From articles, published interviews with eyewitnesses, and books over the last three decades from the principal actors, I have managed to piece together an account of the most influential, yet most mysterious coup, in Nigeria's history. In this article, I attempt to show that the consequences of that coup are still with us till today.

Err,  Mallam Max,  the consequences of that counter coup are still with us. More importantly, the consequences of the "Igbo" coup of January 1966 are still with us as well and are the root of all of our problems in this country.  There would have been no counter coup if the Igbo coup had not taken place. You people should never forget that - revisionism will be challenged vigorously in this forum.

It is undeniable that the counter-coup by northern officers in 1966 was a reaction to the coup staged by mostly Igbo officers in January of the same year.  Northern soldiers had been enraged by the murder of their two most senior politicians (Prime Minister Tafewa Balewa, and northern regional premier, Ahmadu Bello), and four most senior soldiers (Brigadier Zakariya Maimalari, Colonel Kur Mohammed, Lt-Cols Abogo Largema and James Pam) by Igbo officers in January.[/b]Despite the murders of the humble Balewa, and the avuncular Bello, northern soldiers were more angry at the death of their respected senior officers whom they had looked up to. [b]Their anger increased when southerners jubilated when news of the coup spread. For months, they were subjected to incessant pressure to avenge the deaths of January by northern civilians, their wives, families, and junior officers. Additionally, there was a feeling that Igbos were getting too big for their boots.

Nna, the atrocities highlighted above were essentially an act of war, the Northerners in the Army had to react appropriately. By many standards, their reaction was actually too mild. If you start a war and your enemy responds accordingly, then s.uck it up and stop crying over spilled milk.

While the meeting of officers was going on, northern NCOs led by Sergeant Sabo Kole and Corporal Maisamari Maje burst into the officers' mess, and shouted "hands up gentlemen" before shooting Lt-Col Okonweze and the commander of the Recce Squadron in Abeokuta: Major John Obienu

The author is beginning to make people like me think he is a closet biafran seccession. The fact that the author has written good articles in the past does not mean one must take everything written by the author as the gospel truth.  The author is yet to convince me that the account above is accurate. Note that most of the sources sited are Southern ‘authors’. Where is the balance here.

CyberG:

Ezeuche, I used to contribute a lot in politics but these days only watch from the sidelines but I tell you what: you are either very silly or unable to objectively assess situations! Imagine reading and knowing all the calamities that has befallen Nigeria and still continuing today, you are one of the most ardent tribalists and racist on this website. People like you and others (who know themselves) are the reason why so much blood has been shed in Nigeria. Your only contribution is always along tribal lines and when Nigeria burns to the ground because of all this tribal madness, will you be satisfied? As old as you are, you should be very ashamed of yourself!

@Topic, I am very saddened when I read about the killings of so many Igbos, Yorubas, Hausas and every other tribes. Nigeria will one day be divided to make progress and live peacefully.

Thunder fire you and your Yoruba lineage for your attack on Ezeuche. So you didn't see your dum.b Yoruba brothers and their tribalistic outburst on this site, but you saw those of Ezeuche, which is mostly reactionary,,,talk about hypocrisy .

@ alex_101,
I think we Igbos should go and start forums in igbodefender.com.
The website allows anyone to start, and admin his own forum. Also you can make it private, so only those you invite can join and post.
I have my own forum, called Bellten Club. I admin it. Why can't Ezeuche, and other Igbos go form their own groups at igbodefender.com, and shut out Igbo-haters from their threads?

ndu_chucks:



Nna, the atrocities highlighted above were essentially an act of war, the Northerners in the Army had to react appropriately. By many standards, their reaction was actually too mild. If you start a war and your enemy responds accordingly, then s.uck it up and stop crying over spilled milk.

 Alhaji ndu-shehu, the ewu hausa/fulani desert rat, we've "sucked it up" and are not crying over spilt milk. We are only saying these things are a source of rememberance for the present and future generations of Igbo to know how cold and wicked the mindset of their so called "fellow nigerians" are . For you and your type, it is okay and a mark of bravery to kill civillians, elderly, women and children and still refer to it as "too mild a reaction".
 I have been saying it and I will reiterate it again for all discerning folks to read that you hausa/fulani are the weakest group in nigeria. You can only go after "soft" targets (women and children), but when faced with men, you take to your heels,,,we all know how your were dealt with in your kano heartland. Again, because of your fear and paranoia, you introduced a lope-sided quota system in the military to your favour, and since 1970- present, you only use the military to perpetrate crimes against humanity, even in the 21st century,,,,Jos and niger delta easily comes to mind.
 I always laugh at clowns like yourself and your yoruba slaves who apportion bravery and victory over biafra to your hate infested and delusional selves. You and your yoruba slaves know that without world power support (britain, USSR), there was no way you could have faced biafra, even with your numerical strength and not get wiped out . The good thing is that, there is no more USSR, britain have now seen you hausa/fulani as vampires, and will not come to the rescue when the time comes, so that leaves you with your Yoruba slaves that you can drag by the nose to the war front. Even the children of adaka boro have now realise who their enemies are and can't wait to exert their revenge on your dry desert arse. Each day that goes by, the NOOSE around your neck gets tighter .

one thing is pretty clear from all these: no group is going to accept the other's version of events and the motivations for the two coups. so why the insults? ewu hausa, Yoruba this, nyamiri that. enough! enough! we are no longer in primary 5. let's think about how to handle the future of Nigeria, Oduduwa, or Biafra. if we do choose to stay as one Nigeria, then i think the regional system will enable each one of us to pursue our interests without stepping on each other necks. we can have three or more countries in one. that is, eat our cake on the home front and also have it in the international community as one Nigeria.

Alex,

I will brand you beast on your snout!

To every reminder you want us to note, you also remember that Gowon is no longer in the Army, there will be a "Victor and a Vanquished" this time around. Your homeland will be snatched from under you for ever.

alex_101:

Thunder fire you and your Yoruba lineage for your attack on Ezeuche. So you didn't see your dum.b Yoruba brothers and their tribalistic outburst on this site, but you saw those of Ezeuche, which is mostly reactionary,,,talk about hypocrisy .

Ezeuche is, has always been and wld probably continue to be a bigot and an ethnic supremacist, the only people that have failed to recognise that fact are people like you whose reasoning ability have been badly obscured by ethnic affiliation.
The narrated events were tragic and as an Igbo, my heart bleeds. However, what else cld we have expected? If the roles were reversed wld we have done any less? Our guards were down when they ought to be at an all time high so we should blame no one but ourselves. The pertinent question here should be how this same band of bloodthirsty vampires are still pulling the strings in the country today and why there's still no DELIBERATE attempt to correct the lopsidedness in the military 40years after instead of searching for whom to blame for a domino effect that was started by one of our own.

Negro_Ntns:

Alex,

I will brand you beast on your snout!

To every reminder you want us to note, you also remember that Gowon is no longer in the Army, there will be a "Victor and a Vanquished" this time around.  Your homeland will be snatched from under you for ever.

  Look at this Yoruba coward! I have stopped regarding you people as free-born,,,you are the mouth piece of the ewusa/fulani,,,they are your masters, that is why they kill your folks in the north and you all turn around and praise them for killing "Igbo",,,I don't know when "Igbo" became yoruba. I hardly reply to you cowards because I believe in "cutting of" the head of the snake (your ewusa/fulani masters) and then watch you misearable fools fall in line. It is out of your cowardice and fear for the north that a true progressive son of odua Fajuyi was killed in the odua heartland in Ibadan by the ewusa/fulani gays, but you all could not do sh#t.
  Even in the latter part of the 20th century, your aare-onakakonfo MKO was killed in prison, his wife murderd in cold blood, you still couldn't muster the courage to face your enemies. If we must tell ourselves the truth, you ngbatis are not free-born as far as the dungeon called nigeria is concerned, your destiny is now and will forever be intertwine with your ewusa/fulani masters. Even the middlebelters are putting up a fight againgst slavery, but you lots because of cowardice are embracing enslavement by your ewusa/fulani overlords,,,talk about don't kill me but enslave me mentality, PATHETIC .

Why, on the political front, is the free-born Igbo in a worse situation that a slave-born Yoruba?

wesley80:

Ezeuche is, has always been and wld probably continue to be a bigot and an ethnic supremacist, the only people that have failed to recognise that fact are people like you whose reasoning ability have been badly obscured by ethnic affiliation.
The narrated events were tragic and as an Igbo, my heart bleeds. However, what else cld we have expected? If the roles were reversed wld we have done any less? Our guards were down when they ought to be at an all time high so we should blame no one but ourselves. The pertinent question here should be how this same band of bloodthirsty vampires are still pulling the strings in the country today and why there's still no DELIBERATE attempt to correct the lopsidedness in the military 40years after instead of searching for whom to blame for a domino effect that was started by one of our own.  

Never in your miserable life come at me with this crap, especially at the bolded that you just spewed out from your gayish anus. So you don't see others, whose pathetic Ids I won't do the honour of stating here, but you see Ezeuche. You claim to be "Igbo" and stated that if the roles were reversed, Igbo would have done thesame-killing of the innocent civillians that comprise the elderly, women and children . Where or when have seen or heard that Igbo engage in killing strangers in their land. Do you even know that Ojukwu gave a safe passage to the northern soldiers and their families in the east back to their homeland in the north without any scratch,,,that's the Igbo way, we would rather fight you in the battle field that carry out any cowardly killing of the defenseless.
 I am not ashamed of my ethnic affiliation and will uphold the truth if my life depend on it, unlike an "Igbo" like you who will spread and embrace lies. BTW, if you're Igbo , then I must be Sadam Hussein, as he is still alive .

Negro_Ntns:

Why, on the political front, is the free-born Igbo in a worse situation that a slave-born Yoruba?

Keep on feigning ignorance, go to Ilorin and see how your people have denounced their heritage and are singing kumbaya with their ewusa/fulani masters. Even your people are in support of sharia banking introduced by a kano prince, Lamido.

Let me ask you a question; why do you yorubas hate rebellion against injustice perpetrated by the ewusa/fulani goats? Is it because you lack the courage to do ?

^^^ bla, bla, bla. Why not factor in Zik, Michael Okpara, Akanu Ibiam and Ojukwu being killed in one swoop then come here and tell me about 'safe passage' for the perpetrators.

If you slap someone the person can either ignore, slap his own back, break bottle on your head or shoot you with a gun.

Since you acted first the other party would end it on their own accord.

If Ifeajuna and co didnt start a coup to kill other tribal leaders, there wont be need for a counter coup

wesley80:

^^^ bla, bla, bla. Why not factor in Zik, Michael Okpara, Akanu Ibiam and Ojukwu being killed in one swoop then come here and tell me about 'safe passage' for the perpetrators.

blah,blah,blah. why not factor in who and of what ethnic group, killed those premiers or top persons from the other region. Why not ask yourself why the counter-coup failed in the East just like the original coup did?

The usual mouthpiece of the ewusa/fulani masters are gathering . I have to wait for their boss (ndu_chucks and other northerners) to show up for me to further have manly debated/discussion, not the bi#chy type.

Still ROTFLMAO!!!!

Gentiles!

dayokanu:

If you slap someone the person can either ignore, slap his own back, break bottle on your head or shoot you with a gun.

Since you acted first the other party would end it on their own accord.

If Ifeajuna and co didnt start a coup to kill other tribal leaders, there wont be need for a counter coup

Na wa for you oh. So was that T that called? Did you tell him off ? I guess not, cause you didnt have the grace to show face again

ndu_chucks:

Err,  Mallam Max,  the consequences of that counter coup are still with us. More importantly, the consequences of the "Igbo" coup of January 1966 are still with us as well and are the root of all of our problems in this country.  There would have been no counter coup if the Igbo coup had not taken place. You people should never forget that - revisionism will be challenged vigorously in this forum.

Nna, the atrocities highlighted above were essentially an act of war, the Northerners in the Army had to react appropriately. By many standards, their reaction was actually too mild. If you start a war and your enemy responds accordingly, then s.uck it up and stop crying over spilled milk.

The author is beginning to make people like me think he is a closet biafran seccession. The fact that the author has written good articles in the past does not mean one must take everything written by the author as the gospel truth.  The author is yet to convince me that the account above is accurate. Note that most of the sources sited are Southern ‘authors’. Where is the balance here.

Your posts are very educative. Keep it up, omo Northerner.

Chyz*:

blah,blah,blah. why not factor in who and of what ethnic group, killed those premiers or top persons from the other region. Why not ask yourself why the counter-coup failed in the East just like the original coup did?

They were killed in C K Nzeogwu's coup, does it matter who pulled the trigger? And if your argument is that Nzeogwu isnt Igbo, then neither are you.
I was in JS 2 when I read Capt Ben Gbulie's Nigeria's 5 Majors and even then i knew the excuse for not harming Eastern leaders were at best escapist so if u're going to give an excuse like 'we could not harm him cos he had a visitor from Cyprus(not even J F Kennedy!), you'd better look for someone daft enough to buy it.

alex_101:

Never in your miserable life come at me with this crap, especially at the bolded that you just spewed out from your gayish anus. So you don't see others, whose pathetic Ids I won't do the honour of stating here, but you see Ezeuche. You claim to be "Igbo" and stated that if the roles were reversed, Igbo would have done thesame-killing of the innocent civillians that comprise the elderly, women and children . Where or when have seen or heard that Igbo engage in killing strangers in their land. Do you even know that Ojukwu gave a safe passage to the northern soldiers and their families in the east back to their homeland in the north without any scratch,,,that's the Igbo way, we would rather fight you in the battle field that carry out any cowardly killing of the defenseless.
 I am not ashamed of my ethnic affiliation and will uphold the truth if my life depend on it, unlike an "Igbo" like you who will spread and embrace lies. BTW, if you're Igbo , then I must be Sadam Hussein, as he is still alive .

You mean Bello, Balewa, Shodeinde and his pregnant wife, Ademulegun and his wife, Maimalari, Largema, Kur Muhammed, Okotie-Eboh were all armed? Were they armed to the teeth as they slept in bed?

Akintola was the only person that went down fighting; every other person was gunned down in cold blood. It appears that your definition of bravery, cowardice, and honour is different from everyone else's.

wesley80:


They were killed in C K Nzeogwu's coup, does it matter who pulled the trigger? And if your argument is that Nzeogwu isnt Igbo, then neither are you.
I was in JS 2 when I read Capt Ben Gbulie's Nigeria's 5 Majors and even then i knew the excuse for not harming Eastern leaders were at best escapist so if u're going to give an excuse like 'we could not harm him cos he had a visitor from Cyprus(not even J F Kennedy!), you'd better look for someone daft enough to buy it.

Have no idea where you are getting that im saying "Nzeogwu isnt Igbo" from. And yes, it matters who pulled the trigger. It also matters that that it wasn't only igbos who were part of the coup too. It was just another coup and that coup happened to be headed by an Igbo. Even the biggest Igbo hater alive, Edwin clark, said himself that the coup was the works of Igbo and Yorubas. So yea, all need to be laid out on the story. If a story is going to be told, it should be the whole story.

Chyz*:

blah,blah,blah. why not factor in who and of what ethnic group, killed those premiers or top persons from the other region. Why not ask yourself why the counter-coup failed in the East just like the original coup did?

I see an attempt at revisionism coming up. Please answer your questions for the benfit of those that don't know. How can the counter-coup fail in the East if the coup in general accomplished its primary objectives. Or do you mean the coup failed in the East because no one died?

Chyz*:

Have no idea where you are getting that im saying "Nzeogwu isnt Igbo" from. And yes, it matters who pulled the trigger. It also matters that that it wasn't only igbos who were part of the coup too. It was just another coup and that coup happened to be headed by an Igbo. Even the biggest Igbo hater alive, Edwin clark, said himself that the coup was the works of Igbo and Yorubas. So yea, all need to be laid out on the story. If a story is going to be told, it should be the whole story.

Just as I suspected.

Katsumoto:

You mean Bello, Balewa, Shodeinde and his pregnant wife, Ademulegun and his wife, Maimalari, Largema, Kur Muhammed, Okotie-Eboh were all armed? Were they armed to the teeth as they slept in bed?

Akintola was the only person that went down fighting; every other person was gunned down in cold blood. It appears that your definition of bravery, cowardice, and honour is different from everyone else's.

Umm, Mr. Bigot, Who killed Shodeinde and his "pregnant wife", and Ademulegun and his wife,etc.(speaking only about thw Western region)? Who pulled the trigger on Akintola?

Katsumoto:

I see an attempt at revisionism coming up. Please answer your questions for the benfit of those that don't know. How can the counter-coup fail in the East if the coup in general accomplished its primary objectives. Or do you mean the coup failed in the East because no one died?

So what you are saying if that the counter-coup succeeded in the East? Also, if the primary objeective was accomplished why was there a Biafran war? I guess the northerners only went through with the coup the occupy the North and West,abi?

Chyz*:

Umm, Mr. Bigot, Who killed Shodeinde and his "pregnant wife", and Ademulegun and his wife,etc.(speaking only about thw Western region)? Who pulled the trigger on Akintola?

You mean Bello, Maimalari, Balewa, Largema, Kur Muhammed were all from the Western region?

You are trying to mask your idiocy and ignorance by asking silling questions. Just provide the answers to the silly questins you are asking.

Chyz*:

So what you are saying if that the counter-coup succeeded in the East? Also, if the primary objeective was accomplished why was there a Biafran war?

Seriously, do you have a brain. There was a Biafran war because of the success of the July 1966 coup. Or am I missing the point?

Stop asking silly questions and just state your point.

Katsumoto:

You mean Bello, Maimalari, Balewa, Largema, Kur Muhammed were all from the Western region?

Clearly you are being dumb. This--->(speaking only about western region) means lets discuss only those casualties in the western region. Now, answer the question.

Katsumoto:

Seriously, do you have a brain. There was a Biafran war because of the success of the July 1966 coup. Or am I missing the point?

Stop asking silly questions and just state your point.

Now its clear that you are playing dumb dumb. If the northerers to over the East like they did the West, would it have been room for the training of its citizens to fight against nigeria? If it would have been any room, it definitely wouldnt have been the type of civil war as we all know.

its funny how these yorubas are always out to defend the northerners even when they are killed like every other southerner, i don't understand this slave mentality honestly. its convenient for them to brand the coup igbo coup even when the northerners that were more affected have admitted it was carried out by both igbos and yorubas, someone needs to start talking , why are yorubas always out to defend hausa fulanis when they are the biggest victim of northern massacre up till today. like someone said its just ego . after the civil war yoruba leaders have been the target of northerners, all the cries of yoruba activist are against the northerners yet these young NL yoruba fools will rather derail threads just to vent their hate on igbos. lastly can someone tell us how AWO died, some said he committed suicide while others said he was assassinated, his death have become a mystery in Nigerian history.

Una don start again, forkin Southern b.astard.s, claims and counter claims wey no dey solve anything, So the place where we dey now be say because we no fit reach consensus for de past make everybody drown for Nigeria, make Esu punish una as una wan punish your pickin,  foo.lish persin dem.

Disgusting hypocrites who only mentioned by name, because I am Igbo while forgetting others who have commited far worse crimes then my defense of my people.

Ask yourself, how many threads have I created to mock another group. If you go through all my post, you will know how few they are in number.

And I will defend my Igbo people with a viciousness like never seen.

Why do some Nairalanders blame this mess on the Igbo coup? The events can all be traced to the crisis in the Western Region between Akintola and Awolowo.

Chyz*:

Umm, Mr. Bigot, Who killed Shodeinde and his "pregnant wife", and Ademulegun and his wife,etc.(speaking only about thw Western region)? Who pulled the trigger on Akintola?

Shodeinde was killed by Onwuategwu and Nzeogwu
Ademulegun and wife were killed by Onwuategwu
Akintola was killed by Nwobosi

Shodeinde and Ademulegun weren't killed in the Western region, they were killed in Kaduna. Thats why I said you should stop asking silly questions and go directly to your point instead of obfuscating like a teenager who missed her period. So what was the point you wanted to make?

Chyz*:

Now its clear that you are playing dumb dumb. If the northerers to over the East like they did the West, would it have been room for the training of its citizens to fight against nigeria? If it would have been any room, it definitely wouldnt have been the type of civil war as we all know.

Please retructure your sentence, you aren't making sense.

Approximately 186 Eastern soldiers were killed in the July coup. Are you suggesting that if an extra 40 were killed in the East, the Easterners wouldn't have had any men to fight the civil war?