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Meet the First Architect from Northern Nigeria

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  Architecture was a profession that was not really patronized in institutions of learning in Nigeria, as many preferred teaching and medical lines, but with modernization taking over, it has become turned out to be a gold mine.     However, Plateau State brags of Arch. Shadrach Danladi Shemu, being the first Architect from Northern Nigeria . A native of Kanke LGA. He was born on the 12 th of Nov, 1937 in Dengi, Kanam LGA. Shemu was the designer of the People’s Democratic Party flag in 1998; preliminary designer of the Federal Ministry of Justice Complex, Abuja; led the team that designed the famous Plateau State Secretariat Complex, Jos. He was a consultant with the group of Architects from Germany who designed the Jos Main Market Complex; also was the designer of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello’s first house in Kaduna. He was fondly called by the Sardauna of Sokoto as Bature mai gajeren wando , referring to him as a white man because of his expertise. He later became an...

First Nigerian Woman to be Appointed as Federal Electoral Commissioner

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  Mrs. Elizabeth James Yakubu Pam was born was on 9 th July, 1935. Among other schools, she attended Girls’ Training College, Kano; Clerical Training Center, Kano, 1946-1951; Institute of Administration, Kongo, Zaria, 1955-1956- Elizabeth with was one of the first two female graduates of the institution in Northern Nigeria. After briefly working with Secretary of Northern Nigeria, Kaduna, she went back to Kongo for her advanced studies. She also obtained Advanced Diploma in Public Administration at the University of Jos, in 1990 and a Certificate in Theology at Theological College of Northern Nigeria, Bukuru, Jos in 1994. She spanned for more than four decades serving the nation Nigeria, where she contributed to its development before her retirement in 1997. Elizabeth became the first Nigerian woman to have been appointed as Federal Electoral Commissioner, where she oversaw the national elections in 1979 in Bauchi State; later, she was posted to Lagos and Kwara States. Follow...

The First Nigerian Ambassador to Switzerland

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  Nigeria has had a good tie with Switzerland, but this was made stronger, following the nomination and posting of an Ambassador to represent Nigeria in 1981. Amb. Yahaya Kwande; a statesman, politician and a diploma, who was one of the strong agitators for the creation of Plateau State from the then Benue-Plateau, is the first Nigerian to be sent on ambassadorial mission to Switzerland. He was born on April 7 th , 1929, at Kwande, Qua’anPan LGA. He attended Roman Catholic Mission School, Shendam in 144-1946. He was later trained in Riyom Native Authority Elementary School as a Pupil’s teacher, under the leadership of Rwang-Pam before he furthered his study at Teachers’ Training College, Toro, 1953-1954; Higher Teachers’ Training College, Katsina, 1955-1956; University of Ibadan, 1957; Administrative Training Service Course, (ATSC) in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 1956 and in 1964, he completed a Devonshire Course at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. Of interest is t...

First Graduate Military Officer from Middle-Belt Nigeria

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  Many Nigerians might think General Gowon was the first to attain this feat having come from the same region. However, it was actually Lt. Col. James Yakuby Pam - born on November, 1933. He attended Central Primary School, Pankshin and St. Paul’s Primary School, Jos; Barewa College, Zaria for his Secondary School, where he did very well and received an “Exemption from the London Matriculations,” a recognition reserved for students with excellent performance. He got enlisted into the Nigerian Army where he attended the Regular Officers’ Special School in Teshi, Ghana for 6 months before proceeding to Eaton Hall, England for further Military training and graduated at Royal Military Academy, Sanhurst, England, and received the Queen’s Commission as a 2 nd Lieutenant in 1955. He returned to Nigeria as a full-fledged Officer under West-African Frontier Force (WAFF)- making him the first Graduate Military Officer from Middle-Belt region of Nigeria, and 14 th in the entire Country...

The Man behind the idea of Pilgrims’ Welfare Board in Nigeria.

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The first civilian Governor of Plateau State, Nigeria,   Solomon Lar, during his administration , established the first ever Christian and Muslim Welfare Pilgrims’ Boards in Nigeria in 1981; which has since been emulated by the Federal Government and other States. The aims were to organize yearly Pilgrimages to holy places in Israel, Rome, Jordan, France, Egypt, Greece, Turkey, Portugal, and Spain for Christians, and to Jeddah and Mecca in Saudi Arabia for Hajj exercise to facilitate all the necessary arrangements, accompany,   protect and safeguard the interest and to also ensure that policies of the government pertaining pilgrimages were implemented. Some are self-sponsored while others are sponsored by the government.     

Meet the Longest Serving Local Government Council Chairman in Nigeria

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Hon. Iliya Amagon is the longest serving Local Government Council Chairman in Nigeria. He was born on the 14 th of October, 1944 in Toff, Bokkos LGA of Plateau State, Nigeria. This exceptionally revered Administrator schooled at Panyam Primary School, 1952-1958; Provincial Secondary School, Kuru, 1959-1963; Colleges of Agriculture in Zaria and Yaba where he obtained National Diploma in 1964-1964 and Higher Diploma, 1967-1970; International Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, 1972 and Kansas State University, USA, 1979-1981 where he obtained B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Agronomy. Administratively Amagon’s wealth of experience was shared in the following capacities: Farm Manager, Gazum Farm Center, 1966-1967; Staff, Principal Farm Institute, Wase, 1968-1969; Divisional Extension Officer, Adikpo, Katsina-Ala LGA of now Benue State, 1972-1973; and that of Shendam from 1973-1974; Project Manager, Large Scale Farm Center, Sabon Gida and Gangnum, 1975-1979; Plateau State Coordinator, NAFPP, 1983-1987;...

Meet the First Licensed African Miner

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Mining is simply the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth. However , Dalo Danboyi B. Zang is the first Registered and licensed African Miner.  He was born on October 7, 1927 at Gyel, Bukuru, Plateau State, Nigeria.  Even though  without a background of Western education, Dalo's aspirations were unmatched, as he gap the halcyon days of Tin Mining in Plateau State and had a career turnaround. He rose from a humble background as a Mining labourer to become a Mining Industrialist. Other Africans were inspired by his courage and passion for the sector and decided to join the mining business where they formed the Association of African Miners in 1966, with Dalo as the pioneer Chairman.. He also became the first Nigerian to represent Miners in the Northern House of Assembly, from 1963 to 1966. He also established the famous Zang Commercial Secondary School, Bukuru, which has contributed greatly to the manpower development o...