January in History

History is no longer expected to be written from the memory of historians. 

Statistics are expected to support it. 

The most important type of proof is the one that is written.

I think you would be horrified if a history teacher said, "Well, I think World War I began around 1914 because that's when my great-grandfather told my grandmother it started."

Because I'm one of those anal-retentive individuals who believe the world should make sense, I've compiled the following list of historical and recent events that have occurred in January in history:

January 1 in History

January 1 of Every Year

* New Year’s Day is being observed and celebrated as a holiday on the first day of another calendar year. 

[First use: 13th century]

January 1, 1995

* Nigeria became a founding member of the World Trade Organization.

January 1, 1994

* Value Added Tax (VAT) was introduced.

January 1, 1993

* Slovakia was founded. 

[Capital: Bratislava; Continent: Europe]

January 1, 1984

* Brunei became an independent country. 

[Capital: Bandar; Ex-colonial master: UK; Continent: Asia]

January 1, 1973

* Naira and Kobo came into use as Nigerian currency to change to decimal currency.

January 1, 1962

* Samoa became an independent country. 

[Capital: Apia; Ex-colonial master: New Zealand; Continent: Australia]

January 1, 1960

* Cameroon became an independent country. 

[Capital: Yaoundé; Ex-colonial master: France; Continent: Africa] 

January 1, 1956

* Sudan became an independent nation. 

[Capital: Khartoum; Ex-colonial master: Egypt/UK; Continent: Africa] 

January 1, 1950

* Prince Nico Mbarga of “Sweet Mother” fame was born.

January 1, 1914

* Nigeria was born through Lord Frederick Luggard’s amalgamation of the Northern Protectorate, the Southern Protectorate, and the Colony of Lagos to form Nigeria.

January 1, 1901

* Australia was founded. 

[Capital: Canberra; Continent: Australia]

January 1, 1862

* Lagos Island annexed as a colony of Britain.

January 1, 1804

* Haiti became an independent country. 

[Capital: Port-au-Prince; Ex-colonial master: France; Continent: North America]

January 1, 1801

* The United Kingdom was founded. 

[Capital: London; Continent: Europe]

January 1, 1776

* George Washington unveiled the Grand Union flag, the first national flag in America.

January 2 in History

January 2, 1492

* Spain was founded. 

[Capital: Madrid; Continent: Europe]

January 5 in History

January 5, 1961

* Nigeria broke diplomatic relations with France as a result of France’s third atomic bomb test in the Sahara.

January 6 in History

January 6, 1967

* Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, former Honourable Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, was born.

January 10 in History

January 10, 1863

* The world’s first underground railway service was opened in London.

January 11 in History

January 11, 1964

* The U.S. Surgeon General declared cigarettes may be hazardous to health.

January 12 in History

January 12, 1970

* General Effiong announced Biafra’s surrender.

January 12, 1954

* Jide Kosoko, a veteran Nigerian actor, was born.

January 13 in History

January 13, 1963

* The first coup took place in Togo.

January 13, 1830

* Venezuela became an independent country. 

[Capital: Caracas; Ex-colonial master: Colombia; Continent: South America]

January 15 in History

January 15 of Every Year

* Nigeria Armed Forces and Remembrance Day is being observed and celebrated.

January 15, 1977

* The Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) was held in Lagos and Kaduna.

January 15, 1970

* The civil war referred to as the Biafran War between Igbos and the rest of Nigeria was officially ended after thirty (30) months, leaving nearly two million dead.

January 15, 1966

* Tafawa Balewa (first Nigerian prime minister) and Ahmadu Bello (former premier of Old Northern Nigeria) were assassinated.

* The civilian government of Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was overthrown by soldiers led by Major Chukwuemeka Nzeogu, which was the first coup staged by the Nigerian Army.

January 15, 1929

* Martin Luther King, an African American civil rights leader, was born.

January 16 in History

January 16, 2006

* Mrs. Ellen Johnson S. became the president of Liberia.

January 16, 1970

* General Yakubu Gowon received unconditional surrender from the Biafrans.

January 16, 1966

* Late Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi formed the Federal Military Government and became the first military ruler to serve as the Head of state of Nigeria, starting from 16 January 1966 to 29 July 1966.

January 17 in History

January 17, 1995

* Ibraheem Abacha and fourteen (14) other friends crashed in Dausayi village, Kano.

January 17, 1942

* Muhammad Ali, former world heavyweight boxing champion, was born.

January 18 in History

January 18, 1951

* Iyalode Alaba Lawson, the first NACCIMA female president and the Iyalode of Yorubaland, was born

January 18, 1911

* The old Lafenwa Bridge at Abeokuta was opened.

January 21 in History

January 21, 1968

* Nauru became an independent country. 

[Capital: Yare; Ex-colonial master: Australia; Continent: Australia] 

January 21, 1954

* USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, was launched.

January 22 in History

January 22, 1901

* Queen Victoria of England died after reigning for 64 years.

January 23 in History

January 23, 1719

* Liechtenstein was founded. 

[Capital: Vaduz; Continent: Europe] 

January 24 in History

January 24, 1955

* Suleman Eris, the shortest man in the world, was born in Turkey (measuring 30 inches tall).

January 25 in History

January 25, 1961

* President John F. Kennedy conducted the first live televised presidential news conference.

January 25, 1958

* Ibikunle Amosun, former governor of Ogun State, was born in Abeokuta.

January 26 in History

January 26 of Every Year

* Australia Day is being observed and celebrated.

* India Republic Day is being observed and celebrated.

January 27 in History

January 27, 2002

* Bomb explosion in Ikeja Military Cantonment claimed more than 2000 lives, left some people homeless, and damaged properties.

January 27, 1968

* The Biafra new currency was introduced.

January 27, 1944

* Most Revd. Peter Akinola, former Anglican primate Church of Nigeria, was born in Abeokuta.

January 30 in History

January 30, 2020

* The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of coronavirus to be a public health emergency of international concern.

January 30, 1835

* Andrew Jackson survived the first assassination attempt on the US president.

January 31 in History

January 31 of Every Year

* Nauru Independence Day is being observed and celebrated.

January 31, 1919

* Jackie Robinson, the first African American player to play professional baseball, was born.

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12 Inspiring Famous Quotes for January

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Peruse, pause, and ponder the following twelve (12) inspiring famous quotes to keep you inspired for your daily endeavours in the month of January:

#01

“One chapter of your life is over. The rest of your story is up to you. Get started!”

– Deb Purdy

#02

“Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.”

– Swami Sivananda

#03

“You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try.”

– Beverly Sills

#04

“Today is a new day. Don't let your history interfere with your destiny! Let today be the day you stop being a victim of your circumstances and start taking action towards the life you want. You have the power and the time to shape your life. Break free from the poisonous victim mentality and embrace the truth of your greatness. You were not meant for a mundane or mediocre life!”

– Steve Maraboli

#05

“Develop the daily habit of visualization and dreaming by consciously seeing a better and brighter future through your mind’s eye.”

– Mensah Oteh

#06

“Today expect something good to happen to you no matter what occurred yesterday. Realize the past no longer holds you captive. It can only continue to hurt you if you hold on to it. Let the past go. A simply abundant world awaits you.”

– Sarah Ban Breathnach

#07

“The strongest factor for success is self-esteem. Believing you can do it, believing you deserve it, believing you’ll get it”

– Bessie Anderson

#08

“The only thing that stands between you and your dream is the will to achieve it.”

– Joel Brown

#09

“Build your dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs.”

– Farrab Grey

#10

“Success is the progressive realization of the worthwhile goal.”

– Glend Bland

#11

“There is no royal road to anything; one thing at a time, all things in succession. That which grows fast withers as rapidly. That which grows slowly endures.”

– Josiah Gilbert Holland

#12

“The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.”

– Arthur C. Clarke

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