Ernest Shonekan (1936-2022): A Child of Circumstance
At around 3:30 p.m. on August 26, 1993, Ernest Shonekan was sworn in as Nigeria’s new Head of State by Chief Justice Mohammed Bello.
Top 5 Looted Treasures from Africa
Reports say 80-90% of Africa’s looted treasures are currently held abroad – mostly in European nations.
10 Strange Facts about the Love Life of Ancient Egyptians
Among the ancient Egyptians, women were respected, birth control was used, and premarital sex was rampant.
Top 8 Events that led to the Nigerian Civil War
The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Biafran War or the Nigeria-Biafra War, was a war fought to counter the secession of the Republic of Biafra from Nigeria.
The Tragic Story of Patrice Lumumba, Congo’s First Prime Minister
Patrice Lumumba became Congo's first prime minister just as Belgium, the colonial ruler of the region, was preparing to grant her independence on June 30, 1960.
Was Calabar ever the capital of Nigeria?
Although Calabar was the capital of this new Protectorate of Southern Nigeria, however, most of the colonial, diplomatic activities and high-level official businesses were carried out in Lagos.
Werner Forssmann: The Nobel Prize winner who “touched his own heart”
In 1956, Werner Forssmann shared the Nobel Prize in Medicine (with Andre Cournand and Dickinson Richards) to develop a heart catheterization technique...
Ignaz Semmelweis: The Hungarian Doctor beaten to death for promoting Handwashing
Ignaz Semmelweis struggled for years to promote his... ground-breaking handwashing policies but was beaten to death in 1865. He was just 47.
Top 13 Interesting Facts About Thomas Sankara
Sankara renamed Burkina Faso, or "land of the upright people", and introduce progressist policies that distanced his regime from other former French colonies.
Thomas Sankara: Who killed ‘Africa’s Che Guevara’?
Thomas Sankara's body, riddled with bullets, was quickly buried in an unmarked grave while his widow, Mariam, and their two children fled the country...
Why was Queen Mary I of England called ‘Bloody Mary’?
During Queen Mary's reign, 227 men and 56 women were executed, including Bishops Nicholas Ridley, Hugh Latimer, and Thomas Cranmer...
Was Queen Elizabeth I of England really a Virgin Queen?
Elizabeth I died unmarried in 1603...and was hailed as England's famous Virgin Queen. Her death...simply helped to fuel rumours about her personal life.
Why Chinua Achebe never won the Nobel Prize in Literature
Chinua Achebe twice declined the Nigerian award of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in 2004 and 2011.
MKO Abiola: The Nigerian President who never ruled
MKO Abiola’s death succeeded in discrediting military rule in Nigeria, and his outstanding contribution to his country...was acknowledged six years after his death when the New African magazine listed him among the hundred greatest Africans of all time.
Why Nigeria, 27 African Countries boycotted the 1976 Montréal Olympic Games
Montréal was the first Canadian city to hold an Olympic Games in 1976. The 21st Olympiad took place between July 17 and August 1, 1976.
Top 13 Interesting Facts about Alexander the Great
In 15 years of conquest, Alexander the Great never lost a battle. His military tactics and strategies are still studied in military academies today.
The Seven Wonders of Ancient Africa
The Great Walls of the Benin Kingdom built by the Edo people c.1055, is one of the Seven Wonders of Ancient Africa.
Top 5 African Cities that are most vulnerable to Climate Change
According to the Africa Growth Initiative, Africa...has 7 out of the 10 countries that are considered the most threatened by climate change all over the world.
Pablo Escobar: Top 13 Unbelievable Facts About the Notorious Drug Lord
Pablo Escobar was one of the wealthiest criminals in history. In 1987, his personal wealth was at least $3 billion.
James Abram Garfield: Who Killed the 20th President of the United States?
Who killed James Abram Garfield? Was it the assassin who shot him? His doctors led by Dr. Bliss or Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone?
Mary Toft: The English Woman Who Gave Birth to Rabbits
These rabbits were often delivered with their sharp nails intact. It was a miracle Mary Toft didn’t die of a bacterial infection.
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (1900-1978): The Lioness of Lisabi
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was an educator and an activist throughout her career. She was also the first Nigerian woman to drive a car.
