Military Coup Occurs In Nigeria, Gowon Ousted
On July 29, 1975, a bloodless military coup occurred in Nigeria when junior officers overthrew General Yakubu Gowon, who had previously come to power in the 1966 counter-coup.
Colonel Joseph Nanven Garba announced the coup in a broadcast on Radio Nigeria, which later became Federal Radio Corporation Nigeria (FRCN) in 1978. At the time of the takeover, Gowon was attending the 12th Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Summit in Kampala, Uganda. The coup leaders then appointed Brigadier Murtala Mohammed as Head of State and Brigadier Olusegun Obasanjo as his deputy.
The military uprising was driven by dissatisfaction among junior officers over Gowon's slow progress towards democratic governance. Garba's insider role played a crucial part in ensuring that the coup was bloodless.
Prince Charles Marries Lady Diana
Also on this day in 1981, Prince Charles, the British heir, married Lady Diana Spencer- an English kindergarten teacher's assistant. About a billion viewers from 74 countries watched the grand ceremony at St. Paul's Cathedral with 2,650 guests in attendance. Their first son, Prince William, was born in 1982, followed by Prince Harry in 1984.
However, the couple's relationship soon deteriorated under intense media scrutiny. They announced their separation in 1992 but continued their royal duties. In August 1996, two months after Queen Elizabeth II encouraged them to divorce, Charles and Diana reached a final agreement and officially divorced.
Other key events on this day
1. Adolf Hitler became the leader of the Nazi Party - 1921
2. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, created - 1958
3. Gaetano Bresci, an Italian American assassinated King Umberto I of Italy - 1900
4. Sir Robert Baden-Powell formed Boy Scouts in England - 1907
5. 100 Gazans killed overnight by Israeli strikes - 2014
6. Gerald R. Ford became 1st US President to visit Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz - 1975
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