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On March 21, 2007, 30-year-old Christianah Oluwatoyin Oluwasesin was stabbed to death and burnt in her car by Muslim students for allegedly desecrating the Qur'an at a secondary school in Gandu, Gombe State, North-East Nigeria. 
A mother of two, Oluwasesin was assigned to supervise an Islamic Religious Knowledge exam when one of the students wanted to enter the exam hall with books. Oluwasesin collected them and threw them outside.
The students, who claimed that one of the books was a copy of the Qur'an, started to chant "Allahu Akbar" (Allah is Great) and chased her to the school principal's office.
#OnThisDay, June 5, 1967, Israel launches surprise strikes against Egyptian airfields in response to the mobilisation of Egyptian forces on the Israeli border sparking the Six-Day War.
The Six-Day War was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighbouring states of Egypt (known at the time as the United Arab Republic), Jordan and Syria.
In the period leading up to June 1967, tensions became dangerously heightened.
In the period leading up to June 1967, tensions became dangerously heightened.
Israel reiterated its post-1956 position that the closure of the straits of Tiran to its shipping would be a casus belli.
In May, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser announced that the straits would be closed to Israeli vessels and then mobilised his Egyptian forces along...
In May, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser announced that the straits would be closed to Israeli vessels and then mobilised his Egyptian forces along...
Kudirat Abiola, the wife of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential elections, Moshood Abiola, was assassinated by unknown gunmen in Lagos, #OnThisDay June 4, 1996.
Born in 1951 in Zaria, present-day Kaduna State, Kudirat Abiola attended Muslim Girls High School, Ijebu Ode, and married Moshood Abiola at the age of 18. She was the second of his four wives.
Although Kudirat never attended university, she used her bride price to help to pay for the education of her two sisters.
Her journey into politics began when her husband declared his intentions to contest as the president of Nigeria. She supported him via advocacy and activism.
Her journey into politics began when her husband declared his intentions to contest as the president of Nigeria. She supported him via advocacy and activism.
The church used for the Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit movie was St. Paul’s Catholic Church in the Noe Valley neighbourhood of San Francisco. The neighbourhood was upper middle class at the time, whereas the church in the film was supposed to be in a downtrodden neighbourhood.
As such, they had to dress down the neighbourhood around the church to make the setting work.
In the original script, the action took place in Chicago. However, Whoopi Goldberg (the star actor) had started her standup career in San Francisco and felt a kinship to the city.
In the original script, the action took place in Chicago. However, Whoopi Goldberg (the star actor) had started her standup career in San Francisco and felt a kinship to the city.
As such, the setting was changed once she was signed on.
The prequel, Sister Act, made $231.6 million worldwide off of a budget of $31 million. It was the eighth-highest-grossing movie of 1992.
The prequel, Sister Act, made $231.6 million worldwide off of a budget of $31 million. It was the eighth-highest-grossing movie of 1992.
MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY: THE MOUNTAINS AND THE LOVE OF A MOTHER
There were two warring tribes in the Andes, one that lived in the lowlands and the other high in the mountains.
There were two warring tribes in the Andes, one that lived in the lowlands and the other high in the mountains.
The mountain people invaded the Lowlanders one day, and as part of their plundering of the people, they kidnapped a baby of one of the Lowlander families and took the infant with them back up into the mountains.
The Lowlanders didn't know how to climb the mountains. They didn't know any of the trails that the mountain people used, and they didn't know where to find the mountain people or how to track them in the steep terrain.
King Ibrahim Mbouombouo Njoya (1867-1933) of Bamum, Western Cameroon, had 600 wives and 177 children.
Out of fear that important historical facts of the Bamum could be erased or corrupted, he developed the Bamum alphabet of 70 symbols and a writing system to preserve his kingdom's oral history which the French later destroyed.
Njoya, as part of ways to ensure the written language was widely adopted, established schools and directed that the Bamum language be used as a form of instruction along with the German language.
MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY: DESTROY YOUR ENEMIES
No sitting American President had more enemies than Abraham Lincoln. He had a great strategy for destroying them; he befriended them. In fact, one of them would eventually take his life.
No sitting American President had more enemies than Abraham Lincoln. He had a great strategy for destroying them; he befriended them. In fact, one of them would eventually take his life.
Edwin McMasters Stanton (1814-1869) and Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) were enemies, both legal and political. Stanton did not like Lincoln, at first, at all. He had told everyone that Lincoln was an original gorilla, an imbecile, and a disgrace.
Lincoln was as calm and unruffled as the summer sea in moments of gravest peril; Stanton would lash himself into a fury over the same condition of things. Stanton would take hardships with a groan; Lincoln would find a funny story to fit them.
THE FIRST FILM SHOT IN NIGERIA
Filmed amongst the Sura and Ngas people of the Bauchi-Plateau in Northern Nigeria, where the rivalry between a British District Officer and a tin miner leads to war, the British film “Palaver: A Romance of Northern Nigeria" was the first film...
Filmed amongst the Sura and Ngas people of the Bauchi-Plateau in Northern Nigeria, where the rivalry between a British District Officer and a tin miner leads to war, the British film “Palaver: A Romance of Northern Nigeria" was the first film...
...shot in Nigeria in 1926 and was released to the theatres on April 24, 1927. This film was shot entirely in Northern Nigeria within a period of five months, from March to August 1926.
"Palaver" with a running time of 1 hour 18 minutes, was produced by Oscar-award-winning Geoffrey Barkas and photographed by Stanley Rodwell via local assistance by the government, who helped in providing transport and obtaining suitable pictures of native life. #HistoryVille
Yoruba High Priestess and Artist, Susanne Wenger (July 4, 1915 – January 12, 2009), also known as Adunni Oloriṣa, in a studio with her adopted children, Oṣogbo, 1964.
When Wenger emigrated to Ibadan, Nigeria in 1949, she became sick with tuberculosis and was subsequently taken to a Yoruba herbalist in Ẹdẹ, present-day Osun State, who cured her of the disease.
Wenger was then attracted to the Yoruba language and religion, and became a High Priestess of the Òrìṣà, where she established herself in the revival of the religion.
She also became the guardian of the Sacred Grove of the Osun goddess on the banks of the Osun River in Oṣogbo.
She also became the guardian of the Sacred Grove of the Osun goddess on the banks of the Osun River in Oṣogbo.
Lagos Lawyer, Moronfolu Abayomi was shot dead in a Lagos courthouse at the Tinubu Square, on August 25, 1923, three months and 15 days after his wedding day.
Abayomi's killer was a popular Lagos entrepreneur and "big boy”, Duro Delphonso, from the renowned Delphonso family.
Abayomi's killer was a popular Lagos entrepreneur and "big boy”, Duro Delphonso, from the renowned Delphonso family.
Delphonso was having a legal battle with his Insurance Company and the case was taken to court. The Insurance Company then hired a young and vibrant lawyer, Barrister Moronfolu Abayomi.
As the case proceeded, the young Barrister was able to prove clearly that Delphonso committed arson on his home and business in order to defraud the Insurance Company.
Babangida justified the execution of Vatsa in 1986 in an interview shortly after he turned 60, saying that after Vatsa's coup was foiled, he realised his childhood friend planned the coup in line with a deep-seated personal rivalry dating back to their days as young officers.
Babangida claimed that he and Vatsa had been tremendous competitors unintentionally; that as a young officer, everything he did, Vatsa did as well, and whatever Vatsa attained, he pursued as well.
Lieutenant-General Theophilus Y. Danjuma, Babangida claimed, pointed this out to him in their military records.
Ibrahim Babangida gave this rationalisation to justify why he could not pardon Vatsa.
Ibrahim Babangida gave this rationalisation to justify why he could not pardon Vatsa.
The Yoruba people fought one of the longest tribal wars in world history from 1877 to 1893.
The Kiriji or Ekiti-parapo War was a 16-year conflict that broke out mainly between Ibadan and the combined forces of Ekiti and Ijesha. It was a war that ended all wars in Yoruba land.
The Kiriji or Ekiti-parapo War was a 16-year conflict that broke out mainly between Ibadan and the combined forces of Ekiti and Ijesha. It was a war that ended all wars in Yoruba land.
"Kiriji" was an onomatopoeic name given to the war from the thunderous sound of the cannons the Ekitis and Ijeshas, under the command of Ogedengbe, purchased in abundance which gave them an advantage over the Ibadan forces. However, it ended in a stalemate.
Thus, the Kiriji War remains one of the world's longest civil wars by any ethnic group.
MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY: WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND
An 18-year-old student was struggling to pay his fees at Stanford University. He was an orphan, and not knowing where to turn for money, he came up with a bright idea.
An 18-year-old student was struggling to pay his fees at Stanford University. He was an orphan, and not knowing where to turn for money, he came up with a bright idea.
A friend and he decided to host a musical concert on campus to raise money for their education.
They reached out to the great pianist Ignacy J. Paderewski. His manager demanded a guaranteed fee of $2000 for the piano recital.
They reached out to the great pianist Ignacy J. Paderewski. His manager demanded a guaranteed fee of $2000 for the piano recital.
A deal was struck and the boys began to work to make the concert a success.
The big day arrived. Paderewski performed at Stanford. Unfortunately, they had not managed to sell enough tickets. The total collection was only $1600.
The big day arrived. Paderewski performed at Stanford. Unfortunately, they had not managed to sell enough tickets. The total collection was only $1600.
94-year-old Iranian, Amou Haji was the world’s dirtiest man who did not have a bath since he was 20. He died on October 23, 2022, after he was forced to take his bath for the first time in 74 years.
Haji lived the most primitive life, as his favourite food was the rotten meat of dead animals, especially porcupines.
Although he smoked five cigarettes at a time, his most valuable possession was a three-inch steel pipe with which he used to smoke animal dung.
Although he smoked five cigarettes at a time, his most valuable possession was a three-inch steel pipe with which he used to smoke animal dung.
Haji hadn't showered since 1948 and feared that he would fall sick after taking a bath. However, he cut his hair by burning it off with fire.
Interestingly, as of the time of his death, Amou Haji was single and looking for love. #HistoryVille
Interestingly, as of the time of his death, Amou Haji was single and looking for love. #HistoryVille
HRM Oba Olateru Olagbegi II, the Olowo of Owo, reportedly had over 140 children. Of these, about 121 were University graduates. In fact, his father had 300 wives, five of whom remained virgins at his death.
The Olateru-Olagbegi family is one of the largest and most educated families in Yoruba land.
Knighted in 1960, Oba (Sir) Titus Olateru Olagbegi II (1910–1998) was appointed Olowo in 1941 and ruled for 25 years before he was suspended by the military government of Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Adekunle Fajuyi in June 1966 for supporting Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola.
MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY: WHO ARE YOU?
There were three ships which were nearby when the Titanic sank on April 15, 1912.
There were three ships which were nearby when the Titanic sank on April 15, 1912.
One of them was known as the Sampson.
It was seven miles away from the Titanic and they saw the white flares signalling danger, but because the crew had been hunting seals illegally and didn’t want to be caught, they turned and went the opposite direction away from the Titanic.
It was seven miles away from the Titanic and they saw the white flares signalling danger, but because the crew had been hunting seals illegally and didn’t want to be caught, they turned and went the opposite direction away from the Titanic.
The next ship was the Californian.
This ship was only 14 miles away from the Titanic. They were surrounded by ice fields and the captain looked out and saw the white flares, but because the conditions weren’t favourable and it was dark, he decided to go back to bed and wait...
This ship was only 14 miles away from the Titanic. They were surrounded by ice fields and the captain looked out and saw the white flares, but because the conditions weren’t favourable and it was dark, he decided to go back to bed and wait...
Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo was the Military Governor of Kwara State from July 1975 to February 1976 during the military regime of General Murtala Muhammed. He assisted in the establishment of the University of Ilorin, which was founded by decree in August 1975.
During the Civil War, Taiwo was one of the key figures in the Asaba massacre of October 7, 1967. He also played a main role in the coup that ousted Yakubu Gowon, under cover of his Supply and Transport duties in the army, working closely with Lieutenant-Colonel Muhammadu Buhari.
Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo was murdered on Friday, February 13, 1976, following an abortive coup in which the Head of State General Murtala Mohammed was also killed. He was 36.
The Ibrahim Taiwo Road in Kano is named after him. #HistoryVille
The Ibrahim Taiwo Road in Kano is named after him. #HistoryVille
During the Civil War, when the Ministry of Defence shared the same building with the External Affairs, Michael Ojukwu, an officer with External Affairs, had to show his service identification card before being allowed in.
A military guard who first caught sight of his name hollered for the others to come and see his catch.
"You are Ojukwu?"
"Yes, I am."
"You're under arrest!"
"I am a foreign service officer."
"You are Ojukwu?"
"Yes, I am."
"You're under arrest!"
"I am a foreign service officer."
Before the poor man could complete the sentence, he was beaten so badly that he had to be hospitalised.
Some of his colleagues who tried to intervene told the soldiers that Michael was not a Biafran nor had any relation to the secessionist leader, Emeka Ojukwu (pictured)...
Some of his colleagues who tried to intervene told the soldiers that Michael was not a Biafran nor had any relation to the secessionist leader, Emeka Ojukwu (pictured)...
A successful arms dealer, Francis Arthur Nzeribe sold weapons to both Nigeria and Biafra during the 30-month Nigerian Civil War. As a matter of fact, Nzeribe traded arms in every single place there had been a conflict in Africa.
In the 1960s, Nzeribe worked for Kwame Nkrumah as a speechwriter but after the coup that sent Nkrumah and his aides to Conakry, Nzeribe sneaked back to Ghana to work for the new government that had overthrown his principal.
In April 1969, Nzeribe was involved in a bribery scandal with Ghana's Head-of-State, Joseph Arthur Ankrah which forced the latter to resign. In 1979, J.J Rawlings deported the Nigerian businessman from Ghana where he found his way to the UK to continue his arms-dealing business.
John "Mad Jack" Churchill was the last British soldier to go to war with a bow and arrows, and a sword. And he did it during the Second World War!
His motto was: "Any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed."
His motto was: "Any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed."
Over the course of the war, Mad Jack killed German soldiers with his arrows and captured 42 of them as prisoners at sword-point during the Allied Invasion of Sicily in July 1943.
However, in May 1944, the Germans captured him and flew him to Berlin thinking he was related to the famous British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. After much interrogation which yielded no result, Hitler sent him to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp.
Afrobeat musician, Fela Kuti in a Black Maria after being arrested on charges of illegally attempting to export £1,600 in foreign currency abroad by the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Military Government, 1984.
Fela was arrested 200 times by different military regimes but was kept in jail for a lengthy period of time by (then) Major-General Buhari, who first came to power in a military coup in December 1983.
The Afro-beat legend was sentenced by a military tribunal to five years’ imprisonment, on what he always insisted were trumped-up currency charges, but was released in 1986 after General Ibrahim Babangida came to power. #HistoryVille
Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi (ruled 1888–1897) was the last Oba of the Old Benin kingdom before the British punitive expedition of 1897 led to his capture, exile, incarceration and eventual death in Calabar on January 1, 1914.
The Benin Expedition of 1897 was a punitive one by a British force of 1,200 under Rear-Admiral Sir Harry Rawson in response to the defeat of a previous British-led pseudo-invasion force under Acting Consul-General James Philips (which had left all but two men dead).
On January 12, 1897, Rear-Admiral Sir Harry Rawson, commanding the squadron at the Cape of Good Hope, was appointed by the British Admiralty to lead an expedition to capture the Benin king and destroy Benin City.
The largest church building in Africa, the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro, is located in Yamoussoukro the capital of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast).
The basilica was constructed between 1985 and 1989 for an estimated $600 million.
The basilica was constructed between 1985 and 1989 for an estimated $600 million.
The cornerstone was laid on August 10, 1985, and it was consecrated on September 10, 1990, by Pope John Paul II, who had just formally accepted the basilica as a gift from President Félix Houphouët-Boigny of Côte d'Ivoire on behalf of the Catholic Church.
Houphouët-Boigny chose his birthplace of Yamoussoukro to be the future site of the new capital city of his country in 1983.
As part of the plan for the city, the president wanted to memorialise himself with the construction of what he called the greatest church in the world.
As part of the plan for the city, the president wanted to memorialise himself with the construction of what he called the greatest church in the world.
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III was the longest-reigning ruler of the kingdom since his great-grandfather, Oba Atiba Atobatele founded New Oyo in the 1830s.
A direct descendant of Oranyan (founder of the Old Oyo Empire), Adeyemi III was also a boxer before ascending the throne of his fathers after the Nigerian Civil War.
Crowned on November 18, 1970, while succeeding Oba Gbadegesin Ladigbolu I, Iku Baba Yeye, as he was known popularly, would rule for 51 years and 5 months. The longest reign since Alaafin Oluaso in the 1400s.
