₦airaland Forum

Some people may not know who Colonel Emmanuel Nwobosi is, but he was the last surviving member of the nine officers who executed Nigeria's first military coup on January 15th 1966. After the coup failed, Nwobosi was imprisoned in the East by Aguiyi-Ironsi. However, he was released by Ojukwu when he declared Biafra, promoted to Colonel, and later became Ojukwu's Chief Of Staff. Nwobosi would later fly out with Ojukwu into exile at the end of the war, made his way to Guyana where he became a Military advisor to the Guyanese government. He later moved to Canada where he lived for many years before returning to Nigeria. He retired to his hometown, Obosi, near Onitsha, and was given the title 'Ogene Obosi' by his people. Emmanuel Nwobosi died in November 2020 at the age of 81, but before then, he wrote a book called 1966: THE DARK TRUTH that was later published by his son after his death. This is what Nwobosi said in 2020 in his book about why he and others carried out the January 15th 1966 coup:-

Emmanuel Nwobosi

I am the last of the original coup planners of January 15, 1966 with Major Kaduna Nzeogwu. I knew Nzeogwu well. We went to school together. We trained at Sandhurst Military Academy, UK. We lived together. Nzeogwu was our first Head of Military Intelligence and uncovered terrible plans to wreak havoc across the country. We organised a group of progressive military officers to carry out a coup on 15th January, 1966 to stop a Jihad and bring sanity to a Nigeria steeped in nepotism, corruption and mass murders. The Government of Tafawa Balewa, controlled by the Premier of Northern Nigeria, Ahmadu Bello, were using us in the army to repress the Middle Belt and Western Nigeria. Houses and cars were burnt. Thousands were killed. All these happened between 1962- 66

There were nine of us that planned the January 15 Revolution: Majors Nzeogwu, Anuforo, Ifeajuna, Ademoyega, Chukwuka, Okafor, Onwuategwu, Obienu and myself. However, four of us started it. Major Ifeajuna and Major Ademoyega in the South; and Major Nzeogwu and myself in the North. We then united as a single revolution. I am the last of the four original revolutionaries. None published the complete truth. Only me, Colonel Nwobosi, is alive today, to tell the Final Truth, so that the lies will not triumph forever.

They used us to repress the Middle-belt and the Yorubas. When we saw genocide, we began to disobey orders and swore to stop them. For instance, Major Anuforo refused to release mass murderers caught with weapons, and was court martialled. He was replaced by Major Hassan Katsina, a Northern Muslim, willing to act. I was in Abeokuta but refused to repress Yorubas, instead I opened our barracks as a safe place for them to run to. They told many lies about the January 15 boys, to justify their genocide, but it is those of us that planned the revolution that they should have killed, not the three million innocent Biafrans that knew nothing.

For years I kept quiet, blaming myself and wondering whether at 27, I was too radical that my actions led to the deaths of millions. Today, the same evil in 1966 is being unleashed. As I watch, my sense of guilt has vanished, because we were not the evil. We were trying to stop the evil. That Evil is Radical Islamism. I have decided to speak out and warn the world of the impending disaster if we do not stop it.

Each time Radical Muslims plan a Jihad, in their religious mission to conquer the world, they will fail, but in the attempt, thousands and even millions will die. That happened to us in Biafra. At this point let me differentiate between peaceful, law-abiding Muslims and Radical Muslims who want to kill others to force their religion on them. The problem is that wherever peaceful Muslims are, there are some Radical Muslims amongst them. That is why they began a Jihad in 1966. That is why we had to stop it. That is why they killed millions of our people. That is why we declared Biafra, because we are a peaceful people and oil and water can never mix.

My story is a warning to Nigerians. For years, I was prevented from speaking the truth by exile, prison, harassment, poverty, surveillance and death threats held over many of the actors like Ojukwu, Zik, Awolowo, Ibiam and the January 15 boys that survived. But as I watch today, many of the events that led to our revolution are happening again: Boko Haram, Fulani Militia, Niger Delta Militants, Shiites, IPOB and mass murders.

Some people think we acted wrongly in carrying out the January 15 revolution, but they may not be fully aware of the realities then. We were trained by the British to be patriotic, to give the ultimate sacrifice for Nigerian and to stop anyone acting against the nation.

Instead of our leaders using us to defend Nigeria they were using us to suppress citizens. We, decided to arrest them for their atrocities because no one was willing to act. Not Zik, the President, who was powerless, not Ironsi, the Head of the Army, who was a conservative. There were many reasons why we had to act:
1. To stop the killings in Yoruba land and the Middle Belt by NPC the ruling Party;
2. To stop the invasion of Yorubaland on 17th January, 1966;
3. To correct the massive rigging of the 1964 elections;
4. To free Awolowo from Prison and make him the Prime Minister;
5. To stop the terrible corruption, nepotism and regionalism of the NPC, the Ruling Party;
6. To stop Ahmadu Bello’s planned Jihad.

It was good that we acted to save the Yoruba and the Middle Belt people, and we thought that was enough to stop the Jihad. We could not foresee that they would massively attack innocent Igbos. Blame those who decided to massacre our people for their evil.

, The Igbos are never wrong,They are always right,
1) After their genocidal actions against Minorities in the old Eastern region,and failed,They said they did ir because they are saboteur and betrayals
2) After arresting prominent Ikwerre people during the war, executing and raping their women, today they turn around and say They are our brothers we will not leave Dem behind, like wdf,who needs such elements,
3) After unleashing mayhem in the east, killing innocent people, They say they are fighting for Biafra,and freedom,They justify the killings of their own, pathetic,,
4) Nigeria is a creations of the British, but the same are saying Biafra must include the Old eastern region created by the same Britain,
;DAbeg tell us another story

More lies.

Ok, but I have a few questions.

1. Why did the senate President/Acting President at time - Nwafor Orizu hand over power to the military leader and fellow tribesman Aguiyi Ironsi, rather than the highest ranked politician - Zana Dipcharima to act in the position of prime minister?

2. Why did Aguiyi Ironsi soft pedal on the execution of the January 15 1966 coup plotters?

3. Why did Aguiyi Ironsi constitute a cabinet excluding Northerners and South Westerners (I stand corrected on this)?

4. Worst of all, why did the Igbos in the North resort to tribal gloating and goading of their hosts after the coup?

Anyhow this story is told, you can’t rule out tribalism and the urge to be domineering by some irredeemable tribalists back then.

The truth must be told. That being said, we cannot move forward by holding onto the past, and remain divided along tribal lines. Ethnic conflict and bigotry only delights the exploitative oppressors among us.

Wake up and think. This isn’t 1966.

OkCornel:
Ok, but I have a few questions.

1. Why did the senate President/Acting President at time - Nwafor Orizu hand over power to the military leader and fellow tribesman Aguiyi Ironsi, rather than the highest ranked politician - Zana Dipcharima to act in the position of prime minister?

2. Why did Aguiyi Ironsi soft pedal on the execution of the January 15 1966 coup plotters?

3. Why did Aguiyi Ironsi constitute a cabinet excluding Northerners and South Westerners (I stand corrected on this)?

4. Worst of all, why did the Igbos in the North resort to tribal gloating and goading of their hosts after the coup?

Anyhow this story is told, you can’t rule out tribalism and the urge to be domineering by some irredeemable tribalists back then.

The truth must be told. That being said, we cannot move forward by holding onto the past, and remain divided along tribal lines. Ethnic conflict and bigotry only delights the exploitative oppressors among us.

Wake up and think. This isn’t 1966.

They never tell this side of the story, Healing and reconciliation comes with admitting mistakes or bad deeds done intentionally,We can be great people again, when we reconcile and heal together

OkCornel:
Ok, but I have a few questions.

4. Worst of all, why did the Igbos in the North resort to tribal gloating and goading of their hosts after the coup?

THIS LED TO THE CIVIL WAR MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

Imagine the arrogance of Igbos of the time.

They were living in the north in their millions (as usual).

Igbo officers then went there and slaughtered the northern Prime Minister and northern leaders including the highly revered Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto.

Then they began insulting the northerners and their leaders that were murdered by Igbo officers.

Meanwhile Ironsi, the Igbo military dictator at the helm in Lagos, refused point blank to prosecute the coup plotters!

I mean.....for crying out loud.

And then the northerners in UNDERSTANDABLE FURY, descended on Igbos in a bloody massacre.

Then Igbos ran back to the East, and Ojukwu declared secession, NOT with Igboland alone, but with the NIGER DELTA which accounted potentially for 90% of Nigeria's earnings!!!!!

SORRY, BUT IGBOS HAD IT COMING, THEY ASKED FOR IT.

How can you treat other people like dirt and vermin and expect peace and love, back?

WE MUST NEVER PITY THEM, OR TOLERATE THEIR NONSENSE TODAY.

SPIT!!!

gidgiddy:
Some people may not know who Colonel Emmanuel Nwobosi is, but he was the last surviving member of the nine officers who executed Nigeria's military coup on January 15th 1966. After the coup failed, Nwobosi was imprisoned in the East by Aguiyi-Ironsi, however, he was released by Ojukwu when he declared Biafra, promoted to Colonel, and later became Ojukwu's Chief Of Staff. Nwobosi would later fly out with Ojukwu into exile at the end of the war, made his way to Guyana where he became a Military advisor to the Guyanese government, and later moved to Canada where he lived for many years before returning to Nigeria. He retired to his town, Obosi, near Onitsha, and was given the title 'Ogene Obosi' by his people. Emmanuel Obosi died in November 2020 at the age of 81, but before then, he wrote a book called 1966: THE DARK TRUTH that was later published by his son after his death. This is what Nwobosi said in 2020 in his book about why he and others carried out the January 15th 1966 coup:-

Emmanuel Nwobosi

I am the last of the original coup planners of January 15, 1966 with Major Kaduna Nzeogwu. I knew Nzeogwu well. We went to school together. We trained at Sandhurst Military Academy, UK. We lived together. Nzeogwu was our first Head of Military Intelligence and uncovered terrible plans to wreak havoc across the country. We organised a group of progressive military officers to carry out a coup on 15th January, 1966 to stop a Jihad and bring sanity to a Nigeria steeped in nepotism, corruption and mass murders. The Government of Tafawa Balewa, controlled by the Premier of Northern Nigeria, Ahmadu Bello, were using us in the army to repress the Middle Belt and Western Nigeria. Houses and cars were burnt. Thousands were killed. All these happened between 1962- 66

There were nine of us that planned the January 15 Revolution: Majors Nzeogwu, Anuforo, Ifeajuna, Ademoyega, Chukwuka, Okafor, Onwuategwu, Obienu and myself. However, four of us started it. Major Ifeajuna and Major Ademoyega in the South; and Major Nzeogwu and myself in the North. We then united as a single revolution. I am the last of the four original revolutionaries. None published the complete truth. Only me, Colonel Nwobosi, is alive today, to tell the Final Truth, so that the lies will not triumph forever.

They used us to repress the Middle-belt and the Yorubas. When we saw genocide, we began to disobey orders and swore to stop them. For instance, Major Anuforo refused to release mass murderers caught with weapons, and was court martialled. He was replaced by Major Hassan Katsina, a Northern Muslim, willing to act. I was in Abeokuta but refused to repress Yorubas, instead I opened our barracks as a safe place for them to run to. They told many lies about the January 15 boys, to justify their genocide, but it is those of us that planned the revolution that they should have killed, not the three million innocent Biafrans that knew nothing.

For years I kept quiet, blaming myself and wondering whether at 27, I was too radical that my actions led to the deaths of millions. Today, the same evil in 1966 is being unleashed. As I watch, my sense of guilt has vanished, because we were not the evil. We were trying to stop the evil. That Evil is Radical Islamism. I have decided to speak out and warn the world of the impending disaster if we do not stop it.

Each time Radical Muslims plan a Jihad, in their religious mission to conquer the world, they will fail, but in the attempt, thousands and even millions will die. That happened to us in Biafra. At this point let me differentiate between peaceful, law-abiding Muslims and Radical Muslims who want to kill others to force their religion on them. The problem is that wherever peaceful Muslims are, there are some Radical Muslims amongst them. That is why they began a Jihad in 1966. That is why we had to stop it. That is why they killed millions of our people. That is why we declared Biafra, because we are a peaceful people and oil and water can never mix.

My story is a warning to Nigerians. For years, I was prevented from speaking the truth by exile, prison, harassment, poverty, surveillance and death threats held over many of the actors like Ojukwu, Zik, Awolowo, Ibiam and the January 15 boys that survived. But as I watch today, many of the events that led to our revolution are happening again: Boko Haram, Fulani Militia, Niger Delta Militants, Shiites, IPOB and mass murders.

Some people think we acted wrongly in carrying out the January 15 revolution, but they may not be fully aware of the realities then. We were trained by the British to be patriotic, to give the ultimate sacrifice for Nigerian and to stop anyone acting against the nation.

Instead of our leaders using us to defend Nigeria they were using us to suppress citizens. We, decided to arrest them for their atrocities because no one was willing to act. Not Zik, the President, who was powerless, not Ironsi, the Head of the Army, who was a conservative. There were many reasons why we had to act:
1. To stop the killings in Yoruba land and the Middle Belt by NPC the ruling Party;
2. To stop the invasion of Yorubaland on 17th January, 1966;
3. To correct the massive rigging of the 1964 elections;
4. To free Awolowo from Prison and make him the Prime Minister;
5. To stop the terrible corruption, nepotism and regionalism of the NPC, the Ruling Party;
6. To stop Ahmadu Bello’s planned Jihad.

It was good that we acted to save the Yoruba and the Middle Belt people, and we thought that was enough to stop the Jihad. We could not foresee that they would massively attack innocent Igbos. Blame those who decided to massacre our people for their evil.

This is nothing but the truth, my now late uncle was part of them and he told us the same story which I shared here days ago.


Only God knows the truth and the truth will come out one day before those that hate Igbos and think Igbos are too troublesome.


My late uncle only regretted the fact that some of the coup leaders failed to separate tribal sentiment from their actions which made them spare some Igbo leaders marked for elimination should they refuse to cooperate.



Ademoyega also said some of this in his book titled "Why We Struck".


That Jihad war hasn't stopped, they are still on it. Take a look at what they are doing to Middlebelt people today. They are now using Fulani herdsmen who are actually Muslim Jihad Militants trained under Boko Haram, ISWAP, etc to continue the execution of that Islamic Jihad. They showed their hand too early again in Southwest by introducing Sharia law in Oyo state but Yorubas think it's a joke and are focused on attacking Igbos who are actually their best friends they ought to have been working with.



Chief Awolowo later realized the truth and told his kinsmen to work with Igbos because he later saw the truth but his kinsmen believe Igbos are their greatest enemies. Time will teach us all the sad lesson about life.



The coup was supposed to be a revolution but the leaders messed it up by sparing all Igbo leaders making the North to find a reason to deceive the rest of Nigerians to tag it Igbo coup and gangup against Igbos, which messed Igbos up in Nigeria ever since


But my promise to those still working to enforce Moslem Jihad in Nigeria is that you guys are wasting your time, Southeast (Igbos) will never let you succeed. If you want to spread Islam, do it via progressive methods, do miracle to heal people, engage in philanthropic outreach programs to help the poor and needy, spread quality advanced education that will teach people how to research, create solutions to global problems, not outdated Islamic doctrine education that never help societies to develop, preach love and peace, and then use the opportunity to convince people to join your Islam so that their life can become better.

Using guns and sword to spread Islam or force people to become Moslems will never work in Nigeria so long as we Igbos are still part of Nigeria, we will continue to foil that evil plan without apology.

OkCornel:
Ok, but I have a few questions.

1. Why did the senate President/Acting President at time - Nwafor Orizu hand over power to the military leader and fellow tribesman Aguiyi Ironsi, rather than the highest ranked politician - Zana Dipcharima to act in the position of prime minister?

2. Why did Aguiyi Ironsi soft pedal on the execution of the January 15 1966 coup plotters?

3. Why did Aguiyi Ironsi constitute a cabinet excluding Northerners and South Westerners (I stand corrected on this)?

4. Worst of all, why did the Igbos in the North resort to tribal gloating and goading of their hosts after the coup?

Anyhow this story is told, you can’t rule out tribalism and the urge to be domineering by some irredeemable tribalists back then.

The truth must be told. That being said, we cannot move forward by holding onto the past, and remain divided along tribal lines. Ethnic conflict and bigotry only delights the exploitative oppressors among us.

Wake up and think. This isn’t 1966.

Aguiyi Ironsi was the Chief of Army Staff as at the time the coup was carried out, are you telling me that there was another military officer that had higher rank than the Chief of Army Staff of Nigeria in Nigeria?


I want to learn, give me a trusted link to read this claim, thanks.


Nwafor Orizu didn't had any power when the military coup occurred. The man simply exonerated himself from the military madness for his own dear life. Ironsi seized power being that he was the highest in military command and was in the right position to return law and order in Nigeria after the coup that heated up the nation to its highest boiling point, so forget that story, Nwafor Orizu was supposed to be the one to take over power on a normal but he dodged the bullet to save his life by letting the Chief of Army Staff Ironsi to take over the government.



The part of Igbos taunting Northerners was not entirely true please. That song they said an Igbo singer released was a pure lie that has been debunked yet Reno Omockery keep repeating it to incite the North against Igbos for his sinister political gains.


That song has been released years before the January 1966 coup. Yes I wouldn't dispute the fact that some Igbos in the North might have joked about it, but please stop making it look like Igbos gathered together and agreed to be mocking the North after the coup, it's a pure lie, my uncle lived in Kaduna as at that time and he said many lies were told against Igbos just to justify the pogrom


What many Nigerian Christians don't know is that Igbos have been the ones taking the Jihad bullet for them in Nigeria and if not for Igbos and their bravery, Northern Moslems in collaboration with their MiddleEast sponsors and Sahel partners would have overrun the entire Nigeria and turn it to a full blown Moslem country they so wish.



Lastly, I wont dispute the fact that some of the Igbo military officers that led that coup execution messed things up by allowing tribal sentiment to derail their initial plan like my late uncle who happened to be one of the original coup plotters told us.



They were not too smart, they ought to have sacrificed some Igbo officials to hide their real plan and to make it successful, that is where they failed. They spared all Igbo officials and military top brass, they should have taken out some to disguise their true mission and it would have been a success. Their action messed Igbos up politically in Nigeria and we are still paying the price to date, the price of standing against Moslem Jihad, it's never going to be easy because those Jihadists haven't stopped, they are still working on it full time now than ever but many Nigerian Christians, especially Yoruba Christians are still sleeping on a moving bicycle, time will teach them whatsup

OkCornel:
Ok, but I have a few questions.

1. Why did the senate President/Acting President at time - Nwafor Orizu hand over power to the military leader and fellow tribesman Aguiyi Ironsi, rather than the highest ranked politician - Zana Dipcharima to act in the position of prime minister?

2. Why did Aguiyi Ironsi soft pedal on the execution of the January 15 1966 coup plotters?

3. Why did Aguiyi Ironsi constitute a cabinet excluding Northerners and South Westerners (I stand corrected on this)?

4. Worst of all, why did the Igbos in the North resort to tribal gloating and goading of their hosts after the coup?

Anyhow this story is told, you can’t rule out tribalism and the urge to be domineering by some irredeemable tribalists back then.

The truth must be told. That being said, we cannot move forward by holding onto the past, and remain divided along tribal lines. Ethnic conflict and bigotry only delights the exploitative oppressors among us.

Wake up and think. This isn’t 1966.

I’ve stated the real truth regarding that coup. Those Igbo officials knows there was going to be a coup. Even Azikwe was aware cuz he fled out of Nigeria just before when the coup was about to happen..

The sole reason for the coup was to grab power. Military coup has always been about grabbing power. All the military coup you’ve ever heard about or see, what usually end it? Is it not about grabbing power? Look at Niger republic. Look at Burkina Faso 🇧🇫, was their coup not about grabbing power? That’s exactly what military coup is always about, nothing else!

But Ibo knows they will never be able to grab power so long the western & northern leader are still alive, hence why they had to kill them..

But then, what we have today is even more worst. When you look at thread like this, you’ll understand it more… https://www.nairaland.com/745731/yoruba-marginalization-elders-met-jonathan

All these shalaye is not necessarily at all.
That coup will go down as igbo coup for the next 600 years. The countless attempts to re write and distort history will just continue to make you all look and sound foolish.

Nwobosi would later fly out with Ojukwu into exile at the end of the war, made his way to Guyana where he became a Military advisor to the Guyanese government, and later moved to Canada where he lived for many years before returning to Nigeria.

One of the missing piece is him and the bearded ( Ojukwu ) first landed in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, where the leader of the revolution stayed
during his long asylum. He was in the south west region city called San-Pedro where he owned a lumber company.
" General Ojukwu, who [was] 36 years old, left the provisional secessionist capital, Owen', on Jan. 9 or 10 [1970 ] for an unknown destination as the Biafran state, set up May 30, 1967, was on the point of collapse".
Remember four African countries recognized the Republic of Biafra at that time: Ivory Coast, Gabon, Tanzania, and Zambia.
For more reading go to https://www.nytimes.com/1970/01/24/archives/ojukwu-is-given-asylum-in-ivory-coast.html

Igbos and lies. It's generational. None of these clowns have been able to explain how all the military and civilian leaders of other tribes were wiped out, while all of theirs survived. Until then,all this talk is just smoking pipes.

Topman7:
I don't believe this story by this man.

I think it's pure bullshiit.

Nigeria was granted independence on October 1, 1960. A new constitution established a federal system with an elected prime minister and a ceremonial head of state. The NCNC, now headed by Azikiwe (who had taken control after Macaulay’s death in 1946), formed a coalition with Balewa’s NPC after neither party won a majority in the 1959 elections. Balewa continued to serve as the prime minister, a position he had held since 1957, while Azikiwe took the largely ceremonial position of president of the Senate. Following a UN-supervised referendum, the northern part of the Trust Territory of the Cameroons joined the Northern region in June 1961, while in October the Southern Cameroons united with Cameroun to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. On October 1, 1963, Nigeria became a republic. Azikiwe became president of the country, although as prime minister Balewa was still more powerful.



After a brief honeymoon period, Nigeria’s long-standing regional stresses, caused by ethnic competitiveness, educational inequality, and economic imbalance, again came to the fore in the controversial census of 1962–63. In an attempt to stave off ethnic conflict, the Mid-West region was created in August 1963 by dividing the Western region. Despite this division, the country still was segmented into three large geographic regions, each of which was essentially controlled by an ethnic group: the west by the Yoruba, the east by the Igbo, and the north by the Hausa-Fulani. Conflicts were endemic, as regional leaders protected their privileges; the south complained of northern domination, and the north feared that the southern elite was bent on capturing power. In the west the government had fallen apart in 1962, and a boycott of the federal election of December 1964 brought the country to the brink of breakdown. The point of no return was reached in January 1966, when, after the collapse of order in the west following the fraudulent election of October 1965, a group of army officers attempted to overthrow the federal government, and Prime Minister Balewa and two of the regional premiers were murdered. A military administration was set up under Maj. Gen. Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, but his plan to abolish the regions and impose a unitary government met with anti-Igbo riots in the north. The military intervention worsened the political situation, as the army itself split along ethnic lines, its officers clashed over power, and the instigators and leaders of the January coup were accused of favouring Igbo domination. In July 1966 northern officers staged a countercoup, Aguiyi-Ironsi was assassinated, and Lieut. Col. (later Gen.) Yakubu Gowon came to power. The crisis was compounded by intercommunal clashes in the north and threats of secession in the south.



Gowon’s attempt to hold a conference to settle the constitutional future of Nigeria was abandoned after a series of ethnic massacres in October. A last-ditch effort to save the country was made in January 1967, when the Eastern delegation, led by Lieut. Col. (later Gen.) Odumegwu Ojukwu, agreed to meet the others on neutral ground at Aburi, Ghana, but the situation deteriorated after differences developed over the interpretation of the accord. In May the Eastern region’s consultative assembly authorized Ojukwu to establish a sovereign republic, while, at the same time, the federal military government promulgated a decree dividing the four regions into 12 states, including 6 in the north and 3 in the east, in an attempt to break the power of the regions.



On May 30, 1967, Ojukwu declared the secession of the three states of the Eastern region under the name of the Republic of Biafra, which the federal government interpreted as an act of rebellion. Fighting broke out in early July and within weeks had escalated into a full-scale civil war. In August Biafran troops crossed the Niger, seized Benin City, and were well on their way to Lagos before they were checked at Ore, a small town in Western state (now Ondo state). Shortly thereafter, federal troops entered Enugu, the provisional capital of Biafra, and penetrated the Igbo heartland. The next two years were marked by stiff resistance in the shrinking Biafran enclave and by heavy casualties among civilians as well as in both armies, all set within what threatened to be a military stalemate. Peacemaking attempts by the Organization of African Unity (now the African Union) remained ineffective, while Biafra began earning recognition from African states and securing aid from international organizations for what was by then a starving population.




For more details of the original speech Aguiyi Ironsi used to take over power, please go to this link https://gazettes.africa/akn/ng/officialGazette/government-gazette/1966-01-26/6/eng@1966-01-26/source

Topman7:
THIS LED TO THE CIVIL WAR MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

Imagine the arrogance of Igbos of the time.

They were living in the north in their millions (as usual).

Igbo officers then went there and slaughtered the northern Prime Minister and northern leaders including the highly revered Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto.

Then they began insulting the northerners and their leaders that were murdered by Igbo officers.

Meanwhile Ironsi, the Igbo military dictator at the helm in Lagos, refused point blank to prosecute the coup plotters!

I mean.....for crying out loud.

And then the northerners in UNDERSTANDABLE FURY, descended on Igbos in a bloody massacre.

Then Igbos ran back to the East, and Ojukwu declared secession, NOT with Igboland alone, but with the NIGER DELTA which accounted potentially for 90% of Nigeria's earnings!!!!!

SORRY, BUT IGBOS HAD IT COMING, THEY ASKED FOR IT.

How can you treat other people like dirt and vermin and expect peace and love, back?

WE MUST NEVER PITY THEM, OR TOLERATE THEIR NONSENSE TODAY.

SPIT!!!

Igbos hate and shiver at the word "ronu" (reason/think deeply), because to reason or think is a taboo in their culture. It's nzogbu nzogbu all the way. That misplaced and deluded arrogance is in their blood. They always suffer for it. They never learn.

For those saying Ironsi organized the coup, please read screen shot from British publication archive below

Brenbentondiaz:
Igbos and lies. It's generational. None of these clowns have been able to explain how all the military and civilian leaders of other tribes were wiped out, while all of theirs survived. Until then,all this talk is just smoking pipes.

What do you mean wipeout? That coup killed less than 20 people. The coup that Murtala Mohammed led killed hundreds of people, all from the South, none from the North

That same Murtala Mohammed was put on your N20 note, had Airports and landmarks named after him, just for being a murderous coup plotter

The lesson to be learned here is that Nigerians only remember that coup is bad only if Igbos are involved. But once Northerners are the ones doing coup, coup becomes a good thing

franchasofficia:
This is nothing but the truth, my now late uncle was part of them and he told us the same story which I shared here days ago.


Only God knows the truth and the truth will come out one day before those that hate Igbos and think Igbos are too troublesome.


My late uncle only regretted the fact that some of the coup leaders failed to separate tribal sentiment from their actions which made them spare some Igbo leaders marked for elimination should they refuse to cooperate.



Ademoyega also said some of this in his book titled "Why We Struck".


That Jihad war hasn't stopped, they are still on it. Take a look at what they are doing to Middlebelt people today. They are now using Fulani herdsmen who are actually Muslim Jihad Militants trained under Boko Haram, ISWAP, etc to continue the execution of that Islamic Jihad. They showed their hand too early again in Southwest by introducing Sharia law in Oyo state but Yorubas think it's a joke and are focused on attacking Igbos who are actually their best friends they ought to have been working with.



Chief Awolowo later realized the truth and told his kinsmen to work with Igbos because he later saw the truth but his kinsmen believe Igbos are their greatest enemies. Time will teach us all the sad lesson about life.



The coup was supposed to be a revolution but the leaders messed it up by sparing all Igbo leaders making the North to find a reason to deceive the rest of Nigerians to tag it Igbo coup and gangup against Igbos, which messed Igbos up in Nigeria ever since


But my promise to those still working to enforce Moslem Jihad in Nigeria is that you guys are wasting your time, Southeast (Igbos) will never let you succeed. If you want to spread Islam, do it via progressive methods, do miracle to heal people, engage in philanthropic outreach programs to help the poor and needy, spread quality advanced education that will teach people how to research, create solutions to global problems, not outdated Islamic doctrine education that never help societies to develop, preach love and peace, and then use the opportunity to convince people to join your Islam so that their life can become better.

Using guns and sword to spread Islam or force people to become Moslems will never work in Nigeria so long as we Igbos are still part of Nigeria, we will continue to foil that evil plan without apology.

This your fictional and non existent uncle that you always quote is a LIAR and you franchasofficia are a low down dirty LIAR too!


Ibos are the only tribe in this country with the propensity and penchant to tell bold face lies and masquerade it as the truth. They are masters at propaganda and experts at guilt tripping others. How a rebellious and stiff necked people think they could carry out a lopsided and tribal murder of the political and military leadership of other tribes while protecting and hiding your own political and military leaders and not expect repercussions just beats me hollow and smacks of ignorant arrogance which is a trade mark of a typical Ibo man. I read the arrogance on this forum everyday from Ibo writers like Gidgiddy, franchasofficia, Bigkoko, Igbopromise and other nut jobs.

No matter how you guys try to gaslight the January 15th 1966 coup as a revolution IT WAS NOT! The January 15th 1966 coup was an IBO COUP. IT WAS A LOPSIDED BLOOD BATH.IT WAS COLD BLOODED MURDER !

Actions attract reactions and the Ibos got their duly deserved reaction on 29th of July 1966 and it's aftermath of the civil war.
If you play with fire-you will get burnt. Simple!

PulaPower:
I’ve stated the real truth regarding that coup. Those Igbo officials knows there was going to be a coup. Even Azikwe was aware cuz he fled out of Nigeria just before when the coup was about to happen..

The sole reason for the coup was to grab power. Military coup has always been about grabbing power. All the military coup you’ve ever heard about or see, what usually end it? Is it not about grabbing power? Look at Niger republic. Look at Burkina Faso 🇧🇫, was their coup not about grabbing power? That’s exactly what military coup is always about, nothing else!

But Ibo knows they will never be able to grab power so long the western & northern leader are still alive, hence why they had to kill them..

But then, what we have today is even more worst. When you look at thread like this, you’ll understand it more… https://www.nairaland.com/745731/yoruba-marginalization-elders-met-jonathan

Most Nigerian elites then knew there was an imminent coup coming, even Belewa, Akintola, Ahmadu Bello, Zik, etc were all tipped by Ironsi the GOC of Nigeria Army, I just found this from a British government archive, see screen shot below.


They chose to ignore the warnings for reasons best known to them

Ironsi kind of warned that there was imminent coup but Belewa ignored the warning.

If only some things were done right after the Januray 15 coup, the civil war could have been averted....making just of/taunting the Northerners your officers killed in their own land was the last straw(some still call this bravery today as they see other souther ethnicity as weaklings)

Topman7:
THIS LED TO THE CIVIL WAR MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

Imagine the arrogance of Igbos of the time.

They were living in the north in their millions (as usual).

Igbo officers then went there and slaughtered the northern Prime Minister and northern leaders including the highly revered Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto.

Then they began insulting the northerners and their leaders that were murdered by Igbo officers.

Meanwhile Ironsi, the Igbo military dictator at the helm in Lagos, refused point blank to prosecute the coup plotters!

I mean.....for crying out loud.

And then the northerners in UNDERSTANDABLE FURY, descended on Igbos in a bloody massacre.

Then Igbos ran back to the East, and Ojukwu declared secession, NOT with Igboland alone, but with the NIGER DELTA which accounted potentially for 90% of Nigeria's earnings!!!!!

SORRY, BUT IGBOS HAD IT COMING, THEY ASKED FOR IT.

How can you treat other people like dirt and vermin and expect peace and love, back?

WE MUST NEVER PITY THEM, OR TOLERATE THEIR NONSENSE TODAY.

SPIT!!!

franchasofficia:
Aguiyi Ironsi was the Chief of Army Staff as at the time the coup was carried out, are you telling me that there was another military officer that had higher rank than the Chief of Army Staff of Nigeria in Nigeria?


I want to learn, give me a trusted link to read this claim, thanks.


Nwafor Orizu didn't had any power when the military coup occurred. The man simply exonerated himself from the military madness for his own dear life. Ironsi seized power being that he was the highest in military command and was in the right position to return law and order in Nigeria after the coup that heated up the nation to its highest boiling point, so forget that story, Nwafor Orizu was supposed to be the one to take over power on a normal but he dodged the bullet to save his life by letting the Chief of Army Staff Ironsi to take over the government.



The part of Igbos taunting Northerners was not entirely true please. That song they said an Igbo singer released was a pure lie that has been debunked yet Reno Omockery keep repeating it to incite the North against Igbos for his sinister political gains.


That song has been released years before the January 1966 coup. Yes I wouldn't dispute the fact that some Igbos in the North might have joked about it, but please stop making it look like Igbos gathered together and agreed to be mocking the North after the coup, it's a pure lie, my uncle lived in Kaduna as at that time and he said many lies were told against Igbos just to justify the pogrom


What many Nigerian Christians don't know is that Igbos have been the ones taking the Jihad bullet for them in Nigeria and if not for Igbos and their bravery, Northern Moslems in collaboration with their MiddleEast sponsors and Sahel partners would have overrun the entire Nigeria and turn it to a full blown Moslem country they so wish.



Lastly, I wont dispute the fact that some of the Igbo military officers that led that coup execution messed things up by allowing tribal sentiment to derail their initial plan like my late uncle who happened to be one of the original coup plotters told us.



They were not too smart, they ought to have sacrificed some Igbo officials to hide their real plan and to make it successful, that is where they failed. They spared all Igbo officials and military top brass, they should have taken out some to disguise their true mission and it would have been a success. Their action messed Igbos up politically in Nigeria and we are still paying the price to date, the price of standing against Moslem Jihad, it's never going to be easy because those Jihadists haven't stopped, they are still working on it full time now than ever but many Nigerian Christians, especially Yoruba Christians are still sleeping on a moving bicycle, time will teach them whatsup

Lies and more lies!!!

The next most senior NPC minister was Zanna Bukar Dipcharima and NOT Orizu Nwafor. Stop these lies!
Nwafor and Ironsi both playing an Ibo domination script played out Dipcharima and while the NPC ministers were trying to conduct a cabinet meeting on the next step as the Prime Minister Balewa was still presumed missing. Orizu Nwafor had already surreptitiously led a group of NCNC ministers (with active connivance of Azikiwe in the Caribbeans) to hand over the reins of government to Ironsi.

franchasofficia:
Aguiyi Ironsi was the Chief of Army Staff as at the time the coup was carried out, are you telling me that there was another military officer that had higher rank than the Chief of Army Staff of Nigeria in Nigeria?


I want to learn, give me a trusted link to read this claim, thanks.


Nwafor Orizu didn't had any power when the military coup occurred. The man simply exonerated himself from the military madness for his own dear life. Ironsi seized power being that he was the highest in military command and was in the right position to return law and order in Nigeria after the coup that heated up the nation to its highest boiling point, so forget that story, Nwafor Orizu was supposed to be the one to take over power on a normal but he dodged the bullet to save his life by letting the Chief of Army Staff Ironsi to take over the government.



The part of Igbos taunting Northerners was not entirely true please. That song they said an Igbo singer released was a pure lie that has been debunked yet Reno Omockery keep repeating it to incite the North against Igbos for his sinister political gains.


That song has been released years before the January 1966 coup. Yes I wouldn't dispute the fact that some Igbos in the North might have joked about it, but please stop making it look like Igbos gathered together and agreed to be mocking the North after the coup, it's a pure lie, my uncle lived in Kaduna as at that time and he said many lies were told against Igbos just to justify the pogrom


What many Nigerian Christians don't know is that Igbos have been the ones taking the Jihad bullet for them in Nigeria and if not for Igbos and their bravery, Northern Moslems in collaboration with their MiddleEast sponsors and Sahel partners would have overrun the entire Nigeria and turn it to a full blown Moslem country they so wish.



Lastly, I wont dispute the fact that some of the Igbo military officers that led that coup execution messed things up by allowing tribal sentiment to derail their initial plan like my late uncle who happened to be one of the original coup plotters told us.



They were not too smart, they ought to have sacrificed some Igbo officials to hide their real plan and to make it successful, that is where they failed. They spared all Igbo officials and military top brass, they should have taken out some to disguise their true mission and it would have been a success. Their action messed Igbos up politically in Nigeria and we are still paying the price to date, the price of standing against Moslem Jihad, it's never going to be easy because those Jihadists haven't stopped, they are still working on it full time now than ever but many Nigerian Christians, especially Yoruba Christians are still sleeping on a moving bicycle, time will teach them whatsup

Zana Dipcharima was the highest ranking politician eligible to act in the capacity of the prime minister.

The right thing Nwafor Orizu should have done was to handover power to him with the approval of the Senate.

Instead of that, he handed over power “voluntarily” to the military. Conveniently, the highest ranked military officer was an Igbo 🤷

You can read about this on Nwafor Orizu’s profile on Wikipedia. Dude died peacefully in Germany after selling out on the altar of tribalism.

Goosethetruth:
This your fictional and non existent uncle that you always quote is a LIAR and you franchasofficia are a low down dirty LIAR too!


Ibos are the only tribe in this country with the propensity and penchant to tell bold face lies and masquerade it as the truth. They are masters at propaganda and experts at guilt tripping others. How a rebellious and stiff necked people think they could carry out a lopsided and tribal murder of the political and military leadership of other tribes while protecting and hiding your own political and military leaders and not expect repercussions just beats me hollow and smacks of ignorant arrogance which is a trade mark of a typical Ibo man. I read the arrogance on this forum everyday from Ibo writers like Gidgiddy, franchasofficia, Bigkoko, Igbopromise and other nut jobs.

No matter how you guys try to gaslight the January 15th 1966 coup as a revolution IT WAS NOT! The January 15th 1966 coup was an IBO COUP. IT WAS A LOPSIDED BLOOD BATH.IT WAS COLD BLOODED MURDER !

Actions attract reactions and the Ibos got their duly deserved reaction on 29th of July 1966 and it's aftermath of the civil war.
If you play with fire-you will get burnt. Simple!

I am too big, too refined, too advanced, too exposed, over educated, polished and everything you can think of to stoop so low to engage in ethnic slurs or banters with you that I cant tell your identity or caliber, this is 2025


You are speaking to a Ph.D holder in view, a well read young man, a well traveled young chap, an exposed and successful entrepreneur, a polished chap, an avid reader, a published author with works published on international platforms. A social commentator.


If it were to be in real life, you will be so privileged to sit beside me my brother, you wont understand and this is what makes internet and social media a beautiful thing, you can even be conversing with the President without knowing, our world today is so that beautiful, and I will advice us all to take good advantage of that privilege than abuse it by being reasonable, civil and polished in our conversations with people on the internet, especially on faceless forums like this.



To your banters, please check my previous posts, I attached screen shots from British government publication archives.


Yes my now late uncle did acknowledged their mistake in the execution of the coup and he kept regretting their action of ever making effort to correct what they saw as dangers then that made them to act. He said if they had known that it would boomerang the way it did, they would have left Nigeria to continue on it's dangerous path of Moslem Jihad then while focusing on saving the Old Eastern Nigeria in every ways they could. But he said they saw Western Nigeria now Yoruba region as their closest brothers and that if it falls, Eastern Nigeria was going to be the next.



But it's fine for you and other Yorubas to believe what you guys have been told and made to believe, you have the right to do so but we also have the right to tell the undiluted truth to those that cares to know.


I have made several researches on this topic focusing mostly on neutral contributors from outside Nigeria, especially from British journalists, French, etc and comparing it with what my late uncle told us years back and I saw similarities and reason for my belief that the coup was carried out to stop the political turmoil in the west, stop Ahmadu Bello's Moslem Jihad movement and to purge the Belewa government being misled by Ahmadu Bello and hand over power to a more refined and principled Obafemi Awolowo at that time.



Peace

franchasofficia:
For those saying Ironsi organized the coup, please read screen shot from British publication archive below

This is quite helpful, thanks.

OkCornel:
Zana Dipcharima was the highest ranking politician eligible to act in the capacity of the prime minister.

The right thing Nwafor Orizu should have done was to handover power to him with the approval of the Senate.

Instead of that, he handed over power “voluntarily” to the military. Conveniently, the highest ranked military officer was an Igbo 🤷

You can read about this on Nwafor Orizu’s profile on Wikipedia. Dude died peacefully in Germany after selling out on the altar of tribalism.

Why do you guys love to lie just to paint Igbos black?


Under Nigeria's constitution before the coup, the highest ranking officials at that time were:


President (Head of State)
Prime Minister (Head of Government)
Senate President
Then others follow


How can Minister of Commerce be more supreme than Senate President? Under which nation's constitution please?



And once civilian government is toppled, automatically military takes over, and who is in the position to take over under military? The highest ranking Military officer and leader of the nation's army, who happened to be Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi.



Please you guys should desist from all these falsehoods just to paint Igbos black, haba, we are now in the era of social media and free information please ejoor


See screen.shot of the man you claimed had more power than the Senate President below

franchasofficia:
Why do you guys love to lie just to paint Igbos black?


Under Nigeria's constitution before the coup, the highest ranking officials at that time were:


President (Head of State)
Prime Minister (Head of Government)
Senate President
Then others follow


How can Minister of Commerce be more supreme than Senate President? Under which nation's constitution please?



And once civilian government is toppled, automatically military takes over, and who is in the position to take over under military? The highest ranking Military officer and leader of the nation's army, who happened to be Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi.



Please you guys should desist from all these falsehoods just to paint Igbos black, haba, we are now in the era of social media and free information please ejoor


See screen.shot of the man you claimed had more power than the Senate President below

1. The coup was foiled. So why should the military government take over if the coup was foiled? Isn’t it logical for power to be handed over to the next highest ranked politician to continue the civilian government?

2. And yes, Azikiwe confirmed Igbos in the North gloated and goaded the Northerners for the January 1966 coup.

3. Zana Dipcharima was nominated to replace Tarawa Balewa.

Topman7:
I don't believe this story by this man.

I think it's pure bullshiit.

You don't believe the actors but you believe the concocted story from a 5 years old FFK?

As long as ahmadu bello was destroyed. Mission accomplished

franchasofficia:
I am too big, too refined, too advanced, too exposed, over educated, polished and everything you can think of to stoop so low to engage in ethnic slurs or banters with you that I cant tell your identity or caliber, this is 2025


You are speaking to a Ph.D holder in view, a well read young man, a well traveled young chap, an exposed and successful entrepreneur, a polished chap.


If it were to be in real life, you will be so privileged to sit beside me my brother, you wont understand and this is what makes internet and social media a beautiful thing, you can even be conversing with the President without knowing, our world today is so that beautiful, and I will advice us all to take good advantage of that privilege than abuse it by being reasonable, civil and polished in our conversations with people on the internet, especially on faceless forums like this.



To your banters, please check my previous posts, I attached screen shots from British government publication archives.


Yes my now late uncle did acknowledged their mistake in the execution of the coup and he kept regretting their action of ever making effort to correct what they saw as dangers then that made them to act. He said if they had known that it would boomerang the way it did, they would have left Nigeria to continue on it's dangerous path of Moslem Jihad then while focusing on saving the Old Eastern Nigeria in every ways they could. But he said they saw Western Nigeria now Yoruba region as their closest brothers and that if it falls, Eastern Nigeria was going to be the next.



But it's fine for you and other Yorubas to believe what you guys have been told and made to believe, you have the right to do so but we also have the right to tell the undiluted truth to those that cares to know.


I have made several researches on this topic focusing mostly on neutral contributors from outside Nigeria, especially from British journalists, French, etc and comparing it with what my late uncle told us years back and I saw similarities and reason for my belief that the coup was carried out to stop the political turmoil in the west, stop Ahmadu Bello's Moslem Jihad movement and to purge the Belewa government being misled by Ahmadu Bello and hand over power to a more refined and principled Obafemi Awolowo at that time.



Peace

Guy,
The usual empty chest beating at the beginning of your lamentation of being a PhD holder is meant to achieve what exactly?
Brow beat me or intimidate me? You can only use your fake PhD to intimidate your mindless mob IPOB members in your WhatsApp groups not enlightened,educated and well travelled people like myself.
You talk about reading and researching events of 1966 to show your ignorant arrogance but I tell you I LIVED THROUGH WHAT YOU ARE CLAIMING TO HAVE READ ABOUT. I WITNESSED THE EVENTS LIVE SO YOU CAN NOT GAS LIGHT ME!
As for your arrogant claim that the internet levels personalities which is also an ignorant claim because you equally do not know who I am. You don't know the person behind the moniker even if I sat next to you in public.

Franchasofficia I will sincerely advise you to subjugate your arrogance and be humble. Self acclaimed PhD is not intelligence.
Stop trying to revise he history of 1966. Some of us were alive during this period and witnessed these events. I post on this forum so that dangerous Ibo like you will not guilt trip and gaslight my children.
No mater the amount of Ibo propaganda and lies the January 15th 1966 coup was an Ibo coup. The January 15th 1966 coup was not a revolution but a bloodbath. The January 15th 1966 coup was a lopsided murderous event. The January 15th 1966 coup was motivated by Ibo domination. The January 15th 1966 coup was a tribal coup . Simple.

Radical islamism is a very dangerous issue...Reason most people are blinded by israel's atrocities in Gaza is because of the hate and fear towards Radical islamist. Israel is probably doing a good/bad job in dealing with radical islamism in the midde east. Same fate we are facing in nigeria today, fulxni kidnappers keep shouting the usual islamic phrase during their operations.