2014 was a very interesting year for Nigeria as it marked an important landmark and event which is the centenary celebration. The country in its centenary year witnessed good, bad and ugly situation and all these events put together actually shaped the year for the country. CEOAFRICA has put together some of the event that transpired in the year 2014.
The Sack of Lamido Sanusi as CBN governor
Nigeria's Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi was suspended by President Goodluck Jonathan for "financial recklessness and misconduct" on 20 February. Mr Sanusi caused shockwaves in Nigeria when he alleged that $20bn (£12bn) in oil revenue had gone missing.
His allegations threaten to expose high-level fraud in Nigeria's notoriously opaque and corrupt oil sector. He said, more than $1bn was unaccounted for every month. The controversy comes at a time when elections loom and some of the president's senior officials are being asked some very awkward questions.
Mr Sanusi's critics wonder about his own political ambitions and question whether he is using his job to harm President Jonathan's chances in 2015. But to many Nigerians it will appear that the president has chosen to suspend the whistleblower rather than focus on stopping fraud.
Mr Sanusi was sacked while attending a meeting with other West African Central Bank Governors in Niger.
The importation of Ebola into Nigeria by Patrick Sawyer
Patrick Sawyer, a consultant for the Liberian Ministry of Finance brought the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) to Nigeria on 20 July 2014; Sawyer flew via ASKY Airlines from James Spriggs Payne Airport in Monrovia, Liberia to Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, with a stopover at Lome in Togo. He was subsequently described as having appeared to be "terribly ill" when he left Monrovia.
He collapsed upon arriving at Lagos Murtala Muhammed International Airport. A protocol officer of ECOWAS was there to greet him. The officer drove Sawyer in an ECOWAS pool car to First Consultant Hospital in Obalende, where he later died on 24 July.
The promotion of David Omojola to the position of a DIG
THE Police Service Commission approved the promotion of the former AIG Zone 11 Osogbo, David O. Omojola to the position of a Deputy Inspectors General (DIG) of Police, ICT unit. The appointment took effect from August 20, 2014.
In a statement by the Assistant Director, Press and Public Relations, PSC, Ferdinand Ekpe, in Abuja, he said the promotions was necessary to fill the vacancies created by recent retirements and promotions in the Force and to re-invigorate and reposition the Police Force to help tackle the country’s current security challenges.
AIG Adisa Bolanta gives out daughter in marriage
The Assistant Inspector General of Police and Commandant Nigeria Police Academy Kano, Adisa Bolanta gave out his daughter, Maryam in marriage on the 9, August. It was celebration galore as people from all works of life regardless of class and socio-ethnic identity converged to witness the glorious moment in Ilorin, Kwara state.
The Holy Matrimony (Nikkah) of Maryam and Ahmed was celebrated in a grand style; that the event became the talk of the day.
Brewery Managers sons wedding
The year 2014 has witnessed so many wedding ceremonies but one that stands out among the rest is that of Adedamola, the son of the Nigerian Breweries, Ibadan plant, Alhaji Goke Adeyemi.
He got married to his love, Opeyemi Rekiyat on Saturday, December 13.
Prominent Nigerians present at the event includes: Alayeluwa Oba Okunade Sijuwade and Olori Odunola Sijuade, Chief Mrs Olusola Olagunju, Aishat Iyabo Debola, Oba Adeleke Adejire Ogunleye, Oba Kayode Omisore Oluolowunsogo, Oba Adeoye Adefarakan, Oba Babatunde Awosoyere, Oba Jide Awojoodu, Otunba Moses A. Adeyemo amongst others. Some foreign dignitaries were also present at the event which took place at Opic Event Centre, Isheri Berger, Lagos.
The Holy Matrimony (Nikkah) of Opeyemi Rekiyat and Adedamola was filled with delightful surprises and celebrated in a grand style that got all guest talking about the event.
Sen. Teslim Folarin emerge as PDP flag bearer
Former Senate leader, Tesilim Folarin emerged the People’s Democratic Party PDP Governorship candidate for the 2015 general elections. The primaries election which held at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan was free, fair and credible.
At the end of the voting exercise, Folarin emerged winner with total votes of 167 out of 198 votes recorded. There were ten invalid votes while former deputy governor of the state, Hazeem Gbolarunmi had twelve votes. Soji Adejumo got four while Azeez Adedoja had three. Alao-Akala had two votes. Both Senator Ayo Adeseun and Prof Adedoja stepped down a few minutes to the commencement of the voting exercise.
Shortly after the result of the primary was announced, supporters of Folarin went into jubilation amidst pump and ceremony. Folarin however, thanked the good people of the party for giving him the opportunity to represent the party at the forthcoming governorship election. He promised that he would not disappoint them.
The siege on National Assembly and the drama that followed
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and other members of the lower chamber were on 20 November teargased by the police who attempted to prevent the lawmakers from gaining access to the National Assembly.
Tambuwal, who arrived at the gate at exactly 11.am, was prevented from entering the building as the policemen locked the gate and refused to open it even when the Speaker came out of his car.
Some members who lost their patience decided to scale the fence, some of the honourable members who scaled the fence included minority leader Femi Gbajabiamila, Rep Babangida Mahuta (APC, Katsina), Rep Usman Abdulmalik Cheche (PDP, Niger), Rep Solomon Adeola Olamilekan (APC, Lagos), Rep Victor Afam Ogene (APGA, Anambra), among many others.
When the president of the senate, David Mark saw that the whole situation was getting out of control he had to shut down the hallowed chambers.
The Impeachment of Murtala Nyako
On July 15, 2014, The Adamawa State House of Assembly impeached the state Governor, Murtala Nyako.
After deliberations made by the seven-man impeachment panel, eighteen out of the twenty four members of the Assembly voted to impeach the governor for his alleged “gross misconduct,”
However, his deputy, Bala Ngilari, who was also up for impeachment, submitted his letter of resignation this morning.
The impeachment of Sunday Onyebuchi
On 26 August, the Deputy Governor of Enugu Sunday Onyebuchi was impeached by the Enugu State House of Assembly.
Onyebuchi was accused of operating a commercial poultry at his official residence and of flouting the orders of the State Governor Sullivan Chime, but many say both allegations do not qualify as impeachment offences.
The Enugu State House of Assembly adopted the decision of the 7-man impeachment panel set up by the state Chief Judge, Justice Innocent Umezulike, to probe allegations of wrong-doings against the Deputy Governor.
The shooting of Senator Magnus Abe
Senator Magnus Abe, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) and the Chief of Staff to Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Tony Okocha were reportedly both hit with rubber bullets shot by Rivers police on the 12, January during a political rally in Port Harcourt.
The Senator had led members of the Save Rivers Movement to a venue where a pro-APC rally was to hold, and the police fired rounds and released teargas in a bid to stop the event. Several people were wounded during the shooting
The abduction of Chibok girls
On the night of 14–15 April, a group of militants attacked the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Nigeria and abducted 276 girls. They broke into the school, pretending to be guards, telling the girls to get out and come with them. A large number of students were taken away in trucks, possibly into t the Sambisa Forest where Boko Haram is known to have fortified camps.
