The stone carvers and builders of Egypt are finishing the Great Sphinx at Giza, chiseling the head of the Egyptian King Khafre atop the body of a reclining lion. The monumental statue is not intended as a work of art, but has the practical function of guarding the roadway to Khafre's pyramid tomb.
King Leopold II creates the Belgian honour The Order of the African Star, to be awarded “for the promotion of African civilisation.” The award stands in contrast to the brutalities conducted by Leopold’s company, Congo Free State, which uses forced labour, torture and dismemberment to make Congolese work for Leopold’s commercial enterprise.
Zululand is incorporated into South Africa’s Natal Colony. Britain annexed the Zulu Kingdom in 1887, eight years after conquering the Zulus with canons against spears.
University of Algiers is created with the combination of four superior schools as one of 16 French regional universities; the second university established in Africa after the University of Cairo in 1908.
The U.S. obtains rights to build a major military base on British-owned Chagos Island, part of the Mauritian archipelago that is claimed by Mauritius. (The issue will be settled in Mauritius’ favour by the International Court of Justice in 2019). Britain begins urging the 1,000 residents of the “uninhabited” island to “voluntarily” emigrate by withholding food and medical aid, and killing all pets.
Robert Mugabe is elected President of Zimbabwe for the first time, as his position as head of government changes to President. Mugabe has been running Zimbabwe as Prime Minister since 1980.
Since 2009, the value of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Africa's largest stock exchange, has risen by 9%. During the decade, investors were enthused by East Africa, and the value of Nairobi Stock Exchange rose 74%.
African football talent continues to shine globally, as more overseas teams sign African players, who then win major trophies for them. Today, Kenya's Michael Olunga wins the Asian Football Confederation Champions League's Golden Boot Award as top scorer, with nine goals during the tournament. Olunga is the captain of Kenya's national team the Harambee Stars.
Congolese painter, in Kinta M’Vuila, Belgian Congo. Opening his own studio at age 19, he gaining international recognition with shows at Paris’ Centre Georges Pompidou in 1989 and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. His surrealist style applied to life and social themes of Kinshasa has made him one of Africa’s most important artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. “I paint reality even if it’s shocking; I put humor and color into it to attract people.”
Cameroonian software designer and advocate for the sustainable use of technology in Africa, in Yaoundé, Cameroon. While a senior programme director at Microsoft, he joined the Board of African Virtual University and utilised satellite technology for long-distance learning in Africa.
Ghanaian actress, film director and song writer, in Accra Ghana. A princess of the Wenchi, an Ashanti people, and daughter of Ghana’s Prime Minister (1969-1972) Kofi Busi, she has worked for Hollywood directors Steven Spielberg in The Color Purple and John Singleton in Rosewood, and co-wrote the film adaptation of the Toni Morrison novel Beloved. She co-wrote with Stevie Wonder the song Moon Blue.
