The year 1960 is sometimes called the ‘Year of Africa’ because of the major events that occurred on the continent – particularly the independence of seventeen nations and most importantly Nigeria.

Nigeria is not the only country turning 53 this year, neither is she the only thing turning 53 this year. Here are some other people, events, and things that are turning 53 in 2013

1.Nigeria

On first October 1960, Nigeria gained independence from the United Kingdom, and Nnamdi Azikwe becomes its first native-born Governor General.

2.First Black African Olympic Gold Medal


In the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Ethiopian runner Abebe Bikila won the marathon and became the first Black African to receive an Olympic Gold Medal while running barefoot.

3.Nuhu Ribadu

Yes, the former anti-corruption official, Presidential candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria (2011). He is a recipient of the World Bank’s 2008 Jit Gill Memorial Award for Outstanding Public Service. The Pioneer Executive chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and one of Nigeria’s best public servants will be 53 this year.

4.Jean Claude Van Damme

The star of Bloodspot, Kick boxer, Universal Soldier, Hard Target, Street Fighter, and most recently The Expendables 2 was born in 1960. Van Damme once said he learned to speak English by watching the cartoon "The Flintstones". Speaking about the Flintstones ….

5.The Flintstones

The Flintstones debuted in 1960 and it was the most financially successful network animated franchise for three decades until The Simpsons debuted. This year, TV Guide ranked The Flintstones the second Greatest TV Cartoon of All Time

6.Sit-in against segregation

On February 1st 1960, four African American students staged the first sit-in at a segregated lunch counter. Although they are refused service, they are allowed to stay at the counter. The event triggers many similar non violent protest throughout the United States , and six months later the original 4 protesters are served lunch in the same counter.

7.Cameroon

Cameroon gained independence from French on 1st January 1960. What a wonderful way to start the New Year.

8.1960 Agadir earthquake

A huge earthquake hit the “new town” area of Agadir, killing around 20,000 (about a third of the city’s population) were killed with at least 35,000 people left homeless, making it the most destructive and deadliest earthquake in Moroccan history.

9.Guerrillero Heroico

The portrait of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, Heroic Guerilla (English: “Heroic Guerrilla Fighter”), is the most reproduced image in the history of photography. Taken in 1960, at the highpoint of the Cuban revolution, it can be seen on posters and T-shirts and souvenirs all over the world.

The Maryland Institute College of Art called the picture a symbol of the 20th century and the world’s most famous photo.

10.Madagascar

The Malagasy Republic, now Madagascar, gained independence from France 53 years ago.

11.The First Weather Satellite

The United States launches the first weather satellite TIROS-1. TIROS, for Television Infrared Observation Satellite sent the first TV images from space. It functioned for just 78 days, but it sent back thousands of pictures of cloud patterns forming and moving across the face of the planet.

12.Gabon

Gabon gained independence from France on 17 August, 1960

13.Brasillia

The city of Brasilia had not always been the capital of Brazil, the capital of Brazil was relocated from Rio de Janiero to Brasilia in 1960. Brasilia is the largest city in the world that did not exist at the beginning of the 20th century. When viewed from above, the main portion of the city resembles an aircraft or a butterfly.

14.Benin Republic

Dahomey, now known as Benin, gained independece from France on 1st August

15.The First Approved Oral Contraceptive Pill

The world’s first commercially produced birth-control pill Enovoid-10. Birth control pills are synthetic hormones that mimic the way real estrogen and progestin works in a woman’s body. The pill prevents ovulation – no new eggs are released by a woman on the pill since her body is tricked into believing she is already pregnant.

16.Mali

Mali, the sole remaining member of the “Mali Federation” following the withdrawal of Senegal one month earlier, declares its full independence as the Republic of Mali in 1960.

17.The Most Powerful Earthquake Ever Recorded

The Great Chilean Earthquake, also called the Valdivia Earthquake was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded, resulting in the death of almost 6,000 people and resulting in an estimated monetary loss of about $400 - 800million ($2.9 – 5.8 trillion, adjusted for inflation)

18.UEFA Euro Championship

UEFA Euro Championship is held every four years since 1960 in the even numbered years between world cup tournaments. This is like the European version of African Cup of Nations

19.The Laser

Lasers have many important applications. They are used in common consumer devices as DVD players, laser printers, barcode scanners, bloodless surgery, various skin treatments.

20.Congo

The Belgian Congo receives its independence from Belgium as the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville). A civil war followed closely on the heels of this.

21.Implantable Heart Pace Maker

The actual pacemaker was invented in 1950 but it was an external device. The first successful implant of pacemaker took place in 1960. The 77-year-old patient lived for 18 months after the device was implanted.

22.First Submerged Circumnavigation of Earth

Operation Sandblast was the code name for the first submerged circumnavigation of the world. Completion of the first underwater circumnavigation of the Earth occurred in 1960. The New York Times described Triton's submerged circumnavigation of the Earth as "a triumph of human prowess and engineering skill, a feat which the United States Navy can rank as one of its bright victories in man's ultimate conquest of the seas."

23.Mauritania

Mauritania became independent of France on November 28, 1960

24.World’s First Elected Female Head Of State

Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka was elected Prime minister of Sri Lanka in 1960. Bandaranaike became the world’s first woman head of government, after her husband was assassinate in 1959. She took over her husband’s position of leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, and led them to win the country’s government election in 1960.

25.The Beatles

The Beatles also formed in the year 1960, with John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison on guitars, Stuart Sutcliffe on bass and Pete Best on drums (who was replaced by Ringo Starr two years later).

26.Cote d’ Ivoire

The Côte d'Ivoire (the Ivory Coast) became independent from France in 1960.

27.Magnetic Stripe card

Magnetic stripe technology is everywhere. We use cards with magnetic stripes on them every day without even thinking about it. The most visible use is your bank (credit, debit, and ATM) cards, but these are not the only places.

28.Senegal

On August 20 Senegal breaks away from Mali Federation, declaring its independence

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29.First televised debate

The leading candidates for Presidents of the United States made the first televised Presidential debate. It was also the first televised debate. It was between Senator John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon.

30.OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)

The countries of Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait form OPEC

OPEC is an international organization whose main mission is to coordinate the policies of oil producing countries. The goal is to secure a steady income to member states and to secure supply of oil to the consumers

31.Cyprus

The Mediterranean island of Cyprus receives its independence from the United Kingdom on August 16 1960.

32.1st Successful Kidney Transplant

The first successful kidney transplant in UK was performed in Edinburgh by Sir Michael Woodruff and his team on 30th October, 1960. This was a milestone in history of transplantation.

The donor and the patient both lived for a further 6 years before dying from an unrelated disease.

33.Elevation of 1st African Cardinal

Africa had its first Cardinal in the year 1960. Laurean Rugambwa was the first Native African Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, and he was elevated to Cardinalate in 1960

34.Hugo Weaving

Do you remember Agent Smith in Matrix? He turns 53 this year and he is a Nigerian. Yes! Neo’s arch-rival is Nigerian. How? This makes him Nigerian by birth. His parents moved back to England a year after.

Hugo Weaving has acted in several blockbusters such as V For Vendetta, The Matrix Trilogy and Lord of The Rings Trilogy, Transformers Trilogy, The Hobbit Trilogy and Captain America.

35.No Longer At Ease

No longer at Ease, novel by Chinua Achebe was published in 1960. It is the story of an Igbo man, obi Okonkwo, who leaves his village for a British education and a job in the Nigeria colonial civil service, but who struggles to adapt to a western lifestyle and ends up taking a bribe.

36.Somalia

The State of Somaliland (the former British Somaliland protectorate) receives its independence from the United Kingdom. Five days later, it unites as scheduled with the Trust Territory of Somalia (the former Italian Somaliland) to form the Somali Republic.

37.Antonio Bandera

The Spanish film actor who appeared in high-profile Hollywood movies like Assassins, Interview with the Vampire, Desperado, The Mask of Zorro, Original Sin and Spy kids also turns 53 this year.

38.Republic of Congo

Middle Congo becomes independent from France, as Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville).

39.Hollywood Walk Of Fame

The Hollywood Walk of Fame comprises of more than 2500 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 18 blocks in California. It is a popular tourist destination with a reported 10 million visitors in 2003.

40.Justice League

The Justice League first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #28, originally featureing Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman and the Martian Manhunter.

It later received its own comic book title in October 1960.

41.Burkina Faso

August 5, 1960 – Upper Volta, now known as Burkina Faso, becomes independent from France

42.Shapeville Massacre

On March 21, 1960, South African police officers opened fire on a crowd of black protesters who had surrounded a police station in Sharpeville, killing 69 people.

The Sharpeville protests began over South Africa’s pass laws, which required black South Africans to carry passbooks with them any time they traveled out of their designated home areas.

43.First Animals To Survive In A Trip Orbit

In 1960,The Soviet Union launche the satellite Sputnik 5, with the dogs Belka and Strelka, 40 mice, two rats and a variety of plants. This satellite returns to earth the next day and all animals are recovered safely.

44.Niger

Niger becomes independent from France on August 3 1960

45.For your eyes only

No, not the movie. For Your Eyes Only is a collection of short stories by British author Ian Fleming, featuring the fictional British Secret Service agent Commander James Bond. It was first published b on 11 April 1960. A movie of the same title would be later released in 1981.

The collection contains five short stories: "From a View to a Kill", "For Your Eyes Only", "Quantum of Solace", "Risico" and "The Hildebrand Rarity"

46.UN Shoe banging incident

Nikita Khrushchev's shoe-banging incident allegedly occurred at some point in 1960 at UN General Assembly held at the United Nations.

In an attempt to silence a Filipino delegate who was railing against Soviet imperialism, he issued the above epithet, removed his shoe, and began banging it on the table.

47.Central African Republic

August 13 – Ubangi-Shari becomes independent from France, as the "Central African Republic". It later becomes the "Central African Empire" for some years.

48.Longest speech at United Nations general assembly

Cuban President Fidel Castro’s debut speech at the U.N. clocked in at four and a half hours, the longest ever in the General Assembly.

49.Togo

Togo gained independence from France on April 27 1960.

50.Nigeria’s Membership at the UN

Nigeria becomes the 99th member of the United Nations in 1960

51.Spartacus

No, not the Spartacus you know. This Spartacus is a 1960 epic historical drama film about a rebellious slave of the title. The film became the biggest moneymaker in the Universal Studios history until it was surpassed by another move ten years later. The film won four Oscars.

52.Chad

August 11, 1960– Chad becomes independent from France

53. Segregation is Declared Illegal in the United States

On December 5, the Supreme Court declared that segregation in public transportation is illegal in the United States. Technically, this means that if Nnamdi Azikwe had gone to the United States on Independence day, he would be segregated from a "white man" in public transport. On second thought, why would the President of Nigeria travel by public transport

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Tnk u

. Fp pls