The Year 529 AD
By 529 AD when Christianity had become the official State Religion of the old Roman Empire, Emperor Justinian made Christmas a public holiday.
The real date of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ is unknown; however, the Christian leaders reached a consensus to mark the great event of the birth of the Messiah on the 25th day of December.
The term “Christmas” is of fairly recent origin. It literally means “Mass on Christ’s day”.
The earlier term “Yule” ( Yuletide) may have been derived from the Germanic “jol” or Anglo Saxon “geōl”, which referred to the feast of the winter solstice – the return of the sun (which honoured Saturn, the god of sowing).
Some earlier writings had ascribed a celebration at the same (Yuletide) period to be of Egyptian origin.
Generally, the pagan ceremonies that used to hold within the period were full of ribaldry, licentiousness and recklessness.
Some commentators have expressed reservations on the propriety of the choice of 25th December as Christmas day; nevertheless, using the period for a Christian celebration takes the shine away from pagan ceremonies in these modern times.
December 31, 1983
On the 31st of December, 1983, Major General Mohammadu Buhari aborted the Nigerian Second Republic by overthrowing the elected government of President Alhaji Shehu Shagari.
December 21 , 1988
Lockerbie disaster of 21st December, 1988 : Pan Am Flight 103 was destroyed mid air by a terrorist bomb, killing 258 passengers and crew members over Scotland.
December 21 , 1991
On 21st December 1991, the Soviet Union dissolved formally as 11 out of the 12 republics signed a treaty, forming a common wealth of independent states.
August 27th to November 17th 1993
Chief Ernest Shonekan struggled with an interim government contraption, handed over to him by General Ibrahim Babangida, who “stepped aside” due to pressure, after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, adjudged to be one of the freest and fairest in Nigeria and believed to have been won by Chief M.K.O. Abiola.
Compiled by Anuforo Kingsley A.
