TODAY IN HISTORY

• UN English Language Day

• World Book Day

• 2018 - Nigeria

Senator Dino Melaye was arrested by immigration officers at Nnamdi Azikwe Airport, Abuja on instructions from above.

• 2017 - Nigeria

Senator representing Osun West, Isiaka Adeleke, died aged 62 at Bikets Hospital Osogbo, after suffering a heart attack. The threeterm Senator was ex- Osun governor in Babangida’s administration, which earned him the nickname Serubawon after he beat older gladiators in primaries of Social Democratic Party to clinch the ticket. He was then 37 years old. Before his death, he was planning to run for Osun governorship in 2018.

• 2016 - Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast musician Papa Wemba, 66, known across the world as king of Congolese rumba, died after collapsing on stage at a concert. He rose to fame in the 1970s with the band Zaiko Langa Langa, whose guitar- based fusion of Latin and African dance styles inspired a generation of African musicians.

• 2013 - France

France legalized gay marriage after a wrenching debate that triggered huge protests.

• 2013 - USA

A fake tweet asserted that explosions at the White House had injured Pres. Obama. For 43 minutes prices of stock exchanges tumbled in what came to be called the first Twitter crash. A group calling itself the Syrian Electronic Army took credit.

• 2007 - Russia

Boris Yeltsin, ex- Russian leader, 1991- 1999, died. He engineered the collapse of Soviet Union and pushed Russia to embrace democracy and a market economy

• 2007 - Nigeria

The ruling party’s Umaru Yar'adua was declared winner of the presidential poll rejected by the opposition and condemned by observers as a "charade."

• 2005 - USA

First ever Youtube video, titled "Me at the zoo", was published by user ‘ jawed’.

• 1985 - USA

Coca- Cola changed its secret formula and released New Coke. The response was overwhelmingly negative, and the original was back on the market in less than three months.

• 1564 & 1616 - UK

William Shakespeare, English poet and playwright of the Elizabethan period was born and died on the same date 52 years later. He added over 1,700 words to the English language.