De Principal

De Principal Enhancement through Education

On This Day: 25 NovemberIn 1915, Albert Einstein presented another piece of his general theory of relativity to the Prus...
25/11/2025

On This Day: 25 November

In 1915, Albert Einstein presented another piece of his general theory of relativity to the Prussian Academy of Sciences, slowly unveiling a vision of the universe that bent space, time and imagination. It wasn’t a single dramatic moment but part of a steady unfolding. Still, this date sits inside that remarkable week when the world’s understanding of gravity shifted forever. Funny how ideas that feel abstract at first can end up shaping satellites, GPS and even the way we picture the stars.

Across Africa, 25 November 1987 lands in the timeline of Tunisia’s political transition, when Zine El Abidine Ben Ali deposed President Habib Bourguiba, citing health concerns. It set the country on a new 24-year path that wouldn’t end until the Arab Spring. Looking back, you can almost see the cracks forming early… how quiet power shifts eventually turn into loud revolutions.

And at home in Nigeria, 25 November 2002 marked the day the Miss World pageant, planned for Abuja, was officially moved out of the country after protests and unrest. It was a messy and painful moment, one that exposed how deeply religion, media and politics could collide. People still remember it as one of those days when a global spotlight turned awkwardly, even harshly, on the nation.

Placed together, these moments feel like reminders of how quickly things can change. A theory reshaping the universe. A coup reshaping a country. A beauty contest reshaping public conversation in ways no one expected. History doesn’t always announce itself; sometimes it just knocks gently and asks if we’ve been paying attention.

On This Day: 23 NovemberIn 2003, a wave of quiet determination swept through Georgia as citizens took to the streets wit...
23/11/2025

On This Day: 23 November

In 2003, a wave of quiet determination swept through Georgia as citizens took to the streets with roses in hand, pushing for fair elections. It later became known as the Rose Revolution, a peaceful uprising that forced the president to resign. It wasn’t perfect, and politics rarely is, but it showed the world what calm persistence can do when people decide they’ve had enough.

Across Africa, 23 November 1983 sits in the complex story of Upper Volta, now Burkina Faso. The country was still adjusting after the coup that brought Captain Thomas Sankara into power a few months earlier. His early reforms were already stirring excitement and resistance across the continent. Even today, you can feel his influence in conversations about African dignity, economic independence and youthful leadership.

Back in Nigeria, 23 November 1994 carries a memory from the world of football. Rasheed Yekini was crowned African Footballer of the Year around this period, the first Nigerian ever to win the award. His name still brings a small smile to people who remember that golden era… the confidence, the goals, the pride of seeing a Nigerian at the top of African football.

Put together, the day feels like a gentle reminder of how influence works. A peaceful protest that shifts a country’s direction. A young leader trying to redefine what freedom means. A striker whose talent made millions feel seen. Different stories, same spark: the belief that change, in whatever form it takes, sometimes begins with just one person refusing to shrink.

21/11/2025

On This Day: 21 November

In 1995, leaders from Europe gathered in the quiet town of Dayton, Ohio, to initial the agreement that would end the brutal Bosnian War. Three years of conflict, cities under siege, and unimaginable loss finally gave way to signatures on a document that tried to stitch a broken region back together. Peace is rarely neat, but moments like this remind you how desperately the world needs it.

Across Africa, 21 November 1970 marks the day Guinea faced an unexpected Portuguese-backed invasion known as Operation Green Sea. It failed, but it left the young nation shaken and even more aware of how fragile independence could be. Many African countries were navigating that same uneasy space, defending their new sovereignty while still dealing with the long shadows of colonial interests.

In Nigeria, the date often brings back memories of 21 November 2005, when the Federal Government announced the creation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as a robust, centralized force against corruption. It sparked hope, skepticism, arguments… basically every reaction Nigerians usually have when the government promises reform. Still, the institution has shaped the national conversation around accountability in ways that can’t be ignored.

Side by side, the day feels like a quiet meditation on protection. Nations trying to hold themselves together. Young states defending their freedom. A country wrestling with the weight of internal decay. Different stories, same longing: the desire for stability that actually lasts.

On This Day: 19 NovemberIn 1863, a crowd gathered on a quiet battlefield in Gettysburg to hear a few speeches, and Abrah...
19/11/2025

On This Day: 19 November

In 1863, a crowd gathered on a quiet battlefield in Gettysburg to hear a few speeches, and Abraham Lincoln stepped up with what turned out to be just a couple of minutes of words. The Gettysburg Address was short enough to miss if you blinked, yet it became one of the most quoted reflections on freedom and nationhood. Funny how some of the most enduring ideas arrive almost softly.

Across Africa, 19 November 1967 sits in the tense timeline of the Nigerian Civil War, when the Aburi Accord negotiations were being prepared and international actors were watching closely. The continent felt the impact of that conflict far beyond Nigeria’s borders, with countries choosing sides, offering mediation or struggling with the fear that similar divisions could spread. Africa’s modern politics is full of these moments where one nation’s crisis becomes a continental lesson.

For Nigeria itself, the date carries a brighter memory for many sports lovers. On 19 November 1994, the Super Eagles beat Zambia 2–0 in Tunis to qualify for their first-ever FIFA World Cup. A whole generation still remembers the excitement of that period, the confidence, the pride, the sense that the world was finally taking notice of Nigerian football.

Placed next to each other, the day feels like a mix of solemn reflection and shared celebration. A speech that tried to mend a broken union. A continent learning from conflict. A nation dancing its way into global football. History doesn’t move in a straight line; it swings between pain, hope and triumph, sometimes all on the same date.

On This Day: 17 NovemberIn 1869, ships finally slipped through the brand-new Suez Canal for the first time. A narrow cut...
17/11/2025

On This Day: 17 November

In 1869, ships finally slipped through the brand-new Suez Canal for the first time. A narrow cut in the sand suddenly linked the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, shrinking global travel and reshaping trade. It’s funny how one engineering decision can redraw the mental map of the world and spark decades of geopolitical tug-of-war.

Across Africa, this date in 1958 holds a quieter but meaningful moment. Morocco formally returned parts of the Tarfaya region to its territory after negotiations with Spain. It wasn’t as dramatic as gaining full independence, but it was one more piece of a long puzzle of reclaiming land and identity. Those incremental steps often matter more than the big ceremonies.

Back home, 17 November 1993 is etched into Nigeria’s political memory. General Sani Abacha addressed the nation after taking power the day before, dissolving democratic structures and suspending key parts of the constitution. It signaled the beginning of a new military era, one that many Nigerians still remember with a mix of fear, frustration and hard lessons.

Looking at these moments side by side, the day feels like a small reminder of how power shifts… sometimes through grand openings that change global routes, sometimes through steady diplomatic negotiation, and sometimes through abrupt announcements that unsettle a whole country. History rarely moves in just one mood.

16/11/2025

Orisirisi

On This Day: 16 NovemberBack in 1532, a tense meeting in the Andes changed the direction of an entire world. Spanish for...
16/11/2025

On This Day: 16 November

Back in 1532, a tense meeting in the Andes changed the direction of an entire world. Spanish forces captured Atahualpa, the last Inca emperor, at Cajamarca. It was over in a moment, yet it marked the unraveling of one of the greatest civilizations in the Americas. Sometimes history turns on days that look ordinary until you feel the shockwave centuries later.

On the continent, 16 November 1989 carries a different kind of memory. South Africa saw the unbanning of the African National Congress in the Transkei region, one of the apartheid-era homelands. It wasn’t the headline moment everyone quotes, but it was one of those small political loosening points that hinted the walls were beginning to crack. Change often starts in places that don’t look dramatic at first glance.

And for Nigeria, the date touches on media history. In 1977, the country officially launched the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) as a unified national broadcaster, merging earlier regional stations. It became the dominant voice on TV for decades, shaping how millions saw themselves and their country. People still talk about the old jingles and the evening news with a kind of nostalgia.

Put together, the day feels like a reminder that influence comes in many shapes. An empire falls, a movement gains air, a nation finds a single screen to gather around for stories and news. Some days carry quiet beginnings that end up steering whole societies in directions no one fully sees at the time.

On This Day: 15 NovemberIn 1920, delegates gathered in Geneva for the first General Assembly of the League of Nations. I...
15/11/2025

On This Day: 15 November

In 1920, delegates gathered in Geneva for the first General Assembly of the League of Nations. It was the world’s early experiment in settling disputes through dialogue rather than gunfire. The League didn’t survive the storms that followed, but the instinct behind it eventually grew into the United Nations that anchors global diplomacy today.

Across Africa, this date holds another kind of milestone. In 1988, Palestinian leaders meeting in Algiers issued their Declaration of Independence. Algeria’s role as host wasn’t accidental; the country had become a symbolic home for liberation movements across the continent and beyond. The moment echoed through African capitals that understood the long, complicated road to self-determination.

Closer to home, 15 November has carried political ripples in Nigeria too. In 1993, Ernest Shonekan, head of the Interim National Government, was pressured to step down as General Sani Abacha took power. It was one of those days when the country felt the weight of abrupt change, the kind that still shapes how Nigerians talk about governance and transition.

Looking at these threads side by side, there’s a quiet theme here. Different people in different places trying to build better structures… or struggling to protect the ones they have. It makes today feel like a small reminder that stability rarely comes without effort and, sometimes, uncomfortable lessons.

15/11/2025

Know this and know peace

Address

Lagos

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when De Principal posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category