- Major General Oladipo Diya who had been sentenced to death was later commuted to a 25-year jail term
- The United Africa Company (UAC) was formed
- Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi birthdate
- Boko Haram militants kill 68 in Njaba, Borno
- Nigerians rioted over bus driver’s killing, burned down a police station
- Bomb exploded at a political rally in Suleja, Niger
According to Adolf Hitler, the man who has no sense of history is like a man who has no ears or eyes.
History plays an important role in personal development and contributes greatly to the advancement of our society. When we look back or reflect on the past, it’s not because we are happy or excited about the tragic events or stories; rather we do it for educational and life-lesson purposes.
WITHIN NIGERIA highlighted seven significant events that shaped March 3 in the history of this country, Nigeria in an effort to enlighten our readers.
Major General Oladipo Diya who had been sentenced to death was later commuted to a 25-year jail term
On this date, 3rd of March in 1999, Major General Oladipo Diya, who had been sentenced to death, but whose sentence was later commuted to a 25-year jail term, and his colleagues were reportedly released after General Abdulsalam Abubakar granted them amnesty.
According to reports, Major General Diya, and his colleagues including Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, Major Gen. Abdulkareem Adisa, Col. EI. Jando, Col. Yakubu Bako, Lt. Col. O.O. Akinyode (deceased), Major A.A. Fadipe, Major B.M. Mohammed and Lance Corporal Galadima Tanko, were not only released but henceforth dismissed from the service, stripped of their ranks, and reportedly prohibited from using their military titles.
General Oladipa Diya was the deputy president of Nigeria from November 1993 to December 1997 when he was arrested by the Abacha government and charged with treason (The News 21 Sept. 1998).
The statement arresting Major General Oladipo Diya, and the 11 others for allegedly planning to overthrow the government of the President Sani Abacha was issued by Major-General Abdulsalam Abubakar, now president, but then Chief of Defence Staff.
On 21 December 1997 the government arrested top army officials including the Deputy Head of State, Lieutenant General Oladipo Diya, Major General Tunji Olanrewaju, Major General Abdulkarim Adisa, and eight others for allegedly plotting to “violently” overthrow the government of General Sani Abacha.
The United Africa Company (UAC) was formed
The United Africa Company was formed in 1929 as a result of the merger of The Niger Company, which had been effectively owned by Lever Brothers since 1920, and the African & Eastern Trade Corporation.
In the early 1930s the United Africa Company was nearly reduced to bankruptcy and as a result it came under the control of Unilever which had just been formed. Unilever had only been created from the merger of Lever Brothers and the Dutch Margarine Union earlier on 3 March 1929. The United Africa Company continued as subsidiary of Unilever until 1987 when it was absorbed by the parent company.
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi birthdate
Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi was born into the family of Mazi (Mr.) Ezeugo Aguiyi on the 3rd of March 1924, in Ibeku, Umuahia, Noé in Abia State, Nigeria. At the age of eight, he went to live with his older sister, Anyamma, who was married to Theophilius Johnson, a Sierra Leonean diplomat working in Umuahia.
Aguiyi-Ironsi subsequently took the last name of his brother-in-law as his first name in admiration of Mr. Johnson for the father-figure role that he played in his life. Aguiyi-Ironsi had his primary and secondary school education in Umuahia and Kano, respectively. At the age of 18, he joined the Nigeria Regiment against the wishes of his sister.
Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi GCFR MVO MBE was the first military head of state of Nigeria. He seized power during the ensuing chaos after the 15 January 1966 military coup, which decapitated the country’s leadership.
Boko Haram militants kill 68 in Njaba, Borno
On this date, 3rd of March, no fewer than 68 men and boys were killed by suspected Boko Haram militants at dawn in Njaba, a remote village of northeast Borno.
Witnesses tell a VOA reporter that the militants attacked the community of Njaba in Borno state before dawn Tuesday.
Aminatur Mommodu, a Njaba resident in her early 40s, says women were spared but “every male, including children of 12, 13 and 14 years old were killed.” She says women who ran into the bush when the gunmen attacked later returned and counted 68 corpses, all of them with gunshot wounds or their throats slit open.
Nigerians rioted over bus driver’s killing, burned down a police station
On this date, 3rd of March in 2005, Nigerians in large numbers wielding sticks and broken bottles burned down a police station in Makurdi, protesting the police killing of a bus driver who apparently refused to pay a bribe equivalent to 14 cents.
Bomb exploded at a political rally in Suleja, Niger
On this date, 3rd of March in 2011, a bomb exploded at a political rally of Babangida Aliyu, a gubernatorial candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Suleja, Niger State.
According to reports, the bomb killed three people and wounded 21 others.