By Eric Teniola |   04 September 2017   |   3:57 am 



On assumption of power, General Aguiyi-Ironsi promulgated the Constitution (Suspension and Modification) Decree 1966. Decree No 1 dated January 17, 1966 but not published in the Official Gazette until March 4, 1966.

Of all the decrees enacted in Nigeria, none is more controversial than Decree No 34 of 1966. It was promulgated on May 24, 1966 by then Head of State, Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi (1924-1966) . It was called Unification Decree while some critics at that time labelled it the De-unification Decree.

It was the decree that started the death of regionalism – an issue which is still generating controversy till now. Although the next head of State General Yakubu Gowon repealed the Decree 34 on August 31, 1966 through Decree 9, a large portion of the Decree is still effective till today.

General Gowon further compounded it by promulgating Decree 14 of 1967 which broke Nigeria into 12 states and provided for military governors for each state. With Decrees 34, 8 and 14 regionalism was finally buried.

On assumption of power, General Aguiyi-Ironsi promulgated the Constitution (Suspension and Modification) Decree 1966. Decree No 1 dated January 17, 1966 but not published in the Official Gazette until March 4, 1966. He then issued Public Order Decree No 33 dated May 24 1966 which dissolved eighty-one political associations and twenty-six tribal and cultural associations.

At the early stage of his tenure, he appointed a three-man advisory team made up of Chief Francis Nwokedi, a Permanent Secretary, Dr. Pius Charles Nwabafor Okigbo (1924-2000) and Colonel Patrick Anwunah, who later became Chairman and Head of the Orientation Committee at that time.

He replaced the then Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Taslim Olawale Elias (1914-1991) with Chief Gabriel Chike Michael Onyiuke (SAN), former Director, Public Prosecution, Eastern Nigeria (1960-1965) from Nimo in the present Anambra state.

In a speech to the nation on January 28 1966, he denounced the evils of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa regime and outlined necessary reforms. ”All Nigerians”, he declared,” want an end to regionalism. Tribal loyalties and activities which promote tribal consciousness and sectional interests must give way to the urgent task of national reconstruction. The Federal Military Government will preserve Nigeria as one strong nation.” He then went on to promise “administrative reforms” and referred specifically to several matters in which regional as well as personal interests were known to have had decisive influence. These were official appointments, public investments, and the universities. He promised that in the public services, efficiency and merit will be the criteria for advancement”. That industrial development would be “coordinated to avoid wasteful duplication of industrial projects”, and that the universities would be “re-orientated to serve the genuine interest of our people.”

Immediately after the speech two Governors kicked against the proposal. They were, Major General David Akpode Ejoor (83) from Ovu in the present Delta State, then serving as the Military Governor of the Mid-Western region and Major General Hassan Usman Katsina(1933-1995), who was then serving as Governor of the Northern region.

Lt. Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu (1933-2011), Military Governor of Eastern Region welcomed the decree while Lt. Col. Francis Adekunle Fajuyi (1926-1966), Military Governor of Western Region never commented on the promulgation of the decree.

Lt-Col Ejoor was reported as saying that the ’National Government’ set up by the army was the prelude to ‘the reintroduction of a unitary form of government’ and insisted that it would create future problems. Shortly afterwards, the Supreme Military Council announced that a senior government official, Mr. Nwokedi, had been asked to consider and to report to the Supreme Military Council on the establishment of ‘an administrative machinery for a united Nigeria’ and the ‘unification of the Public Services and Judicial Services.’

In his own speech on February 19 at the Kaduna Airport, the Governor of Northern region, Lt-Col. Hassan Katsina said he was not aware as a member of the then Supreme Military Council of the modalities for the proposed National Government. ”I am afraid the egg is about to be broken”.

On February 21 1966, General Aguiyi-Ironsi again addressed the nation on the issue. He said: “On the question of the political future of the country, the experiences and mistakes of the previous governments in the Federation have clearly indicated that far-reaching constitutional reforms are badly needed for peaceful and orderly progress towards the realization of our objectives. I have already touched on some of the major issues involved in recent broadcast to the nation. It has become apparent to all Nigerians that rigid adherence to ‘regionalism’, was the bane of the last regime and one of the main factors which contributed to its downfall. No doubt, the country would welcome a clean break with the deficiencies of the system of government to which the country has been subjected in the recent past. A solution suitable to our national needs must be found. The existing boundaries of governmental control will need to be re-adjusted to make for less cumbersome administration.’

As a follow-up on May 25, General Aguiyi-Ironsi promulgated the Constitution (Suspension and Modification)(No. 5) Decree 1966. Decree No. 34 (the ‘Unification Decree’).

After the promulgation, the country was thrown into turmoil which led to demonstration particularly in many parts of Northern Nigeria at that time. On his return to Kaduna on May 27, Col. Hassan Katsina was besieged with demands for an explanation. It was feared that in a unified service, Northerners would be at a disadvantage. It was no consolation that the Decree provided for the delegation of appointments and promotions, except the most senior, to Provincial Civil Service Commissions.

With its authority challenged and shown to be weak, at least in large parts of the North, the National Military Government had little option but to proffer its assurances and to explain its actions. The Supreme Military Council met on 7 and 8 June 1966 and issued the following statement:

“The public must not be led to confuse the Military Government with government by a civilian regime under a constitution approved by the people. Nobody will expect the present Military Government to cease to function until new constitution has been approved or to be compelled to operate the old system of government with its obvious weakness. It cannot be too seriously emphasized that the Military Government while in office can only run the government as a military government under a unified command. It cannot afford to run five separate governments and separate services as if it were a civilian regime. Final decisions on the territorial structure of the country and the public services will be matters for the Constituent Assembly and the referendum.”

The Supreme Military Council also decided that General Aguiyi-Ironsi should invite traditional rulers from all parts of the country to a meeting to be held in Lagos as soon as possible and that the Military Governors would immediately summon similar meetings in their own Regions. This was presumably an attempt to improve the channels of communications. There had in fact already been a meeting of Northern Emirs and Chiefs in Kaduna on 4 of June and the Military Governor had been given a list of grievances and recommendations to take to Lagos. The Emirs and Chiefs met again on June 16 to receive General Aguiyi-Ironsi’s reply.
Sadly on 29 July 1966, General Aguiyi-Ironsi and the Military Governor of Western Region, Lt. Col. Francis Adekunle Fajuyi were murdered in Ibadan during a meeting with the traditional rulers from all parts of the country.

Teniola, a former director in the presidency, lives in Lagos.

https://www.google.com.ng/amp/s/guardian.ng/opinion/history-and-the-future-of-decree-34-of-1966/amp

The 1966 coup, whose primary objective was to impose Awolowo (then in jail after conviction for an earlier coup plot) as Prime Minister, really set Nigeria backwards.

igbodefender:
The 1966 coup, whose primary objective was to impose Awolowo (then in jail after conviction for an earlier coup plot) as Prime Minister, really set Nigeria backwards.

You guys make me laugh with this father Christmas tale.

Will you also believe me if i told you that the massacre of 3million igbos in the civil war was to pave the way for Ekwueme to succeed Shagari as president on completion of his tenure in 1987?

Handover to Awo indeed!!

Ironsi truly fvcked up bigly

shukuokukobambi:


You guys make me laugh with this father Christmas tale.

Will you also believe me if i tell you that the massacre of 3million igbos in the civil war was to pave the way for Ekwueme to succeed Shagari as president on completion of his tenure in 1987?

Handover to Awo indeed!!

Ironsi truly fvcked up bigly

If you can show plausible proof, why not? Can you?

igbodefender:
If you can show plausible proof, why not? Can you?

What other proof do you have for your assertion other than word of mouth? I just gave you my own word too from very reliable power brokers. If your words are true, mine must be true too

On assumption of power, General Aguiyi-Ironsi promulgated the Constitution (Suspension and Modification) Decree 1966. Decree No 1 dated January 17, 1966 but not published in the Official Gazette until March 4, 1966. He then issued Public Order Decree No 33 dated May 24 1966 which dissolved eighty-one political associations and twenty-six tribal and cultural associations.

At the early stage of his tenure, he appointed a three-man advisory team made up of Chief Francis Nwokedi, a Permanent Secretary, Dr. Pius Charles Nwabafor Okigbo (1924-2000) and Colonel Patrick Anwunah, who later became Chairman and Head of the Orientation Committee at that time.

He replaced the then Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Taslim Olawale Elias (1914-1991) with Chief Gabriel Chike Michael Onyiuke (SAN), former Director, Public Prosecution, Eastern Nigeria (1960-1965) from Nimo in the present Anambra state.

I have long maintained that the Hausa Fulani learnt their greed for domination from the Igbos.

Till today, the Igbos are still bitter that they were unravelled and reduced to nothing in the politics of Nigeria.

Look at the names above and realise what the Igbos desire when they lament about marginalization.

igbodefender:
The 1966 coup, whose primary objective was to impose Awolowo (then in jail after conviction for an earlier coup plot) as Prime Minister, really set Nigeria backwards.

A fool is talking. Ironsi's intention was not to impose awolowo. It was to impose the igbo nation on Nigeria.

Igbos led Nigeria into this unfortunate situation. Your tribe brought us backward. You are the real villain. You are never the victims

shukuokukobambi:


You guys make me laugh with this father Christmas tale.

Will you also believe me if i tell you that the massacre of 3million igbos in the civil war was to pave the way for Ekwueme to succeed Shagari as president on completion of his tenure in 1987?

Handover to Awo indeed!!

Ironsi truly fvcked up bigly

Very apt but funny response.

.

I don’t know why and how it is a compulsion for them to hinge their fook-ups on the Yoruba.

The same way they blame Awolowo for staring tribal politics when Azikwe had, back in the 1920s started Igbo Union group whose sole purpose was to drive ethnicity-laden politics around Igbo votes ans Igbo candidiates. It was this that led to the formation of Egbe Omo Oduduwa. Till today they’ll blame Baba Awo for tribal politics when they started it but lost in their own game.

Prior to 1960, while Hausa and Yoruba wanted a governemtal system and a constitution that gives the regions the leeway to run separately as a mini-country, the East wanted a unified system with everything in the center as well as the separation of Lagos from the West; they made sure to influence the Norh to support the separation of Lagos using the threat of no access to sea in scaring them. The Igbo continued to push for a unitay type of Nigeria in several constitutional conferences and I am not surprised to find that the Igbo coup of 1966 went straight into implementing the same thing - the unification decree.

They had an agenda driven by greed. They wanted to extend their hands into other regions; they practically thought they were better than others [Enter Azikwe’s Igbo God’s speech here] and wanted to own Nigeria but the regional system made it impossible. They used the coup to break down the barriers and flooded the civil service and several other positions in other regions. The North and West grumbled for a few years until baton changed hands.

To mask this greed, they turned around to again put the blame at Awo’s feet, awon Olosi tifun loran.

Ratello:




Immediately after the speech two Governors kicked against the proposal. They were, Major General David Akpode Ejoor (83) from Ovu in the present Delta State, then serving as the Military Governor of the Mid-Western region and Major General Hassan Usman Katsina(1933-1995), who was then serving as Governor of the Northern region.

Lt. Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu (1933-2011), Military Governor of Eastern Region welcomed the decree while Lt. Col. Francis Adekunle Fajuyi (1926-1966), Military Governor of Western Region never commented on the promulgation of the decree.

Lt-Col Ejoor was reported as saying that the ’National Government’ set up by the army was the prelude to ‘the reintroduction of a unitary form of government’ and insisted that it would create future problems. Shortly afterwards, the Supreme Military Council announced that a senior government official, Mr. Nwokedi, had been asked to consider and to report to the Supreme Military Council on the establishment of ‘an administrative machinery for a united Nigeria’ and the ‘unification of the Public Services and Judicial Services.’

yeebos are the problem of Nigeria, dey made Nigeria turn out this way,this is the result of yeebos greediness.
Adaka boro declared independence from Nigeria on February 23 1966 during the regime of major general Johnson Thomas ummunakwe aguyi ironsi,and ojukwu was the governor of the eastern region then,ironsi(FG) and ojuiku(RG) went to war against Isaac jasper adaka boro and his Niger delta volunteer force,adaka boro and his force were attacked,killed and the one's that were not killed were jailed,just because they wanted a country of their own.
Yeebos are useless and greedy people

nairanaira12:


A fool is talking. Ironsi's intention was not to impose awolowo. It was to impose the igbo nation on Nigeria.

Igbos led Nigeria into this unfortunate situation. Your tribe brought us backward. You are the real villain. You are never the victims

Bros you are the fool o. Because if you'd done your homework before typing the above, you would have realized that Ironsi fought against the coup, and was never a part of it.
Now, apologise to history for being this ignorant.

-double post-

shukuokukobambi:


What other proof do you have for your assertion other than word of mouth? I just gave you my own word too from very reliable power brokers. If your words are true, mine must be true too

I have word sthraight from the horses (puschist's) mouth and in the public domain (media), while you have a rich imagination. Nice try, but truth (sweet or bitter) is better..

igbodefender:
I have word sthraight from the horses mouth and in the public domain (media), while you have a rich imagination. Nice try, but truth (sweet or bitter) is better..

Which horse abeg? Awo, the intended beneficiary or one of the murderous mutineers? What's in the media other than what the purveyors of this tale wanted you to hear and believe?

My dear, your tale is like that of Santa Claus, fantastic and grandiose but still a myth

Throwback:



I have long maintained that the Hausa Fulani learnt their greed for domination from the Igbos.

Till today, the Igbos are still bitter that they were unravelled and reduced to nothing in the politics of Nigeria.

Look at the names above and realise what the Igbos desire when they lament about marginalization.

Honestly. They couldn't even be discrete about it. Its like we're in your face and we dare you

The mallams indeed learnt from them very well

igbodefender:
I have word sthraight from the horses (puschist's) mouth and in the public domain (media), while you have a rich imagination. Nice try, but truth (sweet or bitter) is better..

ironsi ruined Nigeria, and ojuiku supported him

omololu2020:
ironsi ruined Nigeria, and ojuiku supported him

Oh, you would have been happier if the pro Awolowo coupist had succeeded in making Awolowo Prime Minister through the bullet and not the ballot?! That, is very wrong.

igbodefender:

Bros you are the fool o. Because if you'd done your homework before typing the above, you would have realized that Ironsi fought against the coup, and was never a part of it.
Now, apologise to history for being this ignorant.

Ironsi fought against the coup? What manner of messed up dumb fool is this one? Ironsi that benefited from and promoted the coup is the one you said fought against the coup? If he wasn't happy about the coup, why didn't he call it off immediately? The blindness and stupidity of your tribe is extremely annoying

shukuokukobambi:


Which horse abeg? Awo, the intended beneficiary or one of the murderous mutineers? What's in the media other than what the purveyors of this tale wanted you to hear and believe?

My dear, your tale is like that of Santa Claus, fantastic and grandiose but still a myth

Firstly, I am not your dear. Secondly if what you call 'santa clause tale' is the truth, I, and millions of Nigerians will continue to believe, and the internet will never forget.

shukuokukobambi:


Which horse abeg? Awo, the intended beneficiary or one of the murderous mutineers? What's in the media other than what the purveyors of this tale wanted you to hear and believe?

My dear, your tale is like that of Santa Claus, fantastic and grandiose but still a myth

Firstly, I am not your dear.
Secondly if what you call 'santa clause tale' is the truth, I, and millions of Nigerians will continue to believe, and the internet will never forget.

igbodefender:
Firstly, I am not your dear.
Secondly if what you call 'santa clause tale' is the truth, I, and millions of Nigerians will continue to believe, and the internet will never forget.

Igbo mutineers killed Western regional and northern regional political and military leaders while sparing Eastern political and military leaders and the reason for this is because they wanted to forcefully make the imprisoned Yoruba rival of their political father the head of the country

Who else could be so imaginative but an Igbo man? Who else could so believe this idiocy but an Igbo man?

Abeg keep believing it after all millions of your people also believed Putin, Trump and netanyahu already agreed with kanu to establish Biafra

Have you heard of wash wash in onitsha and aba? This your tale is wash wash

nairanaira12:


Ironsi fought against the coup? What manner of messed up dumb fool is this one? Ironsi that benefited from and promoted the coup is the one you said fought against the coup? If he wasn't happy about the coup, why didn't he call it off immediately? The blindness and stupidity of your tribe is extremely annoying

You are free to believe any selfserving mumbo jumbo you choose to believe, but what history tells us is that on January 15 1966, a group of pro Awolowo soldiers carried out a coup to spring him from gaol (jail) and make him Prime Minister.
In that unfortunate coup, two of Awolowo's political enemies, SL Akintola who had pushed Awolowo out from ruling the Western Region in 1962, and Tafawa Balewa, who had prosecuted Awolowo for coup plotting in 1962 were gruesomely murdered.
We will never know many things about that coup, but this we know: getting power through the ballot (democracy) was murdered by the bullets of those putschists.

igbodefender:
You are free to believe any selfserving mumbo jumbo you choose to believe, but what history tells us is that on January 15 1966, a group of pro Awolowo soldiers carried out a coup to spring him from gaol (jail) and make him Prime Minister.
In that unfortunate coup, two of Awolowo's political enemies, SL Akintola who had pushed Awolowo out from ruling the Western Region in 1962, and Tafawa Balewa, who had prosecuted Awolowo for coup plotting in 1962 were gruesomely murdered.
We will never know many things about that coup, but this we know: getting power through the ballot (democracy) was murdered by the bullets of those putschists.

There is no mumbo jumbo in this thing. You claimed he opposed the coup, but he didn't end it. Instead, he went about promoting military rulership by destroying regional government. Your tribe dissolved regional government, and ojukwu supported it. As far as ojukwu was concerned, anything ironsi did was right.

Your tribe brought Nigeria to this decayed state. You are the real enemies of Nigeria.


So, stop complaining about hausa/fulani domination, parasitism by the north or federal character. They are the off shoots of desolution of regional system of government. And it was an igboman that brought it on Nigeria.

omololu2020:
yeebos are the problem of Nigeria, dey made Nigeria turn out this way,this is the result of yeebos greediness.
Adaka boro declared independence from Nigeria on February 23 1966 during the regime of major general Johnson Thomas ummunakwe aguyi ironsi,and ojukwu was the governor of the eastern region then,ironsi(FG) and ojuiku(RG) went to war against Isaac jasper adaka boro and his Niger delta volunteer force,adaka boro and his force were attacked,killed and the one's that were not killed were jailed,just because they wanted a country of their own.
Yeebos are useless and greedy people

Your sentiments are comon with those that have an anti-Igbo mindset.

igbodefender:
You are free to believe any selfserving mumbo jumbo you choose to believe, but what history tells us is that on January 15 1966, a group of pro Awolowo soldiers carried out a coup to spring him from gaol (jail) and make him Prime Minister.
In that unfortunate coup, two of Awolowo's political enemies, SL Akintola who had pushed Awolowo out from ruling the Western Region in 1962, and Tafawa Balewa, who had prosecuted Awolowo for coup plotting in 1962 were gruesomely murdered.
We will never know many things about that coup, but this we know: getting power through the ballot (democracy) was murdered by the bullets of those putschists.

What does Awo have to do with these murderous Igbo mutineers?

How did Awo get them to do his bidding while he was in jail? What promises did he make them that they threw all caution to the wind and put their ancestry and progeny in harms way?

igbodefender:
Your sentiments are comon with those that have an anti-Igbo mindset.

You guys brought Nigeria to its knees. If there is still regional government, Nigeria would have developed more than this. But an igbo man destroyed regional government. Your tribe has no right to complain

shukuokukobambi:


Igbo mutineers killed Western regional and northern regional political and military leaders while sparing Eastern political and military leaders and the reason for this is because they wanted to forcefully make the imprisoned Yoruba rival of their political father the head of the country

Who else could be so imaginative but an Igbo man? Who else could so believe this idiocy but an Igbo man?

Abeg keep believing it after all millions of your people also believed Putin, Trump and netanyahu already agreed with kanu to establish Biafra

Have you heard of wash wash in onitsha and aba? This your tale is wash wash

We are pro Nigerian Igbo. In your ignorance, IPOB and Igbo are ond and the same.

igbodefender:
We are pro Nigerian Igbo. In your ignorance, IPOB and Igbo are ond and the same.

Congrats on your pro Nigerian stance. I wish you luck

nairanaira12:


You guys brought Nigeria to its knees. If there is still regional government, Nigeria would have developed more than this. But an igbo man destroyed regional government. Your tribe has no right to complain

You don't want the world to know the real aim of the January 15, 1966 putschists, that's why you are jumping up and down abi?

igbodefender:
You don't want the world to know the real aim of the January 15, 1966 putschists, that's why you are jumping up and down abi?

Real aim my foot. Post the evidence of your real aim or just keep quiet.

shukuokukobambi:

Congrats on your pro Nigerian stance. I wish you luck

Thanks jare.