The Kano city wall n West Africa in what will become northern Nigeria is completed after 40 years construction, begun in 1095. Built by King Kijimazuto repel invaders, the 3.5 metre high and 1.4 metre thick elaborately decorated mud wall features regularly-spaced gates equipped with guard towers. In 1903, the wall is declared “the most impressive landmark in West Africa” by the Governor-General of British Nigeria, who urged its preservation. However, the growing population of Kano eventually destroyed all but fragments of the wall by the 21^st century.

After scoring initial victories in the Italo-Ethiopian War, Italian forces are annihilated by the army of Menelik II at the Battle of Amba Alagi. The Italians retreat, and regroup in Tigray Region. (pic: Abyssinian soldiers guard their Italian prisoners of war)

France claims authority over eastern Togo, while Britain takes over western Togo, after the two European powers seize the territory from Germany during World War I. Faced with famine that is killing millions and is caused by the war’s disruptions to agriculture, the local people are powerless in the contest over ownership of their land.

As less-expensive, mass-produced automobiles are being imported and now manufactured in South Africa, vehicle ownership has increased from 24,064 cars registered in 1920 to 113,360 this year. As the Sunday car trip for touring and picnics is establishing itself as a family tradition, churches report that their attendance is down.(pic: Oxford Street, East London, South Africa)

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U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt (pic: left) becomes the first U.S. president to visit Tunisia (excluding a one-night stopover on 20 November 1943) when he confers with General Dwight Eisenhower (pic: right) concerning World War II fighting in North Africa.

After 36 years, the Lion of Judah monument returns to Addis Ababa, and is rededicated by Ethiopia’s Emperor Haile Selassie. The statue was looted in 1935 by Italy during its invasion of Ethiopia, and taken to Rome. After years of negotiations, the monument only now returns.

Libya, angry that Britain does not prevent Iran from seizing Arab islands in the Persian Gulf, announces it is nationalising all assets of the British Petroleum company in the country. Government will use these the extensive oil infrastructure to start the Arabian Gulf Petroleum Company.

The controversial resort Sun City opens in South Africa’s Bantustan (homeland) Bophuthatswana. Pretoria is creating a chain of “independent countries” and forcing all non-white South Africans to be citizens. Top U.S. entertainers accept huge fees to perform at Sun City, and claim they are not breaking the U.N. Cultural Boycott against South Africa because Bophuthatswana is not “officially” South Africa, even though it is not recognized internationally. A 1985 U.S. protest song Sun City will criticise this hypocrisy.

The National Transitional Council begins work in Cape Town, administering the final transformation of South Africa from a white minority-ruled apartheid state to a multi-racial democratic country.

South Africa President Thabo Mbeki arrives in the U.S. for a two-day working visit. The U.S. appeals to South Africa's leadership role in Southern Africa on issues like the ongoing AIDS pandemic and the political crisis in Zimbabwe.

Dakar, Senegal’s Blaise Diagne International Airport opens. The US$60 million facility took ten years to build, and replaces the historic Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport, where operations now end.