2015 Event An outbreak of an unknown disease in Nigeria has so far resulted in 17 deaths, each occurring within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms; while tests show that the disease is not viral, the cause has not yet been identified 2015 Event Former General Muhammadu Buhari defeats incumbent Goodluck Jonathan to become the new President of Nigeria; Buhari won by over 2.5 million votes 2014 Event Residents of the West Point shantytown in Monrovia, Nigeria loot an Ebola quarantine center, stealing items that include contaminated bedsheets; patients flee during the raid, raising the risk of spreading the virus among the 50,000 slum inhabitants 2014 Event African leaders meet in Paris to discuss ways to fight Boko Haram, the Islamist group that kidnapped over 200 schoolgirls over a month ago in Nigeria; the country's president, Goodluck Jonathan, has been seen as slow to respond to the situation 2014 Event Polio is on the rise as unvaccinated refugees travel across borders; though most prevalent in Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan, infections are now appearing in other parts of Asia and Africa; young children are the most vulnerable 2014 Event Nigeria rebases its GDP calculations, making its economy the largest in Africa on a total GDP basis; however, South Africa leads on a GDP per capita basis 2013 Event The UN Security Council elects Lithuania, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Chad and Chile to a two-year term beginning January 1, 2014 2012 Event An estimated 90 - 115 people die when an oil tanker in Okobge, Rivers State Nigeria crashes and explodes 2011 Event Nigeria's presidential election, held April 16, 2011, declares the winner is President Goodluck Jonathan 2011 Event Nigeria holds a presidential election 2010 Event Nigeria's government opens two swollen dams, displacing two million people in Jigawa State 2010 Event In Bauchi, northern Nigeria, an Islamist militant group named Boko Haram raids a prison and frees 721 inmates 2010 Event A food crisis in Niger causes Nigerians to flee across the border into Nigeria 2010 Event Acting president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, dissolves the Nigeria's cabinet 2009 Event Nearly 100 people are killed by a runaway truck at a market in Kogi State, Nigeria 1996 Death Nnamdi Azikiwe, President of Nigeria (1963-66), dies 1994 Event Moshood Abiola becomes President of Nigeria 1993 Event Airbus A310 of Air Nigeria hijacked, 1 dead 1992 Event Military transport plane crashes in Lagos, Nigeria killing 163 1987 Death Obafemi Awolowo, Nigeria, President of Nigeria (1979-83), dies at 78 1983 Event Nigeria's National Assembly dissolves after military coup 1983 Event Nigeria expels 2 million illegal aliens, mostly Ghanaians 1979 Event Nigeria adopts constitution, Alhaji Shagari becomes president 1979 Event Nigeria amends constitution 1976 Birthday Nwankwo Kanu, born in Owerri, Nigeria, professional soccer player, member of the Igbo, UNICEF ambassador, most decorated soccer player in history 1976 Death General Murtala Mohammed, head of Nigeria, killed during a coup 1973 Event Jordan Air crash at Kano, Nigeria kills 176 Moslem pilgrims 1971 Birthday David Defiagbon, Sapele Nigeria, Canadian boxer, 1996 Olympics silver 1971 Birthday Finidi George, born in Part Harcourt, Nigeria, soccer player, played as a midfielder for Ajax, played Football World Cups in 1994 and 1998, played in England and Spain 1971 Death Whitney Young, Jr., National Urban League director, drowns in Nigeria 1970 Event Republic Biafra disbands/joins Nigeria 1970 Event Biafran War ends, Biafra surrenders to Nigeria 1969 Birthday Ben Iroha, born in Aba, Nigeria, professional soccer player, played for the Nigerian national team, head coach, Nigeria's Dolphins FC 1967 Event Benin separates from Nigeria 1967 Event Nigeria begins offensive against Biafra 1967 Event Biafra declares independence from Nigeria 1963 Event Nigeria becomes a republic within Commonwealth 1963 Birthday Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon, Nigeria, NBA center, Rockets, Gold Medal 1996 Olympics 1961 Birthday Innocent Egbunike, Nigeria, 4x400m runner 1984 Olympics bronze 1960 Event Nigeria gains independence from Britain (National Day) 1960 Event Nigeria becomes a member of British Commonwealth 1960 Birthday Sade, Helen Ady, Nigeria, rocker, Taboo; Grammy 1986-Best new singer 1954 Event British colony of Nigeria becomes a federation 1948 Event 1st courses begin at University of Ibadan, Nigeria 1944 Birthday Peter Akinola, born in Ogun, Nigeria, church leader in Nigeria 1941 Birthday Ibrahim Babangida, president of Nigeria, 1985- 1935 Birthday John Pepper Clark, born in Nigeria, writer, Horn, Song of a Goat 1934 Birthday Yakubu Gowon, born in Kanke, Nigeria, politician, General, Head of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria 1966 - 1975 1934 Birthday Wole Soyinka, born in Nigeria, dramatist, Road, Kongi's Harvest-Nobel 1986 1922 Death Charles R Young, colonel, dies at 58, in Lagos Nigeria 1914 Event Northern and Southern Nigeria united in British colony of Nigeria 1909 Birthday Obafemi Awolowo, born in Nigeria, President of Nigeria, 1979-83 1900 Event British protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria established 1885 Event Congress of Berlin, gives Congo to Belgium and Nigeria to England
