On this day: December 3 in African history

Iwe Irohin, Nigeria's first newspaper, founded by the missionary Henry Townsend at Abeokuta, appeared; Nigerian press histories date its first issue to 3 December 1859, while other accounts give November 1859.

Sources: HistoryVille ; Scholars Bulletin (Saudi Journals)

Corrected in September 2026 · see what changed

IPPA photographer, Dan Hadani Collection, National Library of Israel, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

At Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, a team led by Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the world's first human-to-human heart transplant.

Sources: South African History Online ; Global Cardiology Science and Practice (via PubMed Central)

Raimund Stehmann, GFDL, Wikimedia Commons (aircraft of the same type involved)

Cameroon Airlines Flight 3701 crashed on approach to Douala International Airport, killing 71 of the 76 people on board.

Sources: Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives ; Simple Flying ; South Coast Herald (Citizen)

A suicide bomber blew himself up at a graduation ceremony for medical students of Benadir University at the Shamo hotel in Mogadishu. At least 22 people were killed by the count reported that day, later put at 25, among them the ministers of health, education and higher education, three journalists and university staff, and more than 60 were wounded. Somalia's information minister said the bomber had worn women's clothing. Al-Shabaab denied any part in it.

Sources: Al Jazeera ; BBC News ; Committee to Protect Journalists ; United Nations Security Council (UN Meetings Coverage, SC/9802, Presidential Statement S/PRST/2009/31)

Corrected in September 2026 · see what changed

cfcunofficial (Chelsea Debs), London, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Michael Essien, the Ghana international midfielder who spent nine seasons at Chelsea and had a season-long loan at Real Madrid, was born in Accra.

Sources: Chelsea Football Club ; Transfermarkt

Corrected in September 2026 · see what changed