Maj. Chukwuma Nzeogwu and Col. Conrad Nwawo

Ejike Anyaduba

He was the only man who could dissuade Major Nzeogwu from marching down south to confront General Aguiyi Ironsi. When it was obvious to Nzeogwu that his guys in the South led by Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna (who had had a taste of fame as an athlete )faltered in executing their charge - Nzeogwu was determined to march down South.

Every entreaties to stop him from such confrontation that would escalate bloodlet fell on deaf ears. Col Madiebo who later became the commander of the Biafran army could not dissuade him as were others.

The lot fell on Colonel Conrad Nwawo who at the time was the most senior army officer of the Midwestern Igbo.

It was just not safe for anybody to leave Ironsi's base in Lagos for Kaduna for a thankless job of dissuading a leftist from a course of action.
Nzeogwu who held his base in the North was not yielding to the authority of Ironsi in Lagos. As he later confessed while speaking with Ejindu that he was ready to sacrifice more lives in order to achieve the Nigeria of his dream.

Perhaps that was why Fredrick Forsythe called him "highly idealistic" in his book The Making Of An African Legend-The Biafran Story.
Nwawo took off from Lagos at the instance of Ironsi to persuade Nzeogwu to surrender.

Ojukwu was to describe this action years later as an uncommon act of bravery. His reason was that only a brave soldier could move between two opposing camps at that critical time. Either side could distrust the messenger and have him shot. But Col Nwawo thought less of his personal safety and went to Nzeogwu and dissuaded him against military action against "reactionary" forces in the South.

It was unfortunate that the conditions given by Nzeogwu before he could cede his authority to Ironsi were betrayed not by the courageous Nwawo, but by those who sent him from Lagos, and who were privy to what Nzeogwu's demands were (what he called fait accompli) .

Nwawo's action would later be misconstrued as was evident in the encounter between Colonel Babangida and Colonel Dimka at the radio station, Ikoyi.

Threatened by his failed attempt to forcefully remove General Murtala's government, and conscious of the risk of being already surrounded at the radio station, Dimka pointed a gun at Babangida and bellowed... " have you come to play the game of Chukwuma and Nwawo"?

Anyaduba writes from Abatete