Meet Nasara James Dabo From Southern Kaduna, 13 years old genius who solved 34 questions in 172 seconds to win International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) In the just concluded International mathematical Olympiad training, 13-year old Nasara James Dabo, a student of Ideal international college Narayi, Kaduna.
The young prodigy who participated in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) finished the contest gathering a total score of 145 points, solving 34 Mathematical questions in 172 seconds (less than 3 minutes). This record added a feather to her cap, as she emerged the top scorer, beating over 150 selected participants in the “Junior Category”, as first place & the Olympiad Champion. She was honoured a Gold medal,to honour her Consistent dedication in Mathematics & studies.
September 27th, 1977. The United Nations gave Pelé a certificate declaring him ‘A Citizen of the World’. That was just before he was to officially retire on October 1st, 1977, even though he would play in 8 exhibition matches between 1978 and 1990, with 2 of the matches played in Nigeria.
For a professional career which started in 1956, it was fitting that having scored 1,283 goals and won 3 World Cups, Pelé who had become one of the most celebrated figures around the world was declared ‘a citizen of the World’.
Indeed, long before the proclamation by the United Nations, Pelé had captured the imagination of the world since he made his debut in the 1958 World Cup, being the youngest player at the age of 17. He would build upon his incredible talent and unparalleled record in the game to become a renowned figure outside the field of Football. Before the UN declaration, Pelé had become an iconic citizen of the world, adopted by millions outside of his native Brazil.
Back in the day, it was impossible convincingly many Nigerians that Pelé was not one of us. Even with the limited level of global interconnectedness at the time, Pelé, along with Muhammad Ali, were phenomenal global icons with whom millions on the streets connected with, long before the birth of social media.
Pelé had been declared a national treasure by Brazil in 1961, forbidden from being sold to a foreign club. Yet, even as he was stuck with Santos, his fame was not limited to Brazil.
There are conflicting accounts about what actually transpired when Pelé along with his teammates from Santos visited Nigeria in 1969 during the Civil War.
One account has it that a temporary ceasefire was declared by both parties. A 2005 article in Time is said to have reported thus : “Although diplomats and emissaries had tried in vain for two years to stop the fighting in what was then Africa’s bloodiest civil war, the 1969 arrival in Nigeria of Brazilian soccer legend Pele brought a three-day ceasefire.” But this account has been disputed.
What is not in dispute is that Pelé visited Nigeria twice – 1969, as reported above. 1978, when he visited with Fluminense, playing two matches – one against the Green Eagles and the other, against Racca Rovers in Kaduna.
Pelé would, post-retirement, live up to the billing as a true citizen of the world, with a larger than life image, touring the world, playing different roles. He would, at a time, serve as the Brazilian Minister of Sport.
Pelé, a nickname, was not one Edson initially took a liking to. He thought the name sounded horrible. He wanted to be known as Edison, having been named after Thomas Edison, the inventor. But with the kids around realising that it annoyed him to be called Pelé, they did it even more until the name stuck.
It has stuck with Edson Arantes Nascimento for over 8 decades. Andy Warhol says that ‘Pelé is one of the few who contradicted my theory: instead of fifteen minutes of fame, he will have fifteen centuries.’
Who knows? Who can contest that? Pelé – A Citizen of the world indeed.
Life is always not about how you started. It’s all about how well you finish!
Messi and Argentina were humiliated and defeated in their first group match in Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup finals by a little known football side, Saudi Arabia with a 2 – 1 score line at full time.
The Saudi Arabians went on to lose the rest of their matches and left the tournament in a hurry as one of the worst performers save for their winning over the Argentines (It a big deal and an achievement to celebrate anyway).
Messi and the Argentines picked up their broken pieces from the shock and humiliation and went ahead one game after the other until they were crowned the world champions tonight by defeating the defending champion, France on penalties. Never let your past take a foothold on your future. Your greatest loss / failure may be all the motivation you need to prove a point.
Mbappe had tonight made a comeback possible for France in two minutes at the finals. He also went ahead to score an hatrick in FIFA World Cup finals and won the golden Boot award to himself but with all those huge records, he lost the finals to Messi. Always remember hhat while efforts and hardwork are very crucial to success, there is something called grace.
“I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.” (Ecclesiastes 9: 11 KJV).
May God’s grace always colour your efforts and give you a winning edge.
Congratulations Lionel Messi. Congratulations Argentina
The first church in Nigeria, St. Peter’s Anglican Church, is in Abeokuta.
The first Baptist Church in West Africa and the first local government in Nigeria (Abeokuta South) are in Abeokuta.
The first University in Nigeria should have been located in Abeokuta but due to infighting, it was established at Ibadan as the University of Ibadan in 1948.
The first secondary school in Nigeria was sited in Abeokuta before it was relocated to Lagos as CMS Grammar School due to unknown reasons.
The first hospital in Nigeria, Sacred Heart Hospital, is in Abeokuta. It is still functioning.
The first bridge in Nigeria (Sokori Bridge-1903) built by a Nigerian (Mr. John Adenekan) without European supervision is in Abeokuta.
The first Newspaper in Nigeria (Iwe Iroyin) was founded in Abeokuta in 1859.
The first president of the Nigeria Union of Teachers and the first woman to drive a car was from Abeokuta. They both married each other. They were also the first male and female admitted to Abeokuta Grammar School.
The first indigenous Chief Justice of Nigeria (Justice Adetokunbo Ademola) was from Abeokuta. He was the son of the longest reigning monarch (Alake) in Egbaland.
Okukenu Sagbua I, was the first Alake of Egbaland. He was enthroned on August 8, 1854. His descendant, Okukenu Sagbua IV is the current Alake of Egbaland.
Alake Gbadebo I, was the first monarch in Nigeria to visit England on a state visit. He spent 20 days at sea-May 5-25, 1904.
The first time a white man came to Abeokuta on January 4, 1843, everybody (both young and old) left their homes and market places to catch a glimpse of Henry Townsend, the white man.
During the American Civil War (1861-1865) which interrupted the U.S cotton trade to Europe, Abeokuta exported cotton to England.
The most influential woman in the history of Egbaland and the first Iyalode of Egbaland was Madam Tinubu. Tinubu square in Lagos and Ita Iyalode in Abeokuta are named after her. She died in 1887.
In 1893, the Egba United Government was recognized as an independent nation by Britain. She had her own laws. Many developments were made until 1914, when she was amalgamated to form Nigeria.
The Sokori Bridge was constructed in 1903 and Abeokuta Grammar School was founded on July 16, 1908.
Abeokuta has produced many outstanding persons in the nation: In Academics (Reverend Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, Professor Saburi Biobaku), In Accountancy (Akintola Williams, Folorunso Oke), In Law (Justice Adetokunbo Ademola – first indigenous Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olumuyiwa Jibowu, George Sodehinde Sowemimo, S. O. Lambo, Chief F.R.A. Williams, Prince Bola Ajibola), In Medicine (Moses Majekodunmi, Professor Thomas Lambo, Koye Ransome – Kuti), In Military (Olusegun Obasanjo, Oluwole Rotimi, Enitan Ransome-Kuti), In Civil Service (Simeon Adebo), In Literature (Ajisafe, J.F Odunjo, Amos Tutuola, Wole Soyinka – of Egba mother), In Music (Josiah J. Ransome-Kuti, Fela Ransome-Kuti, Femi Ransome-Kuti, Fela Sowande, Ebenezer Obey, Sina Peters, Adeola Akinsanya, Prince Adekunle, Ayinla Omowura), In Journalism (Olusegun Osoba, Reuben Abati), In Women Rights and Entrepreneur (Iyalode Tinubu, Eniola Soyinka, Elizabeth Adekogbe, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and Iyalode Bisi Tejuoso), In Politics (Olusegun Obasanjo, Ernest Sonekan, M.K.O. Abiola, Moses Majekodunmi, Dimeji Bankole, Ayotunde Rosiji, Olusegun Osoba, Ibikunle Amosun) and others countless to mention.
In 1925, Josiah Jesse Ransome-Kuti (1855-1930) Fela’s grandfather, became the first Nigerian to release a record album after he recorded several Yoruba language hymns in gramophone through Zonophone Records.
The most enlightened clan among the Yoruba tribe are the Egbas. Her chiefs had been interacting with the Queen of England as far back as 1868 which continued till a century later. English and Egba monarchs did exchange gifts.
The only South Westerners ever to rule Nigeria are from Abeokuta (Olusegun Obasanjo and Ernest Shonekan).
It is widely believed that Egba women are more independent than any other Yoruba tribe in the country e.g Eniola Soyinka, Elizabeth Adekogbe and Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.
There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me – The Twelve Days of Christmas.
What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won’t come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?
Around this period two years ago, I found out.
From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.
It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.
• The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
• Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
• Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
• The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
• The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
• The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
• Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit–Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
• The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
• Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit–Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
• The ten lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments.
• The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
• The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.
This is your history lesson for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening.
Now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol.
It was in 1974 that the news broke. Chief Bolarinwa Abioro, the Balogun of Ipokia, the Chairman of African Songs Limited, had taken his star musician to court! Everyone who knew KSA knew Abioro. Everyone who knew Abioro knew Sunday Adeniyi. Sunny was the son. Abioro was the father. What could have gone wrong between father and son?
DID YOU KNOW Stadium 974 is one of Qatar’s stadiums that will be disassembled after the World Cup.
It was named 974 because it was built by using 974 shipping containers, which makes it fully recyclable structure.
Qatar announced today that it will give away the 974 Stadium as a gift to Jordan as an expression of appreciation for the Jordanian assistance to Qatar during the World Cup.
The stadium will be disassembled back into 974 containers and shipped to Jordan to be re-assembled again there permanently.
Settlements in Nigeria, Dahomey and Togo. After the break-up of the last of these empires and by following the Niger River south-eastwards, the ancestors of the Ewes moved into the present day Nigeria, at the height of the Oyo Empire, settled briefly at Ile Ife in Yoruba-land (Osun State of Nigeria), but moved on at the fall of the Oyo Empire, and going westward, they entered Dahomey (present-day Republic of Benin). It was in Ile-Ife that they revived and perfected the art of divination (aƒa kaka), which their ancestors abandoned in Mesopotamia. They also settled in Ketu, a Yoruba town in modern day Benin. Ketu is also called “Amedzorƒe or Mawuƒe” in the accounts. The Yoruba people founded Ketu by the fourteenth century at the latest.At Dahomey they split into three groups. The first group settled at the bank of the Mono River and named that place Tado (Tando or A’Tando), which became a powerful kingdom and the historical capital.
Settlements in the City State of Notsie The second group moved on to settle between the Mono and the Haho Rivers. This settlement became Notsie, in present day Republic of Togo. The third group settled at what then was Adele country where they established the nucleus of what later became the Kingdom of Dahomey, but then called Dogbo-Nyigbo. Some members from this group moved out later to join those already settled at Notsie and in this new settlement, the earlier settlers referred to them as “Dogboawo” due to their earlier association with the settlement at Dogbo-Nyigbo. Note that Dogbo is a town between Agbome and Tado. The migrants who left Tado followed a path of a hunter by the name Afotse or Ndetsi, or the ancestor Noin or Da, depending on the version told. All migrants were given a portion of Notsie by their hosts to settle on, to be by themselves. Thus there were various settlements of the Ewe people at Notsie, and they were all semi-autonomous with their own leaders. According to some accounts, at its greatest height, the city of Notsie consisted of thirty-six neighborhoods. The Dogbo quarter therefore had its own leader, same as other Ewe groups. The several and separate quarters were all however ruled by one great King of Notsie.
Some of these leaders and Kings were: Adela Blebua, Tsamla, Adela Dzawoe, Ekpe, Adelatorble, Agor and Agorkorli. Some of the original seven quarters are: Tegbe, Tako, Ekli, Agbaladome, Anakpe, and Adime; and the deserted spaces are called Wotsegbeme, Soujafeme, Gbedekordzi, the market place and Azakordzi.
The second big group went to the Adele region in present-day Togo. To this group belonged the people who came to be known as the Aŋlɔ Be and Fon. They later joined their relatives at Notsie. There, they were known collectively as Dogboawo. Their leaders were Amega Wenya and his nephew Sroe (Sri, son of Amega Wenya’s sister Asongoe) who was the son of the King of Tado. Sri had fled from Tado with his father’s stool following a succession dispute with his half-brothers after their father’s death. At this juncture, it will be useful to note that the Dogboawo, as well as the entire Ewe people of West Africa, once lived together at Ketu. The arrival of the Ewe speaking people in Notsie is placed around (ca. 1500).
There is no evidence of how long they were in Notsie. However, depending on what tradition one wants to follow, they either came from Ketu to Notsie or Tado to Notsie. Manoukian (1952) writes,”According to these traditions, in the three main groups, a northern, a middle and southern group, each of which migrated to and settled in different parts of Togoland, their present home”. At any rate, in all accounts, Notsie was their last stop and center of dispersion. Notsie was also a crucial and significant point in the history of the Ewe people, especially the Aŋlɔ’s. Notsie is to the Ewe speaking people as Egypt is to the Jews. To be continued… STAY TUNED.. Don’t forget to like, share and comment.
drbiggie 