Ali Bey, who declared Egypt independent of the Ottoman Empire’s Pasha in 1769, is defeated in battle by Abu-'l-Dahab, at Salihiyya Madrasa. As a result, Egypt again falls under Ottoman control. Ali Bey will die of his battle wounds on 30 April.

Indentured servitude has replaced slavery as a means to obtain cheap labour in Britain’s overseas colonies. Today, the first ship of Indian indentured servants since Britain eased restrictions on the practice arrives in British Mauritius from Madras, India. This year 30,218 male and 4,307 female indentured immigrants will arrive to work the island’s plantations.

As diamond production becomes a growing industry in the Transvaal Republic of South Africa, Africans are brought in to do the hard manual labour of excavation. They must work almost naked in all weather as “security” against hiding gemstones in clothing.

The popularity of cocoa among farmers in British Nigeria is surging, with more than one million pounds (1,057,987 lbs, equal to 479,895 kilos) exported this year. Production will increase five times by 1909, to 5,019,150 lbs (2,276,648 kilos) as new trees are planted.

The foundation stone for the Anglican Cathedral Church of Christ is laid on Lagos Island, Nigeria by England’s Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII). The cathedral will take 21 years to finish.

South African forces fighting with the British in World War II capture the Ethiopian town of Dessie as Italians are systemically pushed out of the country it invaded in 1935. (pic: Black South African soldiers receive truck driving instruction)

Africa’s first radio broadcast to a global audience is made by Britain’s Princess Elizabeth from Cape Town, South Africa. Becoming an adult on her 21^st birthday today, she uses the address to commit to working for the Commonwealth nations. In 2023, there will be 19 African nations in Commonwealth, which Queen Elizabeth headed from 1952 to until her death in 2022.

After nearly 175 years, whaling’s profitability ends in South Africa., largely due to the extermination of South Africa’s whale populations. The first to disappear were the fin whales in the mid-1960s, following in recent years by the disappearance of sperm whales and sei whales. (Pic: Durban’s whale butchery, 1910)

The Second Liberian Civil War begins when a rebel group backed by Guinea commences attacks in the country’s north. The rebels’ use of child soldiers alarms the international community.

Southern Africa’s luxury tourism train Rovos Rail has a fatal accident when passenger cars that have been uncoupled from the vintage steam locomotive roll back to Pretoria’s station, killing three.

Because of poverty and food insecurity, 59 million African children are "wasting" (food deprived to the point that their bodies and mental functions are impaired) or "underweight" (facing health risks from not having enough to eat), reports the World Health Organisation, which urges all African nations to priortise food security.