₦airaland Forum

Yes, Murtala Muhammed (like a lot of Nigeria's post independence leaders) has a chequered past. The former secessionist firebrand who became a beloved leader across the nation. His exploits during the civil war would probably have got him court marshaled in any other country.

boyscout:
Your write up is very educative I must say. I just hope your source is impeccable. From this link he has a chequered history. I an not but help have a rethink of what I have heard of him and what other roles some other persons played.

Thumbs up for this contribution.

Did you even read my second post before replying? I pointed you to Ademoyega's account as well. FYI, Hilary Njoku also alluded to how frightened Fajuyi was at the time. Now you have four sources - two from each side: Walbe and Danjuma on one, and Njoku and Ademoyega on the other.

naijaking1:
@Max Siollun
I take strong exception to cut and paste journalists trying to pull a wool over our eyes. You're not really serious about making us believe that you're presenting a balanced arguement on this issue, or are you? You're trying to make the case for Walbe and Danjuma, as to the main reason why they killed Fajuyi- unfortunately the victims can't present their own side of the story. I would take the account of neutral or Fajuyi sympathizers at the scene before I listen to Danjuma/Walbe who have everything to gain by reversing history

Read this detailed profile of the tempestuous Ramat and decide for yourselves,

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/index.php/content/view/6255/55

Naijaking, this is a forum for the free exchange of ideas. I don't mind you disagreeing with me - since after all this forum is about different opinions. However when you disagree please avoid invectives like calling me "stupid". It is really immature and detracts from otherwise valid points that you might make. Such personal abuse is quite unnecessary. We need to learn how to debate as adults without resorting to insults.

Back to topic, Well the account I gave is not ONLY based on the accounts of Danjuma and Walbe. The northern mutineers had a serious axe to grind with Fajuyi. Most of them did not like him because they thought he was an ally of Nzeogwu, Ifeajuna, Ademoyega et al. Indeed Major Ademoyega's book "Why We Struck" makes it quite clear that the Majors discussed their coup plot in advance with Fajuyi and that Fajuyi gave them operational ideas for the coup's execution. The northern soldiers knew this and that made Fajuyi a marked man. They considered Fajuyi a legitimate target the same way they did Ironsi.

naijaking1:
Yes, o, I have read that.

I have also read that I'm not the only person that thinks Fajuyi is a hero. Unfortunately, Max Siollun's reversionist account doesn't even remove the facts of this matter. He's based his logic on the accounts of the protagonists of this case, ie Walbe and Danjuma. Did you really expect them to proclaim Fajuyi a hero after they cowardly killed him in cold blood?

In a normal and progressive society, Danjuma and all those boys that breached the confidence reposed on them by Ironsi, Fajuyi, and the nation would have been hanged, or be wasting away in jail. No, not in Nigeria, because their coup "succeeded" they're running around making us forget what they actually did.

Until, Max Siollun or any other stupid reversionist can come up with a better account to dispute the circumstances as documented, we really don't want to hear from Danjuma, Walbe, or their apologists.

Gentleman, a little note for posterity. Fajuyi did not give his life for Ironsi. It seems he was a target of the northern mutineers all along and would have been killed with Ironsi regardless. It was the Western Region publication "Fajuyi The Great" that started the myth that Fajuyi "chose to die with Ironsi". The myth was later embellished in subsequent publications. One of the most ridiculous of which was Fajuyi: The Martyred soldier, by Sanmi Ajiki. Ajiki claimed that Fajuyi told Ironsi: "I make bold to declare to you that, I am with you soul, spirit and body. And mark my words, whatever happens to you today, happens to me. I am your true friend, dear J.U.T like the dove to the pigeon, and by the grace of our good God, so will I humbly yet proudly remain till the very end." According to Ajiki, Ironsi replied "Yes! Francis, I retain my absolute confidence in you. I have never for once doubted your integrity." That might sound nice and heroic for their family members, but the accounts given by the soldiers that were present suggest that no such fluffy dialogue took place.

William Walbe (one of the officers that led Fajuyi and Ironsi to their death in Ibadan) publicly confirmed in an interview that Fajuyi was destined to share Ironsi's fate and that they (the northern mutineers) wanted Fajuyi dead because they were convinced he was an ally of the Janaury 1966 Majors and helped them plan their coup. The interview is quoted in Gowon's biography entitled "Gowon: Biogrpahy of a Soldier Statesman".

Lt-Gen Danjuma later corroborated Walbe's account in an interview with a Nigerian army civil war historical team. Danjuma went even further than Walbe and said that the soldiers that killed Ironsi and Fajuyi could not stand Fajuyi. They felt he deserved to die even more than Ironsi.

OBJ stepped on some powerful toes while he was in government. His anti-corruption drive made him many enemies. This is whynhis and Ribadu's character are now being assassinated.

Maj-Gen Katsina has been dead for over a decade. He died during Abacha's regime.

Good grief this is really blood chilling. FYI, then Lt-Col Hassan Katsina actually tried to stop the pogroms against Igbos in the north. He at great risk to himself confronted armed mobs who threatened to kill him for trying to stop the attacks on Igbos.

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/max-siollun/the-trial-of-mamman-vatsa.html

For those that are interested, a recap and analysis of the trial of Mamman Vatsa. The next part will have an in depth analysis of the events that led to his execution and events inside the death row chamber.

It is frightening to hear people say abacha is better than OBJ. OBJ is flawed no doubt, but Abacha , this is a guy who murdered people for having differences of opinion with him.

Have we completely taken leave of our senses/lost our minds?

http://www.thetidenews.com/article.aspx?qrDate=06/16/2008&qrTitle=IBB,%20forced%20to%20annul%20June%2012%20polls%20%E2%80%93Lar&qrColumn=FRONT%20PAGE

IBB, forced to annul June 12 polls –Lar
• Monday, Jun 16, 2008

Former national chairman of PDP, Chief Solomon Lar, yesterday said some military officers pressured former President Ibrahim Babangida to annul the June 12,1993 presidential election.

Speaking to our correspondent in Jos, Lar said, left to the former President, Chief M.K.O Abiola would have been declared winner.

Lar disclosed that, what the Chairman of the defunct National Election Commission (NEC), Prof. Humphrey Nwosu published in his book, ‘Laying the Foundation for Nigeria’s Democracy,’ was true.

“What he said is correct, but not a new thing and it is no news. We knew that Chief Abiola won the freest and fairest election in 1993.

“There is no doubt about that and that it was some military men who brought pressure on President Babangida to annul the election,” he added.

According to him, Nwosu quoted them correctly, leaving out two or three other names “which I do not want to disclose”.

“I was privileged to have an insight of this because we fought for the enthronement of democracy in this country,’’ he said.

Lar, the pioneer Chairman of PDP, said a friend of his, now resident in the U.S. told him everything about the annulment of the election.

“He told me everything about it. In fact, he told me that left to IBB, the results would have been announced.

“They (military officers) threatened him that if he announced the results there would be another coup, so he kept quiet,” he added.

He disclosed that the annulment of the presidential election results then brought a temporary setback for democracy in the country.

According to him, Nigerians wanted democracy hence their resolve to participate in the freest and fairest election, ever to be conducted.

He said that was why since 1994, there was a yearly celebration of June 12.

“It showed that June 12 was no respecter of religion, tribe or ethnic group. Nigerians voted for democracy.

“I will advocate for the yearly celebration of June 12 and May 16, when the National Assembly threw out the third term Bill,” he added.

Commenting on President Umaru Yar’Adua’s performance in the last one year, he commended Yar’Adua for sustaining democracy through the rule of law and due process.

“One year is too short a time to assess one’s performance. Give him some time. So long as there is democracy, it is a plus,” he said.

If the infrantry were mainly northern, how would/could they have formed the bulk of casualties?  Surely southerners would have been disproportionate victims given the northern numerical advantage in the infantry?

I seriously doubt whether Abiola was beaten to death. How could he have been in front of those visiting American dignitaries who were present when he died? Were they also on the CIA's payroll?

Immediately after Abiola died, Gen Abdulsalam Abubakar commissioned an independent autopsy by western doctors and offered the Abiola family Doctor the opportunity to examine Abiola as well. He surely would have seen/noted signs of physical violence.

Nigeria is on its way to becoming a one party state thanks to the PDP's sweeping successes. The June 12 election was allowed to go through peacefully largely because the authorities stringently managed the process. There was no secret ballot and results had to be counted and announced there and then at each polling station. This made it extremely difficult for vote riggers to carry out their usual modus operandi of ballot box stuffing.

Another factor is that people conducted themselves well because they did not want to give the military an excuse to prolong military rule.

Denying that Abacha looted the treasury is pure heresy. Akin to claiming that the Earth is flat. 

Abacha's time was the lowest point for Nigeria. Abacha's regime featured officers who murdered and framed up their colleagues on fake charges, murdered the wives of their opponents in broad daylight, admitted carrying out ritual killings and Abacha himself employed several marabouts and murdered his opponents (including Shehu Musa Yar'Adua) based on his marabouts' advice. 

Did OBJ carry out any ritualistic killings for body parts? For all his shortcomings, OBJ was no recluse who killed his opponents and their wives for criticising him. To put OBJ on a par with Abacha, OBJ would have to have had Atiku and his wife killed when they were at loggerheads, placed Buhari in jail, and tried to murder his own Chief of Army Staff.

People forget just how bad the Abacha days were. Under Abacha:
-Nigeria got suspended from the Commonwealth
-Abacha's own son Mohammed was personally involved in torturing opponents of his dad.
-His killing squads murdered opposition figures like Kudirat Abiola, Alfred Rewane and Shehu Yar'Adua and they had failed attempts to kill Lt-Gen Akinrinade, Gani Fawehinmi and Abacha's own army chief Maj-Gen Alwali Kazir.
-Deliberately set up, tortured and sentenced to death scores of innocent people in bogus "coup plots" for no reason other than their opposition to the regime.

Their announcement excising far northern states was suicidally naive when they were trying to enlist the support of mainly northern infantrymen.

Nigeria has really lost its moral compass. A dictator that had his opponents imprisoned, tortured, framed up in phony coup plots or murdered, and that so destroyed Nigeria's image that it was suspended from the Commonwealth is being feted as a national patriot. Meanwhile OBJ is vilified as the "worst thing to ever happen to Nigeria".

I wouldn't read too much into these pronouncements. These are attempts to honour Abacha in death and maintain a united regional front for their former colleague.

The Nigerian govt is a reflection of the Nigerian people. The leaders emerged from the same society as the governed. Nigeria's moral fibre was totally destroyed under the days of Babangida.

http://maxsiollun./2007/12/23/are-all-nigerians-corrupt/

The topic is discussed here,

http://maxsiollun./2008/03/22/what-really-happened-to-abacha-and-abiola/

It is hard to believe that ANY state in Nigeria has a higher population than Lagos.

What no one seems to notice is that Ribadu got fired as he went after Ibori. Coincidence? The Attorney-General Aondoakaa was instrumental in (a) writing a letter to the London police to get charges against Ibori dropped (b) delegitimizing and frustrating Ribadu's efforts to prosecute Ibori.

Part 2:
http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/max-siollun/babangida-the-life-and-times-of-the-evil-genius-part-2-coup-bai.html

1) Garba "Paiko" was the Adjutant of the 4th battalion at the time of the mutiny. I use "Paiko" with speech marks because that was not his real name. It was a code name being used by Lt Garba Dada. The name "Paiko" was a code name being bandied about by the northern soldiers who planned the mutiny. They would speak to each other in code about attending "Paiko's wedding" (a coded reference to the coup).

2) The most detailed accounts of what happened at Ibadan emerge from Danjuma, Ironsi's ADC Lt Nwankwo and the Eastern Region publication "Jan 15: Before and After". The main differences in the accounts are that Danjuma claims the mutineers pushed him aside and took over. In fairness Jan 15 also concedes that Danjuma was not physically present when Ironsi and Fajuyi were killed. It does claim though that Danjuma was originally in the convoy, but at a road intersection, whispered orders to the other soldiers, then waved on the vehicles carrying Ironsi and Fajuyi while he headed back to barracks. If you want to find holes, the unanswered question is how/who got him back to 4 bn barracks. He said he hitch hiked, who gave a lift to a mutinous grenade wielding soldier?

3) There were many other survivors from the siege at State House Ibadan - both military and civilian. I have their names.

4) Contrary to what Danjuma said, the officers meeting at the Abeokuta garrison was NOT attended solely by Igbo officers. That is patently not true. The garrison commander called a meeting of ALL officers irrespective of ethnic or religious origin. The officer that gathered others for the meeting was even a northerner. Some non-Igbo officers were also shot at Abeokuta. In fact one of the northern officers in the mess was accidentally shot in the melee. I have the names of the northern officers that attended the meeting.

There are different schools of thought:

a) Danjuma's account is true. Unfortunately the only people who can dispute it (Fajuyi and Ironsi) are dead.

b) What of the account in Jan 15? Is it reliable? Can it be believed given that it was released during a propaganda/physical war between the east and federals?

c) Maj-Gen Oluleye gave a different perspective. He agrees that Danjuma wasn't there when Ironsi and Fajuyi were killed but feels Danjuma departed after giving orders to the junior ranks about what should be done to Ironsi and Fajuyi. Not being physically present he could not be tainted by it. Luckham picks up on a similar theme. He said the officer in charge at Ibadan departed from the junior ranks on the pretext that he was going back to base to "get orders". He never gave the name of the officer in charge though.

The common demominator in all the accounts is that Danjuma wasn't there when they were killed. As to his actual culpability, we will either never know, or we will have to wait till the other survivors speak.

There has been Tiv agitation for autonomy since the early post independence years in the 1960s under PM Balewa.

I am very surprised at his acquittal given the damning evidence
against him given by witnesses such as Sgt Rogers. Slowly one by one
Abacha's henchmen are being released. His son Mohammed was released
despite also being charged as an accomplice to Abacha era
murders/political assasinations. The famed "Dr Death" Colonel
Yakassai (who was accused of murdering political detainees by
injecting them with poisons) has been released and now works for a
state government. Now Bamaiyi has also been released. I wonder what
will become of Al-Mustapha?

Bamaiyi was an Abacha loyalist. He had been a key member of the
military cabal and his claim to fame was his role in helping to put
down the 1990 Orkar coup when he was at the Lagos Garrison Command.
His elevation to Chief of Army Staff was partially a delayed "reward"
for that act.

I'm sure before long he will give an exclusive interview about his
ordeal and the ins and outs of Abacha's regime. I bet Lt-Gen Diya
must be quietly fuming somewhere after Bamaiyi framed him in the 1997
coup saga.

maxsiollun.

There is a profile of him here:
http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/index.php/content/view/6255/55

Well done for remembering that horrendous Feb 13. He was a man who brought out conflicting emotions in people. Read: http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/max-siollun/the-roller-coaster-life-of-murtala-moh-2.html

The disrepair and lack of battle readiness is a legacy of the many decades of military misrule. During that era senior officers were so politicised and engaged in the pursuit of money that military issues were neglected. The air force is in bad shape because it was deliberately starved of funds from 1986 onwards as "punishment" for the alleged involvement of air force officers in the 1985 Vatsa coup plot. Contrary to popular opinion, military coups have badly damaged the military.

No one is doubting that Igbos were wronged and had a just cause. However the issues were: (i) was secession the only option available to Ojukwu? (ii) Even if secession was the only option, could he have timed it dfferently/delayed till such time as Biafra had fighting capability?

ishmael:
Had it been the reverse was the case that ibos were the ones killing thousands of northerners in the east, and Gowon decided to create an arewa republic leaving the ibos to be on their own and a civil war eventually starts, would anybody or anyone be saying that Gowon was wrong to have gone into war with the east??

You people don't know what happened to the ibos living in the north then thats why you are blaming Ojukwu. Ibos were killed and slaughtered like chicken, goat and ram in all part of the north. And you expect their leader not to protect them by fighting against their enemies??