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The United States celebrates its Independence Day on July 4
The United States celebrates its Independence Day on July 4.
John Adams, who later became America’s second president, wrote to his wife in 1776 that the day would be remembered with fireworks and celebrations “from one End of this Continent to the other.”
But the day he was talking about was July 2, 1776, not July 4. July 2 is the day the Continental Congress of the original 13 colonies voted for independence from Britain. Congress did not officially sign the Declaration of Independence, mainly written by Thomas Jefferson, until two days later.
First July 4 celebration
Pauline Maier was a historian who wrote the 1997 book American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence. She wrote that in early July of 1777, members of the Continental Congress nearly forgot that it had been a year since they declared their freedom from the British.
They remembered on July 3. It was too late to celebrate on July 2. So, they decided to mark the country’s independence with a celebration the following day: July 4.
The Pennsylvania Evening Post of Philadelphia reported, “Yesterday the 4th of July, being the anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America, was celebrated in this city with demonstrations of joy and festivity.”
At night, the Post said, “There was a grand exhibition of fireworks…and the city was beautifully illuminated.”
Becoming official holiday
The tradition of celebrating Independence Day started to expand after the War of 1812 against Britain. Such celebrations were mostly held on July 4.
John Adams, however, still believed that Americans should celebrate their independence on July 2. Historians say Adams reportedly turned down invitations to take part in July 4 events until the day he died. Adams died on July 4, 1826.
That same day, Thomas Jefferson also died. The two men and former presidents were friends as well as rivals. They both died on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
In 1870, the U.S. Congress made July 4th an official holiday.
Modern-day celebrations
In July 1776, the U.S. was a country of 2.5 million people. It is now a country of 332 million, the U.S. Census reports. These days, Americans celebrate Independence Day with fireworks and other festivities.
The yearly Fourth of July fireworks show in New York City is the biggest in the nation. It can be seen in the neighboring states of New Jersey and Connecticut. It is also broadcast nationwide on television.
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, organizers are holding a 16-day festival of fireworks, music, and food to celebrate the holiday. The small village of Lewes, Delaware, celebrates its coastal history with the Independence Day Boat Parade.
This year, officials in Atlanta, Georgia, are closing roads in the southern city for the traditional AJC Peachtree Road Race. A total of 60,000 runners are permitted to take part in the popular Independence Day event.
In Los Angeles, California, movie-lovers can choose to celebrate the holiday by watching old Hollywood films from small boats on Castaic Lake or from the grassy area of the historic Hollywood Forever cemetery.
And far north in Anchorage, Alaska, Independence Day traditions include a pancake breakfast, baseball games and late-night fireworks. With 19 hours of daylight this time of year, Anchorage’s fireworks show does not start until 11 at night.
Vehicular movement along the Yelwata axis of the Benue–Nasarawa highway was brought to a standstill on Wednesday as Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, staged a protest, demanding immediate return to their ancestral homes.
The protesters, believed to be victims of persistent attacks by suspected herdsmen, blocked both lanes of the busy highway for several hours, chanting “We want to go back home”.
The protest caused disruption, leaving hundreds of motorists and passengers stranded.
Eyewitnesses said the displaced persons, many of whom have spent years in overcrowded IDP camps, are expressing deep frustration over the government’s delay in restoring security to their communities.
“We have suffered enough. We want to return to our homes and farms,” one of the protesters told reporters at the scene.
Security personnel were reportedly deployed to monitor the situation and prevent any escalation, though tensions remained high as of press time.
Efforts to reach the Benue State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, and other relevant authorities for comment were unsuccessful.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL has officially decided not to sell the Port Harcourt Refining Company.
NNPCL has, instead said it is committed to conducting an extensive rehabilitation of the facility and ensuring its continued operation.
During a company-wide town hall meeting held at the NNPC Towers in Abuja, Bayo Ojulari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, announced the decision regarding the future of the nation’s most significant state-owned refining asset, putting an end to weeks of speculation.
A statement by NNPCL reads, “The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has officially ruled out the sale of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, reaffirming its commitment to completing high-grade rehabilitation and retention of the plant.
“The ongoing review indicates that the earlier decision to operate the Port Harcourt refinery, before full completion of its rehabilitation, was ill-informed and subcommercial.
”Although progress is being made on all three, the emerging outlook calls for more advanced technical partnerships to complete and high-grade the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery.
”Thus, selling is highly unlikely as it would lead to further value erosion.”
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Adeyemi Olumode, as the new Federal Fire Service, FFS, Controller-General.
The appointment was announced on Wednesday on behalf of the Federal Government by retired Maj.-Gen Abdulmalik Jubril, Secretary of the Civil, Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board, CDCFIB.
Jubril said the appointment followed the retirement of the current Controller-General, Abdulganiyu Jaji, on August 13.
Jaji is retiring upon attaining the age of 60 by August 13.
Jibril further disclosed said that Adeyemi Olumode is qualified for the position, having attended and passed all mandatory in-service training, Command courses as well as other courses within and outside the country.
“He brings a wealth of experience to his new role, having transferred his service from the FCT Fire Service to the Federal Fire Service and grown to the rank of DCG in the Human Resource Directorate of the Service Headquarters.
“He has served in various capacities and is equally a member/fellow of the following professional associations including Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, ANAN, Institute of Corporate Administration of Nigeria, Institute of Public Administration of Nigeria and Chartered Institute of Treasury Management of Nigeria.”
Benue IDPs block highway, demand return to ancestral homes
NNPCL reveals decision not to sell Port Harcourt refinery
Tinubu appoints Olumode Adeyemi as Federal Fire Service boss
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