“The good historian… must be fearless, uncorrupted, free, the friend of truth and of liberty. One who calls a fig a fig, and a skiff a skiff, neither giving nor withholding from any, from favour or from enmity, not influenced by pity, by shame, or by remorse. A just judge… a stranger to all, of no country, bound only by his own laws, acknowledging no sovereign, never considering what this or that man may say of him, but relating faithfully everything as it happened.” – Lucian
Today In History
1. Wings Airline Craft Went Missing
On this day in 2008, a Wings Airline 19-seater aircraft went missing shortly after leaving Lagos for the Obudu Cattle Ranch in Cross River state. The wreckage and dead bodies of it’s three crew members was later found by hunters on 30 August of the same year.
2. Militants Detonated Two Car Bombs In Warri
On this day in 2012, militants in oil-producing region “Warri” detonated two car bombs near a government building where officials were discussing an amnesty deal, showing their resolve to resume attacks after an agreement to bring peace and economic benefits to the area unraveled.
3. FAUD 1 Of Egypt Decreed To Be Referred To As King In Place Of Sultan
On this day in 1922, after Egypt gained independence from Britain, FAUD 1 decreed to be referred to as King in place of Sultan he was previously addressed as. He had ruled as Sultan for five years, and remained King until his death in 1936.
4. Juba Nile Bridge Was Opened
On this day in 1974, Juba Nile bridge in present day South Sudan was opened. The bridge was built during the regime of General Gaafar Nimeiry, from two World War II era bridges and it cost $2.5 million at the time.
5. Central African Republic President, François Bozizé Staged A Successful Coup D’état
On this day in 2003, after two previous unsuccessful coups in 1982 and 2001, Central African Republic President, François Bozizé staged a successful coup to overthrow Ange-Félix Patassé, the first president in the country’s history elected in a free and fair election, when he travelled out of the country.
Bozizé would eventually be ousted in a 2013 coup d’état.
6. South African Politician, Julius Malema Was Convicted Of Hate Speech
On this day in 2010, South African Politician, Julius Malema was convicted of hate speech for mocking a woman who accused South African President Jacob Zuma of raping her. He went on to commit another hate speech crime when he called for the killing of white farmers.
7. Gërdec Explosions
On this day in 2008, ), while U.S and Albanian munitions experts were preparing to gradually and carefully destroy stockpiles of obsolete ammunition at an ex-military ammunition depot in the village of Gërdec in the Vorë Municipality of Albania, the entire stockpile detonated simultaneously and resulted in a large explosion, killing 26 people, injuring over 350 people and destroying properties.
8. Christchurch Mosque Shootings
On this day in 2019, Brenton Harrison Tarrant entered two different mosques, the Al Noor Mosque and the Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch, New Zealand and opened fire on Muslim worshippers. The mass shootings Killed 51 people and injured 40 others.
