₦airaland Forum

Counterigbolies:
y did Igbos kill other people's leaders n leave their own?

Awolowo’s political opponents were among the casualties.

They were warned of an impending coup but did nothing.

Even Balewa refused the offer of protection from the British High Commissioner

The ring of protection between the exploitative elites and the wrath of the people.

They have to be taken care of.

Understood…

iamnotillicit:
What d fvck is Kachalla...?

Na black panther younger brother

It’s deliberately designed by the rapacious sellouts that call themselves the elites of the nation.

Nigeria is designed to be an extractive economy for the benefit of foreign interests and the saboteurs are actively working towards protecting those exploitative foreign interests.

Wake up.

🥱

Excellent.

Good news!

pongwa:
he he he he.....
I have seen them, contact accurate sources not accounts

And they are not accurate sources abi?

Bring your “accurate” source or keep shut and get off my mentions

pongwa:
contact military sources and get your facts good day

Post your sources to counter the military historians.

Obviously you don’t have anything to provide, so get lost.

pongwa:
you based your point on estimations and suggestions from different accounts and non-credible facts, as well as from debatable sources through artificial intelligence (makes you a weak researcher). That's a sign of intellectual laziness from your end. The military has accurate data of statistics of their ranks, it will do you well to consult such. Until then, you can make a proposition about the war or leave your opinion as an estimation too. Meanwhile, my assertion of Ibo coup is still valid based on the participants

Mr intellectually “diligent”, provide the “accurate data of statistics and their ranks” to fault my argument or keep shut forever.

pongwa:
you based your point on estimations and suggestions from different accounts and non-credible facts, as well as from debatable sources through artificial intelligence (makes you a weak researcher). That's a sign of intellectual laziness from your end. The military has accurate data of statistics of their ranks, it will do you well to consult such. Until then, you can make a proposition about the war or leave your opinion as an estimation too. Meanwhile, my assertion of Ibo coup is still valid based on the participants

Do you want excerpts from Max Siollun and Frederick Forsyth? Or you just pretended not to see those ones too?

TimeManager:
Tinubu should have been President a long time ago, he is God sent. And I can tell you that the productivity of CNG cars are fantastic, your car engine will be smiling all day. Government just needs to bring the conversion cost lower for general affordability. And we need more CNG stations.


-Kiss the truth!

And what is the progress update on Tinubu’s eight point agenda for Nigeria? August 2026 deadline is fast approaching!

1. food security;
2. poverty eradication;
3. growth,
4. job creation;
5. access to capital;
6. inclusion;
7. rule of law; and
8. fighting corruption

https://punchng.com/translating-tinubus-8-point-agenda-to-recovery/?amp

And the 50 million jobs promised between 2023 to 2026

https://www.nairaland.com/7821154/tinubu-sets-3-year-economic-revival

Where are the CNG mass transit buses promised to Nigerians as benefits of subsidy removal?

Let me guess, they will be provided next year ahead of 2027 campaigns.

Mark this post.

pongwa:
do you have the list of mid ranking officers in the military at that time? If not, rest please

If the majority of those fingered in the coup attempt were mostly from the old eastern region, isn't it safe to say it was an Ibo coup? It's just simple analogy, and If you now say that most of the mid ranking army officers of that time were from the eastern region, do you have hard facts or proof? If not you have got no point

A bit of research will spare you needless embarrassment.

Let’s start with Grok AI before I provide data from history scholars.

Determining the exact ethnic composition of middle-ranked military officers in Nigeria as of 1965 is challenging due to the lack of comprehensive, publicly available statistical data from that period. However, I can provide an informed analysis based on historical accounts, scholarly estimates, and the broader context of the Nigerian military at the time.

### Context of the Nigerian Military in 1965
- **Middle-Ranked Officers**: This typically refers to ranks such as Captain, Major, and Lieutenant Colonel—officers who were above junior ranks (e.g., Lieutenants) but below senior ranks (e.g., Colonels, Brigadiers, and Generals).
- **Size of the Army**: The Nigerian Army in 1965 was small, with an estimated total strength of 7,000–10,000 personnel, including enlisted men and officers. The officer corps was a fraction of this, likely numbering in the low hundreds.
- **Ethnic Dynamics**: Post-independence (1960), the Nigerian military reflected colonial recruitment patterns and regional educational disparities. The British had prioritized recruitment from the Northern Region for enlisted men, while Southerners (particularly Igbos from the Eastern Region) were overrepresented among officers due to higher education levels and access to British training institutions like Sandhurst.

### Evidence and Estimates
1. **Igbo Representation in the Officer Corps**:
- Historical narratives, such as those from Frederick Forsyth’s *The Biafra Story* and Max Siollun’s *Oil, Politics and Violence*, suggest that Igbos were disproportionately represented in the officer corps, especially in middle ranks, by the mid-1960s. This stemmed from their early dominance in education and civil service roles, which translated into military commissions.
- In 1965, Igbos likely made up a significant portion of officers due to their recruitment into the Nigerian Army during and after World War II, as well as their success in competitive officer training programs.

2. **Quantitative Claims**:
- While no official census of the military’s ethnic breakdown exists for 1965, some historians and analysts estimate that Igbos constituted between 50% and 70% of the officer corps, particularly in middle ranks. For instance, Robin Luckham’s *The Nigerian Military: A Sociological Analysis of Authority and Revolt 1960–67* notes that Igbos held a majority of posts in technical, administrative, and middle-tier combat roles.
- A widely cited claim from the period leading up to the January 1966 coup is that Igbos comprised over 60% of officers ranked Major and below. This perception fueled Northern fears of Igbo dominance, though exact figures are debated.

3. **Senior vs. Middle Ranks**:
- At senior levels (Colonels and above), Igbo representation dropped significantly. Officers like Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi (Igbo) and Lieutenant Colonel Conrad Nwawo (Igbo) were exceptions, while Northerners (e.g., Brigadier Zakariya Maimalari, Brigadier Samuel Ademulegun) and Westerners held many top posts.
- Middle ranks, however, were more Igbo-heavy due to the younger generation of officers who had joined post-1945 and risen through the ranks by 1965.

4. **Coup Plotters as a Snapshot**:
- The January 1966 coup provides a glimpse into the officer corps. Of the key plotters (mostly Majors and Captains), a majority were Igbo (e.g., Nzeogwu, Ifeajuna, Anuforo), though Yoruba (e.g., Ademoyega) and others were also involved. This suggests a strong Igbo presence in middle ranks, but not an exclusive one.

### Did Igbos Constitute Over 60% of Middle-Ranked Officers?
- **Probable Answer**: Yes, it is likely that Igbos constituted over 60% of middle-ranked officers (Captains to Majors) in 1965. This estimate aligns with historical analyses and the ethnic composition of coup participants, though it cannot be confirmed with precise statistics.
- **Caveats**:
- The total number of middle-ranked officers was small (perhaps 100–200), so even a 60% figure might represent only 60–120 individuals.
- Regional imbalances were exaggerated in public perception after the 1966 coup, which targeted mostly non-Igbo senior officers, reinforcing the narrative of Igbo dominance.
- No definitive archival data (e.g., from the Nigerian Army’s personnel records) is publicly accessible to settle the question conclusively.

### Conclusion
Based on available evidence, it is reasonable to conclude that Igbos likely exceeded 60% of middle-ranked military officers in Nigeria as of 1965, driven by educational advantages and early recruitment trends. However, without official records, this remains an educated estimate rather than a proven fact. If you’d like me to dig deeper into specific sources or refine this further, let me know!

pongwa:
do you have the list of mid ranking officers in the military at that time? If not, rest please

If the majority of those fingered in the coup attempt were mostly from the old eastern region, isn't it safe to say it was an Ibo coup? It's just simple analogy, and If you now say that most of the mid ranking army officers of that time were from the eastern region, do you have hard facts or proof? If not you have got no point

How is it an Igbo coup when;

1. It involved non-Igbo coupists
2. Not all Igbos in the military were involved in the coup.
2. Igbo military personnel were actively involved in suppressing the coup 🤷

pongwa:
do you have hard facts to disprove my assertion?

Igbos made up over 60% of mid ranking military officers before the January 1966 coup.

1. Were all the Igbos in the military involved in the coup?

2. Were there Igbos in the military involved in suppressing the coup?

Killerofpigs:
This reveal pain all these Agbado miscreants badly.

They can't change narratives again..

IBB smashed them again..

Truth never dies.

Funny enough I created some threads few days before IBB’s book launch.

Truth must be told, no matter how bitter it tastes.

https://www.nairaland.com/8325556/january-15-1966-arthur-unegbe

https://www.nairaland.com/8326981/names-military-officials-invaded-ahmadu

https://www.nairaland.com/8348476/ibb-january-1966-not-igbo

Christistruth02:
firstly Nobody expected any coup to be an Ethnic Cleansing bloodbath because the FG was a coalition between North and South(Azikiwe's NCNC)

They would have thought that at most they would be arrested

And how was the January 1966 coup eventually terminated? 🤷

I can also see you’ve been conveniently quiet on the fact that Igbos made up over 60% of mid ranked military personnel prior to the January 1966 coup.

1. Were all the Igbos in the military involved in the coup?

2. Were there Igbos in the military involved in suppressing the coup?

Christistruth02:
Also Can you believe that at the time azikiwe did this interview below on the 16th of Jan 1966
gen ironsi had not yet taken Power
look outside the Window you can see it is broad daylight
Listen to azikiwe

Dr Orizu who was the Acting President didn't invite gen ironsi to takeover Power until 10 minutes to midnight on that same day (16th of January 1966 ) which couldn't have been less than about 6 hours after azikiwe gave this interview to the British Press yet azikiwe was speaking as if gen ironsi was already in Power

gen ironsi didn't take Power until 17th Jan 1966 the next day

From his replies you can see that azikiwe was completely uninterested in finding Prime Minister Balewa who had only been kidnapped and was only missing at the time of this interview and whose body was not found until almost a week later but see how so confident azikiwe already was that Balewa wouldn't be found alive



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCD7uQsSU6U?si=_lCuNifvAGEIRXrp

Azikiwe had common sense to act on the warnings of an impending coup and fled.

What did the Sardauna, Tafawa Balewa or Akintola do with the warning?

Even the British high commission offered Tafawa Balewa protection, he turned it down.

Abeg rest.

Christistruth02:
Don’t digress ,

Of those 60% of Middle Ranking Military Officers fwhat was the percentage of them killed?

Now as to Awolowo’s case
Those who conspired against Awolowo and jailed him turned against themselves last last.

If they were Awolowo friends how come they jailed him?


Also how exactly were Ademulegun, his pregnant wife, and Col Shodeinde Awolowo’s enemies
and how come they left out Azikiwe if they were killing Awolowo’s enemies?

You were the first to digress.

Do you agree the Igbos made up over 60% of mid ranking military personnel before the January 1966 coup?

Yes or No

Christistruth02:
Ok
How many of them were killed in the Coup

Was it equal to the percentage of Military Officers of other parts of the country killed?


List the names of those killed and the names of the Soldiers who killed them so we can analyse the list

You are not disputing the Igbos were over 60% of the middle ranked officers prior to the January coup.

By the way, Awolowo’s political opponents were eliminated in the coup which is quite interesting if I must say.

Sardauna ☠️
Akintola ☠️
Tafawa Balewa ☠️

Quite a coincidence

Christistruth02:


This is IBB confirming the attempt at Ethnic Domination

Rest.

Igbos already made up over 60% of middle ranked officers before the January 1966 coup.

Cleans eyeglasses properly…

Did I see The Nation Newspaper?

pazienza:
Tribalism will continue until Nigeria dies and we all go our separate ways..
Ndiigbo will teach Nigerians what tribalism is all about and every iota of Igbo hate will be matched with even greater hate towards those exhibiting it.

We will all be fine. We will wait out Nigeria.

You’re waiting out for Nigeria without dealing with the sellouts in your tribe?

Ok…

pazienza:
We are not miscible with Yorubas and the North.
So the issue of uniting with these people is out of question.
It will never happen.
Our ideologies as a people are divergent, parallel and irreconcilable to each other.
There is simply no point for unity between Ndiigbo and these groups.

We will embrace tribalism fully and return every hate for hate until Nigeria crashes and we can be free from these groups we have absolutely nothing in common with.

Alright then, stay divided and remain exploited.

By the way, a Yoruba man has never been a governor in the South East.

An Igbo man has never been a governor in the South West.

Yet the standard of living in either regions is abysmal, the people can’t unite at ward level or local government level or at state level to hold their leaders accountable.

Forget it, tribalism is all smokes and mirrors perpetuated by the elites to keep y’all in bondage.

pazienza:
Tribalism must cancel out tribalism.
Since Yorubas and the rest have embraced Igbophobia as a means to political advancement.
Ndiigbo will do same to cancel out their evil plans for us.
Hate must be met with hate.
In international arena this is called MAD( mutually assured destruction).
Ndiigbo will never lay down our heads again to be used to break the Nigerian coconut.
Let everyone die from poverty, let the elites impoverish everyone, let's all embrace tribalism together.
This is the way the rest of Nigeria want it.

It’s simple, stay divided and remain exploited.

Or

Unite and demand what you deserve.

The vultures have tricked the suffering masses that they are their own enemies because of tribal differences…

Whereas the irony of the whole thing is nobody chose the tribe they were born into.

Tranquillity360:
it's simple because we're not one and can never be one.

Because the vultures have sold that lie for decades and the masses have gullibly swallowed it up.

The real struggle is between the patriots and the sellouts.

Even if the nation splinters into ethnic groups, there are still sellouts ever ready to throw their neighbours under the bus, just to satisfy their greed.

Tranquillity360:
No Nigerian is a nationalist.


And again nothing Unites us.

If there's any mention it.




If you are talking about something that unite Yorubas and Hausafulanis,then it is only hatred for Igbos that unite them, nothing again.

If there's another, mention it.

And how has tribalism helped the masses from independence till date?

While the vultures put aside their differences to loot the common wealth of the masses 🤷

Tranquillity360:
What made him a detribalised Nigerian?



And Who killed him?

The same thing that made Unegbe and Obienu detribalised.

Loyalty to the nation, not tribe or sellouts.

Nigerians don’t understand the choices before them.

1) Engage in tribalism and die poor OR
2) Engage in nationalism and improve your standards of living.

Time to focus on the things that unite us and hold those bloody vultures subjecting the masses to hardship and poverty!

Nigerians have no business with hardship!

Wake up!

Tranquillity360:
Francis Adekunle Fajuyi born on 26 June 1926 and killed on 29 July 1966.


He was a Nigerian soldier of Yoruba origin and the first military governor of the former Western region.

A detribalised Nigerian, just like Arthur Unegbe and John Obienu.

Nationalism above tribalism.

We are still asking for progress report on Tinubu’s eight point agenda ooo.

August 2026 is next year!

1. food security;
2. poverty eradication;
3. growth,
4. job creation;
5. access to capital;
6. inclusion;
7. rule of law; and
8. fighting corruption

https://punchng.com/translating-tinubus-8-point-agenda-to-recovery/?amp

And the 50 million jobs promised between 2023 to 2026

https://www.nairaland.com/7821154/tinubu-sets-3-year-economic-revival