Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons 1941 British Commonwealth forces launched a general counter-offensive against Italian East Africa during World War II, beginning the campaign that would liberate Ethiopia.
PoliticsOn this day — January 18 in African history
Real events, births and milestones from Africa and the diaspora.
Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons 1941 
Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 3.0 2002 The Sierra Leone Civil War was formally declared over after eleven years of conflict, paving the way for disarmament and reconstruction.
Politics
Georges Boulougouris — CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons 1933 Emeka Anyaoku, Nigerian diplomat who served as Commonwealth Secretary-General from 1990 to 2000, was born.
Birth
Nightscream — CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons 1971 Binyavanga Wainaina, acclaimed Kenyan author and founder of the literary magazine Kwani?, was born (died 2019).
Birth
Ricardo Stuckert/PR — CC BY 3.0 BR, Wikimedia Commons 1946 Henrique Rosa, businessman who served as President of Guinea-Bissau during its 2003-2005 transitional government, was born (died 2013).
Birth