gowon. Then it got worse under Shagari before Babangida institutionalized corruption.

And like Tomakint stated, Nigeria still has many brilliant minds. Unfortunately, they are not being nurtured and many have to leave Nigeria to progress.

You are perfectly right especially on the Gowon issue, remember when he made the infamous comment of "The Problem with Nigeria is not money but how to spend it" Little wonderhe chose to establish an agreement with Eric M. Gairy, then Prime Minister of Grenada, on May 1975 to pay the salaries of the small Caribbean country’s civil servants ($2.5 million was loaned out by the Gowon led government) during the Commonwealth summit held in Jamaica (you can read this up on page 71, “Troubled Journey: Nigeria since the Civil War”, eds LN Nwachukwu and GN Uzoigwe, 2004 also “Nigerian Foreign Policy Under Military Rule 1966-1999″ by O Abegunrin, 2003, page 63). For that singular "Father Christmas blunder' from Gowon, Nigeria started nose-diving economically, also consider the unnecessary mass-purging of about 10,000 civil servants by Murtala that was another terrible blunder, no thanks to these two clowns!

tomakint:

You are perfectly right especially on the Gowon issue, remember when he made the infamous comment of "The Problem with Nigeria is not money but how to spend it" Little wonderhe chose to establish an agreement with Eric M. Gairy, then Prime Minister of Grenada, on May 1975 to pay the salaries of the small Caribbean country’s civil servants ($2.5 million was loaned out by the Gowon led government) during the Commonwealth summit held in Jamaica (you can read this up on page 71, “Troubled Journey: Nigeria since the Civil War”, eds LN Nwachukwu and GN Uzoigwe, 2004 also “Nigerian Foreign Policy Under Military Rule 1966-1999″ by O Abegunrin, 2003, page 63). For that singular "Father Christmas blunder' from Gowon, Nigeria started nose-diving economically, also consider the unnecessary mass-purging of about 10,000 civil servants by Murtala that was another terrible blunder, no thanks to these two clowns!

It is instructive to note that Gowon himself wasn't corrupt but he was weak to address it just as Balewa and Shagari were equally weak to address it. Heads of state had to give money to Gowon while in Kampala. Gowon worked in the student cafetaria while a student at Warwick. Murtala made the situation worse by the mass purging. That singular act created a situation where civil servants HAD to embezzle while in office because they KNEW there would be no pension if fired. The two individuals who attempted to correct it were ousted from office by the number one thief, IBB.

Katsumoto:

It is instructive to note that Gowon himself wasn't corrupt but he was weak to address it just as Balewa and Shagari were equally weak to address it. Heads of state had to give money to Gowon while in Kampala. Gowon worked in the student cafetaria while a student at Warwick. Murtala made the situation worse by the mass purging. That singular act created a situation where civil servants HAD to embezzle while in office because they KNEW there would be no pension if fired. The two individuals who attempted to correct it were ousted from office by the number one thief, IBB.

Right on point pal, but one thing is still discombobulating on the 'Federal capital Territory stuff' by Murtala in 1975, did you consider that move a wise one or a fooolish one?

tomakint:
Right on point pal, but one thing is still discombobulating on the 'Federal capital Territory stuff' by Murtala in 1975, did you consider that move a wise one or a fooolish one?

Nothing wrong with moving the capital to the geographical centre but its implementation and the reasons behind it were wrong.

Katsumoto:

Nothing wrong with moving the capital to the geographical centre but its implementation and the reasons behind it were wrong.

It's true, but it should have been Suleija or Lokoja instead of a barren land called Abuja.

Katsumoto:

Nothing wrong with moving the capital to the geographical centre but its implementation and the reasons behind it were wrong.

I mean when he pen down that move at a time Lagos was still underpopulated and needing more attention that befits a City at that time. It was actually a move that cost the young country then tons and tons of funds, which were massively wasted trust me Katz that was the Genesis of Nigeria's debt problem. that guy (Murtala) would have made a mincemeat of this great country if he had stayed a little bit longer