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NIGERIA FROM 1000-1999 - An Historical Update
by
Mobolaji E. Aluko, PhD
Burtonsville, MD, USA
Last year, at about this same time of the year, I compiled and published
what I could glean from various sources about various key events in
Nigeria over the past millennium. It was comprehensive, but by no means
exhaustive. There were events omitted - sporting highlights, the
contribution of women, literary and educational milestones, death
announcements of some important personalities, etc. A few dates needed
correction. Several readers graciously pointed some of these out, while I
went looking for others.
The information below is my best attempt at the update of One Thousand
Years of Nigeria's history from 1000 to 1999. The highlights of just the
Year 2000 will be published in a separate email at a later date.
Have a Happy New Year 2001.
Bolaji Aluko
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Nigerian Millenium History in Review - 1000 - 1999
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>From 1000 AD to 1799 AD:
1000-1300s Hausa states develop in Northern Nigeria, Kanem-Bornu
kingdom in Northeast Nigeria introduces Islam to the region.
Yoruba culture thrives around Ile-Ife.
1290: This year: Ile-Ife smiths arrive in Benin
1472: Portuguese reach Benin Gulf and begin trading
1500 - 1600s: High point of Northern political history
1591: Powerful Songhai Kingdom (which included Western Hausaland)
collapses under Moroccan invasion
1700s:Britain dominates other European nations in controlling
lucrative slave trade along Nigerian coast
Severe drought and resulting famine in the 1740s, 1750s and 1790s
weaken several Sahel and Savanna states
In the 1800s:
1804: Fulani Jihad begins
1817: Ilorin Afonja revolt against Oyo; Fulani Alimi takes over
1851: Occupation of Lagos by the British forces; Oba Kosoko defeated
and deposed
1859: First Nigerian newspaper, Iwe Irohin Fun Awon Ara Egba ati Yoruba
[Newspaper for the Egbas and the Yoruba] set up December 1859
in Abeokuta by Anglican minister, Henry Townsend
CMS Grammar School, Lagos is established as Nigeria's first
secondary school
1861: Lagos ceded to British; Oba Docemo signs cession treaty; Lagos
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has its own governor
1866: Governor of Sierra Leone rulers over Lagos
1867: "Iwe Irohin" newspaper ceases publication
1871: First census of Lagos Colony
1872: First prison (Broad Street) established in Nigeria
1874: Governor of Gold Coast (now Ghana) rules over Lagos
1879: In the North, Sir George Goldie forms the United and later
National African Company, amalgamating rival traders
1881: Census of the settlement of Lagos and its dependencies
1885: Berlin West African Conference; Oil River Protectorate declared
in the Eastern part of Nigeria
1886: Successful military campaign by the British against Yoruba rulers
outside Lagos begins (ending in 1906)
1886: Charter granted to the National African Company (later called
the Royal Niger Company) to administer the protected territories
in Northern NIgeria
1887: British punitive expedition against King Jaja of Opobo
1889: Oil Ordinance, a colonial legislation, enacted
1891: British consul in Calabar named a commisioner
1892: British Expeditions against Emirs of Ilorin and Nupe
1893: Oil River Protectorate (East) renamed Niger Coast Protectorate
Rabeh, a Shuwa Arab and his army, sacks much of Bornu and its
capital Kukawa
1894: British punitive expedition against Jekri Chief Nana in the
South; in the North, Borno territory placed under British
protection
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1895: British punitive expedition against Brass
Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar is established as
Nigeria's first east of the Niger secondary school
1897: British punitive expedition against Oba of Benin in the South;
in the North, Emirates of Nupe and Ilorin defeated militarily
1899: Niger Coast protectorate transferred to the Colonial Office
In the 1900s:
1900: In Northern Nigeria, administration of the Royal Niger Company
renamed Protectorate of Northern Nigeria under British Crown;
in the East, some Igbo communities defeated by the British.
The Niger Coast protectorate is renamed Protectorate of
Southern Nigeria
1901: Centers of resistance in Nupe, Kotangora defeated by the British
by the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF)
1901: Census of the British Empire (including its territories in
Nigeria)
1902: Bauchi, Borno resistance centers defeated by the British RWAFF
1903: Kano, Sokoto resistance centers defeated by the British RWAFF
1906: Colony and Protectorate of Lagos merged with the protectorate
of Southern Nigeria to form the Colony and Protectorate of
Southern Nigeria
1907: Mineral Oil Ordinance enacted
1912: Enugu (Eastern region) established as a coal-mining town
1914: Amalgamation of the administrations of Northern and Southern
Nigeria into the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. Lord
Lugard appointed Governor-General. Two Chief Commissioners
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are in charge of the two divisions, Northern and Southern.
Mineral Oil Act enacted
1914-1918: World War I (4th April 1914 - 11th November, 1918)
1917: Kaduna is founded as an administrative headquarters of the North
1921: Oil exploration rights granted to D'arcy Exploration Co. &
Whitehall Petroleum Co. Ltd; no oil found in the Niger Delta
1922: Sir Hugh Clifford (successor to Lugard) abolishes the
two existing legislative Councils in Lagos, substituting with
with a single Nigerian Legislative Council for Southern
provinces only, In the North, legislative power is vested
in the Governor. The Clifford Constitution is in operation
Herbert Macaulay and others form the Nigerian National Democratic
Party (NNDP)
1923: First Legislative Council elections in September: NNDP wins three
seats
1926: Sir Graham Thompson becomes Governor of Nigeria
1927: Aba Riots (or "Igbo Ogu Umuwanyi", Women's War) in November. 50
women killed, 50 wounded in Owerri and Calabar provinces
1928: April 28: Ibibio State Union (a cultural ethnic organisation)
formed
1930: Sir Donald C. Cameron becomes Governor of Nigeria (till 1936)
1931: Census of Nigeria
1933: Legislative council powers are extended to the North; Vaughn
Ikoli and Akinsanya form Lagos Youth Movement (LYM)
Newspaper "The Comet" estabished
1934: Zik returns to Africa (Ghana) from the US
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1936: Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) formed
1937: Zik returns to Nigeria from Ghana
Sir Bernard Bourdillon becomes Governor; LYM changed to Nigeria
Youth Movement; H.O. Davies is General Secretary; "West African
Pilot" newspaper established with Nnamdi Azikwe as founding
Editor
1938: Shell D'arcy granted oil exploration over the whole of mainland
Nigeria; Shell D'arcy later becomes Shell-BP (an Anglo-Dutch
concern)
1939: Southern Protectorate divided into Western and Eastern provinces,
each with a Chief Commissioner, with headquarters at Ibadan
and Enugu
1939 - 1945: World War II (1st September 1939 - May 7, 1945)
1943: Sir Arthur Richards (later Lord Milverton of Lagos and Clifton)
becomes Governor; introduces the first Federal form of
constitution worked on earlier by Sir Bernard Bourdillon
1944: National Council of Nigerian and Cameroon (NCNC) formed August
26; Herbert Macaulay is president and Nnamdi Azikiwe is General
Secretary. In December, Sir Richards lays out constitutional
reforms (December)
1945: Sir Richards' constitutional reforms laid on table of
Legislative Council (March)
May 7: World War II ends
June 22: General Workers' Strike, lasting 45 days
This year:
Nigeria Football (NFA) founded
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Egbe Omo Oduduwa, a Yoruba cultural organization, is founded in
London by Obafemi Awolowo
1946: May 7: Herbert Macaulay dies; Zik succeeds him as NCNC president
1947 The Action Group is founded; NCNC delegation of seven, led
by Dr. Azikiwe, travels to London to protest Macpherson
Constitution
This year: Daily Times newspaper founded
1948: Sir John Macpherson becomes Governor
The University College, Ibadan, is established
1949: Nigerian Tribune newspaper founded by Chief Obafemi Awolowo
In the North, the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC), originally
non-political, is formed
Nov. 18: Coal Miners' Strike (Iva Valley, Enugu), over pay
raise demand, 21 miners massacred
1950: Aminu Kano forms first Northern political party: Northern
Elements Progressive Union (NEPU)
Census of Lagos
1951: The Macpherson Federal Constitution is introduced
1952: National census taken: count - 29 million Nigerians
Amos Tutuola publishes first Nigerian mythic prose fiction ("The
Palmwine Drinkard")
1953: Enahoro moves (in March 1953) resolution in the House of
Representatives for attainment of self-governance of Nigeria "in
1956". North is unwilling, preferring "as soon as practicable."
May: riots break out in Kano during campaign for self-government
Macpherson Constitution revised in London in July and August
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Council of Rivers Chiefs replaces Ijo Rivers People's League
(formed between 1941-52) and continues agitation for creation of
distinct Rivers province.
December: Calabar-Ogoja-Rivers (COR) State movement formed in Uyo
1954: More revisions of the Macpherson Constitution in London and
Lagos; becomes effective October 1, 1954; Sir John Macpherson
becomes first Governor-General of the Federation of Nigeria
Federal House of Representatives elections October - December
Cyprian Ekwensi publishes first Nigerian "realistic" novel
("People of the City")
1955 First set of 20 women were recruited into the Nigeria Police
Force
1956: Oil discovered by Shell-BP in Nigeria in January 1956 at Oloibiri
in the Niger Delta; later in the year at Afam, Bomu & Ebubu (in
Ogoniland)
1957: March 6: Ghana becomes independent
May/June: Nigeria London Constitutional Conference.
Independence unanimously proposed for a date unspecified in 1959,
but "not later than April 2, 1960"
August 30: Alhaji Tafawa Balewa forms first all-Nigeria Federal
Executive Council; he is Prime Minister
September 25: Willink Minorities Commission set up
This year: Asuquo Bassey (aka Hogan "Kid" Bassey)
wins World featherweight boxing title in Paris, France
Nigeria establishes (in Western Nigeria) first television station
in Africa
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1958: August 18: Willink Commission publishes report
September/October: Resumed Constitutional Conference in London
announces October 1, 1960 as Independence date
First oil field came on stream producing 5,100 bpd
This year: Hogan "Kid" Bassey is knighted by the Queen Elizabeth
II
Chinua Achebe publishes highly popular novel "Things Fall Apart"
1959: Promulgation of Petroleum Profit Tax Ordinance
Northern Region becomes self-governing March 15 (East and West
were already self-governing since 1957)
March: State visit of British Prime Minister Harold Wilson
July 1: Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) established
August 29: Balewa appointed first Prime Minister of the
Federation
December 12: Federal Elections
December 15: Akintola appointed Premier of Western Nigeria to
succeed Awolowo who is to become Leader of the Opposition in the
new Federal Legislature
December 20: NPC/NCNC forms coalition Federal Government, with
Balewa as first elected Prime Minister of the Federation
1960: January 12 - first meeting of the Federal House of
Representatives
January 14: House passes motion for Nigeria's Independence
March: Tivs defy tax assessment by Native Authority
April 22: Balewa travels to London for final hand-over
preparations
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May 10 - 19: Nigerian Constitutional Conference in London (final
talks)
Independence from Great Britain October 1.
Tiv riots throughout the first week of October
October 7: Nigeria admitted into the UN as the 99th member
November 15: Azikiwe becomes first Nigerian Governor-General
This year: The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, established by
the Eastern Region; it also takesover the Eastern Nigerian
Outlook newspaper
Government acquires 30% participation interest in the
Nigerian Agip Oil Company
This year: Mrs Esan is elected as first female member of
Nigeria's Federal parliament
1961: February: Cameroon Plebiscite sees Northern Cameroon join
Nigeria (becomes Sardauna province) and Southern Cameroon join
the Republic of Cameroon
This year: Federal Government estalibshes the Morning Post and
Sunday Post newspapers
Chief (Mrs) Margaret Ekpo, Mrs. Janel N. Micelle and Miss Okapi
A. Young become first female members of Eastern House of Assembly
Summer 1961: Prime Minister Balewa visits President Kennedy in
Washington DC
1962: May 13: Census enumeration begins, and continues for two weeks
May 19: AG Executive Committee votes to dismiss Akintola; he
refuses to voluntarily quit as governor
May 21: Western Region Governor Oba Adesoji Aderemi dismisses
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Akintola as governor
May 23: Alhaji Adegbenro sworn in to replace Akintola, who files
court challenge as to constitutionality of actions
May 25: Fighting in Western Region House
May 29: Federal House meets on Western crisis and declares
state of emergency
May 30:Awo and several others have their movement restricted
July 7: Supreme Court (under Chief Justice Sir. Adetokunboh
Ademola) reverses Western premier AKintola's dismissal
July 16: Akintola breaks from AG, and forms United Peoples Party
(UPP)
September 30: Awo placed under house arrest
September: Enahoro flees Nigeria to avoid charges of treasonable
felony
October 1: Prime Minister Balewa announces plot to overthrow the
government, and 12 persons arrested
October 23: Richard Ihetu (aka Dick Tiger) wins World Boxing
Association (WBA) middleweight crown
November 2: Awo charged for treason (with 26 other persons)
November 12: Treason trial of Awo and co. opens in Lagos. Riots
outside court claim one live and 50 arrested
November 27: Enahoro arrested in London
December 31: Coker Commission report published; state of
emergency in Western Nigeria lifted
This year: Nojeem Maiyegun wins gold medal at Cairo All African
Boxing tournament
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Regional Universities of Ahmadu Bello (ABU), Ife and
Federal university of Lagos established
NCNC changes its name to National Council of Nigerian Citizens
1963: January 1: Akintola returns as Western region premier
February 10: Balewa announces cancellation of 1962 census
April 29: Balewa announces that Nigeria will become a republic
in October
May 16: Enahoro deported to Nigeria from England
May 27: Privy Council (London) rules that Akintola's dismissal
was valid
May: Nigeria plays leading role in the establishment of the
Organization of African Unity (OAU) in May
June 24: Enahoro's trial begins
June 29: Balewa and regional premiers meet in Jos on future
republican Nigeria
July 13 - plebiscite on MidWest Region State
September 7 - Enahoro found guilty and jailed
September 11 - Awolowo and others convicted and jailed for
treason
October 1: Nnamdi Azikiwe becomes the first president of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria
November 5-8: national census taken (count: 55.6 million
Nigerians)
This year:The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) established
Dick Tiger beats American Gene Fullmer to become
undisputed world middleweight boxing champion
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1964: February 3: Midwest regional Elections
February 8: Chief Dennis Osadebay, as new premier, forms Midwest
government. Jereton Mariere is governor
February 24: Census board announces 1963 Census interim results
February 28: Dr. Okpara (of Eastern region) rejects census
results. (all other regions, except Northern region) also reject
them.
Tiv insurrection
March 10: Akintola forms Nigerian National Democratic Party
(NNDP)
Akintola-led Western Region government founds Daily Sketch and
the Sunday Sketch
June 3:United Progressive Grand Alliance (AG + NCNC and others)
formed
August 20:Nigerian National Alliance (NNDP + NPC and others)
formed
December 8: Federal parliament dissolved
December 30: Federal elections, partially boycotted by UPGA
1965: January 4: President Azikiwe invites PM Balewa to form new
government
Shell-BP builds oil refinery at Alesa-Eleme, near Port Harcourt
March 18: Supplementary Federal elections in Eastern region
Crisis in the University of Lagos over VC Eni Njoku's replacement
by Saburi Biobaku forces closure for three months
September 18: Western region house of assembly dissolved
September 26: Premier Ahmadu Bello of Northern Nigeria arrives
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Ibadan to launch NNA campaign
October 11: Western Regional elections
October 15: incident in Ibadan broadcasting studio purportedly
involving Wole Soyinka, who is declared wanted. Bola Ige
arrested over another broadcast incident
November 19: Riots in Ijebu province over murder of an UPGA
leader
December 20: Wole Soyinka, charged with robbery and violence,
acquitted
This year: Nigeria wins first Olympic Games medal ever -
Boxing bronze by Nojeem Maiyegun in Tokyo, Japan
The Defence Industries Corporation (DIC) established
1966: January 2-12 - riots in Ibadan, Lagos, Ilesha
January 15: Nigeria's first military coup led b Major Nzeogwu;
Akintola, Ahmadu Bello, Tafewa Balewa, Okotie-Eboh, Ademulegun,
Maimalari and others killed. Ironsi becomes Head of State
February: Isaac Adaka Boro (along with Sam Owonaro and Nottingham
Dick) declare abortive "Delta People's Republic"
May 29-30: Massacre of Igbos in the North
July 29: Ironsi, Fajuyi and others killed in coup; Yakubu Gowon
comes to power and forms the second military government of the
year.
September/October: More massacre of the Igbos
December 15: Dick Tiger beats Jose Torres to become undisputed
light-heavyweight boxing champion
This year: Northern Region government forms a chain of newspapers
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Nojeem Maiyegun wins Bronze Medal at World Boxing
Championship in Jamaica
1967: January 4-7: Aburi meeting in Ghana on military crises
May 27: Nigeria is divided into 12 states.
May 30: The Eastern region declares secession, proclaiming itself
the Republic of Biafra. Two and a half years of civil war follow.
Decree 1 imposes OPEC terms on companies operating in Nigeria
August 9: Invasion of Midwest by Biafran forces
October 7: Biafran forces pushed out of the Midwest
1968: Dick Tiger loses his light-heavyweight boxing crown
1969: Decree 51 of November 1969 abrogates 1914 Mineral Oil Act, and
vests entire ownership of all petroleum in the Nigerian state
1970: January 12: Civil War ends
Midwest Institute of Technology (later University of Benin)
established
1971: Kunle Adepeju, University of Ibadan student, dies during anti-
UI-administration demonstrations
Nigeria joins OPEC; Nigerian National Oil Corporation (NNOC) is
established; later becomes NNPC (in April 1977, upon merger of
NNOC and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources)
1973: Arab Oil embargo on the West; Nigeria reaps profit
May: The National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) established by
decree
This year: 2nd All-Africa Games
1974: April 1: Udoji salary reviews paid to public service workers
This year:
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National Universities Commission (NUC) created by statute
1975: General Gowon is overthrown (on 29 July) by General Murtala
Muhammed. The number of states is increased to 19, with plans for
a new capital in Abuja.
October 4: Muhammed sets up Constitution Drafting Committee
headed by Chief FRA Williams.
This year:
Nigeria plays leading role in the creation of the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
Nigerian Chess Federation (NCF) established (Dr. Sylvanus Ebigwe
as pioneer president)
1976: February 3: 7 new states created, bringing total to 19
February 13: General Murtala Mohammed is assassinated in an
abortive coup led by Dimka. General Olusegun Obasanjo assumes
power
September 14: Constitution Drafting Committee submits draft
constitution to Obasanjo
September 30: National Theatre Complex in Lagos opened
September: Universal Primary Education (UPE) launched
October 7: Constitution opened to public debate prior to
later submission to a Constituent Assembly
This year:
Obasanjo launches "Operation Feed the Nation" (OFN)
301 local governments created for the first time
Command and Staff College, Jaji, established
1977: Indigenization Decree of 1977 enacted; NNPC becomes the
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dominant player in the downstream industry by acquiring equity
shares in all the international oil marketing companies in the
country and taking over ownership of the Port Harcourt I refinery
from Shell-BP
October - Head of State Obasanjo visits the US
This year:
Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) created
2nd African Arts and Culture festival ("Festac '77") held in
Lagos
1978: Major university students crisis country-wide against tuition
fees, leading to death of University of Lagos student Akintunde
Ojo (April 1978) and six students in ABU, and the banning of
students' association NANS
April - President Carter of US visits Nigeria
August: Constituent Assembly completes its constitution review
assignment
September 21: New Constitution becomes law, includes Land Use
Decree
October 2 - News Association of Nigeria (NAN) commences service
1979: July 7: Senate Elections;
July 14: House of Representatives elections;
July 21: State of Assembly elections;
July 28: Gubernatorial elections;
August 11: Presidential elections;
Presidential election is won by Shehu Shagari and the
National Party of Nigeria (NPN) over Awolowo of Unity Party
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of Nigeria (UPN), Zik of Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP), Aminu
Kano of Peoples Redemption Party (PDP) and Waziri of Great
Nigeria Peoples Party (GNPP).
August 13: 24 football fans die at National Stadium in a
stampede after match between IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan and
Bendel Insurance of Benin
September 26: Awo's challenge of presidential election results
fail in the Supreme Court
October 1: Shagari officially becomes first Executive President
of Nigeria
1980: January 24: Shugaba, majority leader of Borno State assembly,
deported by presidential order
March 23: Nigeria wins African Nations Soccer Cup in Lagos
(skipper: Christian Chukwu)
March 25: Shugaba's deportation order quashed by the courts
March 30: Joseph Tarka dies in London
April: OAU Economic Summit hosted in Lagos; Lagos Plan of Action
adopted
April: Shagari launches "Green Revolution" (agriculture) campaign
Action for closer intra-African economic cooperation outlined
December 20: Kano Maitatsine fundamentalist Muslims uprising;
4,000-6,000 people dead
This year:
Chief MKO Abiola sets up The Concord Group of Newspapers
Nigeria wins African Nations Soccer Cup in Lagos
(skipper: Christian Chukwu)
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Oil production of Nigeria declines from 2.09 mbpd
(January) to 0.64 mbpd (August) to 0.5 mbpd in early 1982
Shagari negotiates N2.5 billion loan with IMF, N1.5
billion with 25 European, American and Middle-Eastern countries
(July) and $180 million credit loan from the US (November)
1981-1983: World Oil Market glut
1981: May 11-15: National Workers' Strike over minimum wage payment
May 20: Chinyere Onyenucheya, first Nigerian commercial pilot,
flies in from the US
June 23: Governor Balarabe Musa impeached by Kaduna State House
of Assembly
July 10: Communal violence erupts in Kano
October 1: President Shagari announces presidential pardon for
former head of state General Yakubu Gowon over February 13, 1976
abortive coup that killed Murtala Mohammed
This year:
Nigeria and Cameroon have border skirmishes
1982: February 12: Pope John Paul II arrives for a six-day visit
March: General workers' strike by Electricity and gas workers.
Other strikes by ASUU, medical doctors follow throughout the year
April 15: Archbishop Runcie of the Church of England arrives on a
two-week visit
May 18: Pardon of Ojukwu, former leader of Biafra, issued by
president Shagari
June 18: Ojukwu arrives from 12-year exile in Ivory Coast
1983: The NPN strengthens its hold on power in fresh elections but the
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civilian government is overthrown by General Muhammadu Buhari on
December 31.
January 17: Federal government orders aliens to leave within 14
days. Over two million (illegal) aliens forcibly expelled
April 17: Alhaji Aminu Kano dies
November 27: Nigeria Airways F28 aircrash in Emene, near Enugu,
kills at least 66 people
December 5: Gowon flies in from exile after eight years absence
Miss Franca Afegbua becomes Nigeria's first female senator on
winning election
This year: Several workers' strikes continue
1984: May 31 - December 13: Former Governors Bisi Onabanjo of Ogun,
Melford Okilo of Rivers, Ambrose Alli of Bendel, Jim Nwobodo of
Anambra, Barkin Zuwo of Kano, Adamu Atta of Kwara, Aper Aku of
Benue, Awwal Ibrahim of Kwara are sentenced to long-term
imprisonments (ranging from 21 to 252 years) by the Buhari regime
for various corruption charges using Special Military Tribunals
July 5: Attempted "crate" kidnap of Alhaji Umaru Dikko from
Britain by the Buhari regime
November 8: Fela Anikulapo-Kuti jailed 5 years in Lagos for
foreign currency smuggling
December 17: Dr. Michael Okpara dies at age 64
December: General Mamman Vatsa and co. accused of alleged coup
plot
This year: Boxer Peter Kongewachi wins Nigeria's first ever
Olympic Games medal in Los Angeles
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Decree 20: death penalty for oil-related sabotage (later amended
in 1986 to read life imprisonment.)
1985: January 9: Cocoa House, Ibadan, once Africa's tallest building,
burns
February 12: Four botched kidnappers of Umaru Dikko jailed at
Old Bailey Court, London
April 10: 3 convicted cocaine pushers executed by firing squad at
Kirikiri Maximum prison, Lagos
May 10 - 11: Federal government clamps down on illegal aliens;
some of them on rampage at Murtala Mohammed airport
May 11: Nigeria wins inaugural FIFA U-16 soccer tournament
in China (skipper: Nduka Ugbode)
August 27: General Buhari is removed in a bloodless coup, and
replaced by General Ibrahim Babangida, who becomes Nigeria's
first military president
August 30: AFRC announces release of 87 political detainees
September 2: New military governors sworn in
October 1: Babangida announces 15-month economic emergency
1986: January 29: After Nigeria's membership in the Organisation of
Islamic States (OIC) alleged, General Shagaya panel set up to
investigate implication of membership
February 25: General Maman Vatsa and 10 others sentenced to
death for coup plotting
March 23: Fela Anikulapo-Kuti released from prison
October 6: Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe removed as Chief of General
Staff and replaced by Rear Admiral Augustus Aikhomu
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October 16: Wole Soyinka wins 1986 Nobel Prize for Literature
October 19: Dele Giwa, Editor-in-Chief, NewsWatch, is killed by
parcel bomb
This year:
An IMF-style structural adjustment programme (SAP) is initiated.
May-June - major unrest in Nigerian universities, with ASUU
and Labour congress joining in. NANS banned again.
1987: May 9: Chief Obafemi Awolowo, former Premier of Western Region
and Federal Leader of the Opposition, and Leader of the Yoruba,
dies
May 12: University of Ife renamed Obafemi Awolowo University
July 1: Babangida announces a 1990 hand-over date
September 23: Number of states increased by 2 to a total of
21, and number of local governments increased to 449
1988: January 7: Margaret Thatcher pays official visit to Nigeria
July 7: ASUU proscribed for refusal by members to return to work
November 10: Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki is new Sultan of Sokoto
This year: Babangida dissolves Nigerian Labor Congress Execo
and replaces with Sole Administrator
1989: February 28: Prof. Eme Awa is dismissed as National Electoral
Commission (NEC) chairman and replaced by Prof. Humphrey Nwosu
March 28: Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of Britain visits
Nigeria briefly
May 3: A new constitution is signed into law, ban on politics
lifted and 143 local governments created
May 24: University of Benin students begin demonstrations that
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soon spread across the country
May 31: Major violent anti-SAP demonstrations in Lagos
August 12: Footballer Sam Okwaraji dies in match between Nigeria
and Angola. Seven fans also die of suffocation at National
Stadium, Lagos.
September 21: Ex-Governor Prof. Ambrose Alli of Bendel State dies
October 7: Babangida dissolves freely-formed 13 political
National Republican Convention (NRC) - "a little to the left, a
little to the right."
October 10: December elections postponed
October 18: Chief Emeka Anyaoku becomes Commonwealth Sec.-General
December 4: Manifestoes of SDP and NRC released
This year:
Babangida goes on a state visit to Britain
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) set up
1990: April 4: Artiste Chief Hubert Ogunde dies
April 22, 1990 Gideon Orkar abortive military coup
May 13: Nelson Mandela visits Nigeria after his release from
prison
July 25: Sir Kashim Ibrahim, first Nigerian governor of Northern
Region, dies
July 29: Chief K.O. Mbadiwe dies
October: Umuechem massacre, arising from oil community
complaints and brutal government response
October: Ogoni Bill of Rights published
December 8: Election into local government councils
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1991: January-February: US and allies attack and defeat Iraq in war to
push Iraq out of Kuwait's territory (invaded August 2, 1990);
Nigeria gains oil windfall from Gulf War crisis
June 3 - 6: Nigeria hosts OAU Summit in Abuja, with Babangida as
OAU chairman
June 15: Elections into state assemblies
June 30: Financial Times journalist William Keeling deported
for writing about Gulf War Oil windfall corruption by Nigerian
government
August 27: Babangida announces the creation of nine new states
(to make a total of 30) and the number of local governments
increased by 47 to 589
Nigeria hosts OAU Summit in Abuja
September 8: US Vice-President Dan Quayle visits
September 10: Veteran labor leader Wahab Goodluck dies
September 23: 89 more local governments created
October 4: Babangida addresses United Nations General Assembly in
New York
October 14: Serious religious riots in Kaduna
November 21: General Olusegun Obasanjo contests post of
Secretary-General of the United Nations but loses to Boutros
Boutros-Ghali of Egypt
November 27-29: Census count (population count: 88.5 million)
December 2: Seat of government formally moves to Abuja from Lagos
December 14: NRC wins governorship elections in 16 states while sDP
wins in 14 states
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1992: January 2: 30 new civilian governors sworn in
March 19: Census figure of 88.5 million announced by Babangida
April 9: President de Klerk of South Africa visits Nigeria
May 4: Nigeria re-establishes diplomatic relations with Israel
May 5: Fuel scarcity leads to riots in Lagos
May 13: More riots in Lagos, and the University of Benin
May 18: Zagon-Kataf community riots, with Hausa Muslims and
Christian Kataf warring
July 4: Elections into National Assembly. NRC: 37 Senate seats and
275 House of Rep seats. SDP: 52 Senate seats and 314 House of Rep
seats
July 10: Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim, GNPP founder, dies
July 22: ASUU is proscribed
July 27: National Assembly convenes
August 1 - September 26: party presidential primaries. An August 1
primary was cancelled on August 7 and rescheduled for September 19
September 11: Noted Islamic scholar Sheikh Abubakar Gumi dies
September 26: C130 plane bearing soldiers crash in Ejigbo, Lagos,
killing over 160 officers and civilians on board
October 15: Babangida cancels presidential primaries, sacking the
executives of the two parties, and issuing fresh election
guidelines, and opening the field for more participants
October 21: About 10,000 Nigerians deported from Gabon arrive in
Lagos Apapa port
November 18: Handover date shifted to August 1993. Option A4
presidential system announced. All previous presidential aspirants
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banned.
December 23: Shonekan elected as head of 27-member civilian
Transitional Council which had been formed December 5.
This year: Boxers Richard Igbinegbu and David Izonritei win
Nigeria medals in Barcelona
1993: February 3: General Zamani Lekwot and 5 others sentenced to death
by hanging over Zango-Kataf riots
February 18-20: First Nigerian Economic Summit holds in Abuja
March 27: MKO Abiola and Bashir Tofa emerge as SDP and NRC
presidential flagbearers from party conventions held in Jos and
Port Harcourt respectively
June 12:presidential elections hold
June 23: General Babangida annuls the results of presidential
elections of June 12, believed to have been won by Bashorun
Moshood K.O. Abiola.
August 27: General Babangida "steps aside" under pressure, and is
replaced first by Ernest Shonekan's interim national government
November 17: General Sani Abacha replaces Shonekan
This year:
Nigeria wins FIFA U-16 Soccer tournament in Japan (skipper: Wilson
Oruma) for the second time
1994: Abacha dissolves Labor execs for pro-democracy activism
June 11: Moshood Abiola proclaims himself president
June 23: Moshood Abiola is arrested and detained
This year: Nigeria wins (for second time) Africa Nations Cup in
Tunis (skipper: Stephen Keshi)
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1995: February-April: Gwadabe, Fadile, Akinyemi, Obasanjo, Yar'Adua,
Beko Kuti, etc arrested for alleged coup plot against Abacha
May-July: Obasanjo, Yar'Adua, Beko Kuti, etc. jailed for alleged
coup plot
October 1: General Abacha announces a three-year programme of
transition to civilian rule
October 6: Chief Alfred Rewane assassinated
November 10: The execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and other Ogoni
activists prompts the suspension of Nigeria from the
Commonwealth.
This year: number of local governments increased to 774
1996: January 17: Ibrahim Abacha (Abacha's oldest son) dies in a plane
crash
March: Local government elections take place
June 4: Kudirat Abiola, MKO's wife, is assassinated in Lagos
October 1: Five new political parties are registered as a first
step in the transtion to democracy; six new states (Ekiti,
Zamfara, Nassarawa, Ebonyi, Bayelsa and Gombe) created
November 7: 142 people are killed when a Boeing
727 owned by Nigeria's ADC airline plunges into a lagoon 85
kilometres (55 miles) from Lagos. Claude Ake dies in the crash
November 22: Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya dies
This year: Female long-jumper Chioma Ajunwa wins Nigeria's
first ever gold medal in Olympics Games, in Atlanta. Nigeria
also wins Soccer Gold, beating Argentina 3-2 in finals. Overall,
Nigeria wins 2 gold, 1 Silver (boxer Duncan Dokiwari) and 3
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bronze (sprinters woman Mary Onyali, woman Falilat Ogunleye and
4x400 relay women)
This year: a round of ethnic fights between Itsekiris and Ijaws
in the Warri area
1997: March 15: Local elections on a party basis take place....
May 11: Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, first president of Nigeria, dies
August 2: Popular musician Fela Anikulapo-Kuti dies of AIDS
December 8: General Musa Shehu Yar'Adua dies in prison
December 20: General Diya (second in command to Abacha) and
several others (Adisa, Olanrewaju, etc.) accused of a coup plot
1998: State and National Assembly elections are held amid calls by the
opposition for their boycott. Turn-out was said to be the lowest
ever in Nigeria. Opposition declares it the "people's verdict" on
General Abacha's transition programme. Gubernatorial and
presidential elections are scheduled for the third quarter of the
year.
March 21-23: Pope John Paul II visits Nigeria for the second
time.
March: President Clinton (US) 12-day, 6-nation African tour
bypasses Nigeria
April: all five parties approve Abacha as their presidential
flag-bearer
June 8: Abacha dies
Abdusalami Abubakar takes over as Head of State and announces a
new transition to civil rule.
July 7: Abiola dies
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October 17: Jesse oil spill fire: estimate of more than 1000 dead
November 4: Soyinka returns home after 4 years of exile
November: Obasanjo declares that he will run for president
This year: Hogan "Kid" Bassey dies
Some LG elections hold in December.
1999: More elections hold.
February 27: Obasanjo wins presidential elections over Falae
March: General Diya and Co. released from prison
March 24: General Idiagbon dies
April 3-24: Nigeria hosts 10th World Youth Championship (Soccer
U-20)
May 29: Civilian government is inaugurated.
June 4, 6: Itsekiris and Urhobos clash in Warri and environs
July 10: Cult activity leaves 8 students dead at Obafemi Awolowo
University, Ile-Ife
July 19: Shagamu Yoruba-Hausa riots, followed by Kano reprisals
one week later
September: Ijaws & Ilajes clase in Ondo State
October 27: Sharia Islamic law launched in Zamfara State
October 29-31: Ajegunle riots
Nov. 19: Odi community in Bayelsa State razed
Nov. 25-26: Ketu riots
December 17: 14 Churches burnt in Ilorin by Muslim extremists;
4 more burnt and others attacked later
------
The historical naira exchange rates (1970-99) (official, Black
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Market and Autonmous)
In this Year 1 US Dollar Exchanged for and 1 Pound Sterling
Naira for Naira
1970 0.7143 1.7114
1971 0.6955 1.7156
1972 0.6579 1.6289
1973 0.6579 1.6289
1974 0.6299 1.4795
1975 0.6159 1.3678
1976 0.6265 1.1317
1977 0.6466 1.1671
1978 0.6060 1.2238
1979 0.5957 1.2628
1980 0.5464 1.2647
0.9 PMER
1981 0.6100 1.2495
1982 0.6729 1.1734
1983 0.7241 1.1216
1984 0.7649 1.0765
1985 0.8938 1.1999
1.7 PMER
1986 2.0206 2.5554
3.9 PMER
1987 4.0179 6.5929
5.9 PMER
1988 4.5367 8.0895
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6.7 PMER
1989 7.3916 12.0695
10.7 PMER
1990 8.0378 16.2419
9.3 PMER
1991 9.9095 17.4955
6.7 PMER
1992 17.2984 27.8684
21.9 PMER
1993 22.3268 33.2522
56.8 PMER
1994 21.8861 33.4252
71.7 PMER
1995 21.8861 34.7111
78.3 PMER
79.8955 AFEM 127.66 AFEM
1996 21.8861 35.7368
81.8 PMER
84.5750 AFEM 135.90 AFEM
1997 21.8861 35.7368
84.7 PMER
84.7004 AFEM 136.60 AFEM
1998 21.8861 35.7368
88.0-90.0 PMER
85.0004 AFEM 136.00 AFEM
1999 (July) 85.9800 137.4680
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105.0 PMER
94.88 AFEM 145.71 AFEM
PMER (Parallel Market Exchanger Rate or "Black" Market)
AFEM (Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market); official dual exchange rate
started in 1995.
All other rates quoted are official exchange rates
------
Compiled from various sources by
Mobolaji E. Aluko, PhD
Burtonsville, MD, USA
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