₦airaland Forum

Odey1997:
He was Nigeria's first commissioned officer even ahead of Aguiyi Ironsi.

gidgiddy:
Yes he was. But there is a reason he never went past the rank of Colonel, some say he made it to Brigadier.

The thing about Wellington Bassey was that not only was he poorly educated, he was also lazy. Another problem Bassey had was that that he became an officer much later in age compared to Ironsi, Ademulegun and Maimalari.

Thats why when other officers were being sent on officers training course abroad, he was happy to remain in Nigeria

So while other officers he was senior to like Ironsi, Ademulegun, Maimalari and Ogundipe had become Brigadiers in 1965, Wellington Bassey was still a Colonel

When several officers of different ethnic groups manage to outrank someone who was the first commissioned officer, you don't need to be told that such officer had no capacity

Infact, in late Brigadier Hillary Njoku's book, "Tragedy Without Heroes", he said that Wellington Bassey could not command a Battalion, let alone a Brigade

Christistruth02:
Wellington Bassey was Gen Ironsi' senior in the Military

Azikiwe almost destroyed his career just to make Gen Ironsi overtook him and still yet despite all they put him through the Jan 66 coup plotters still tried to assassinate him on top but he just managed to escape

gidgiddy:
Yes he was. But there is a reason he never went past the rank of Colonel, some say he made it to Brigadier.

The thing about Wellington Bassey was that not only was he poorly educated, he was also lazy. Another problem Bassey had was that that he became an officer much later in age compared to Ironsi, Ademulegun and Maimalari.

Thats why when other officers were being sent on officers training course abroad, he was happy to remain in Nigeria

So while other officers he was senior to like Ironsi, Ademulegun, Maimalari and Ogundipe had become Brigadiers in 1965, Wellington Bassey was still a Colonel

When several officers of different ethnic groups manage to outrank someone who was the first commissioned officer, you don't need to be told that such officer had no capacity

Infact, in late Brigadier Hillary Njoku's book, "Tragedy Without Heroes", he said that Wellington Bassey could not command a Battalion, let alone a Brigade

gidgiddy:
That's the many lies you people have been telling about Nigerian history

The truth remains that many of Wellington Bassey's Juniors became senior to him. People like Ironsi, Ademulegun, Ogundipe, Maimalari and Shodeinde, had become senior to Bassey

The question is why? The man was old, poorly educated, lazy and had no capacity

Odey1997:
I'd like to read that book though is it available in PDF format?

gidgiddy:
I don't know if it's in PDF, I read the book years ago. But the reality of Wellington Bassey is that several Officers he was senior to, became his seniors. People like Ironsi, Ademulegun, Maimalari, Ogundipe and Shodeinde

When Officers you are months and years senior to suddenly move ahead of you, it shows you were not up to the job despite your seniority

Christistruth02:
You should ask yourself
how come Azikiwe who was the Premier of the East completely forgot to push for wellington Bassey's Army Career promotions and overseas trainings to the extent that Ojukwu who was more than 10 years his Junior in the Officer Corps overtook him to become the Gov of the Eastern Region ?

Was it because he was from Calabar?

Don't you smell Rabid tribalism?

Are you not alarmed at the brazen injustice?

Odey1997:
I'd like to know about his personal life after retirement. I heard he died peacefully afterwards.

Christistruth02:
Stop telling lies Wellington Bassey went to Waddell Hope College in Calabar and joined the Army straight out of school at age 18

It was Ethnic Politics that made Azikiwe victimise Bassey!!!

If Wellington was incompetent why was he made the Commader of the 1st Battalion Kaduna then after Ironsi became headbof state?

It is only first class officers that commanded Kaduna

Wellington Bassey was an Infantry Officer who became an field Officer during the second World War


Ironsi was a Clerk for almost his entire military career
They were not mates

gidgiddy:
Stop talking nonsense. Wellington Bassey was recruited as an NCO to go for officers course abroad. If he had actually gone to Hope Wadell, he would not have been an NCO

Many officers such as Ironsi, Ademulegun, Ogundipe, Maimalari and Shodeinde

Some of you ignoramus that don't know Nigerian history don't even know that even though Nigeria got its independence in 1960, the British were still in control of the Nigerian Army until 1965! As at 1965, a British officer called Major General Welbey-Everard was commander of the Nigerian Army.

If Zik could not choose an Indigenous person to be head of the Nigerian Army in 1965, how could he bring Bassey down?

Not even Bassey with his limited education, advanced age and laziness could have been head of the Nigerian Army.

Christistruth02:
Look at you?
So you don't know that Azikiwe was using his political position to tamper with the Army?
By the way it was Azikiwe that pushed for the British officers to be sent away and he made sure Ironsi replaced Gen Everard


Wellington Bassey was an Offiicer before the 2nd World War ended
Then they were under RWAFF
When they were transferred to the Nigerian Army their Senioity was updated and YES
Wellington Bassey was still Ironsi's senior by over 3 years

gidgiddy:
Nobody is arguing that he was senior. What you should try and research is why those he was senior to like Ironsi, Ademulegun, Ogundipe, Shodeinde and Maimalari managed to be senior to him later on

Christistruth02:
It was Azikiwe!!!!

Bassey was from the Eastern Region

gidgiddy:
Really? So while the Nigerian Army was controlled by the British, while the Commader of the Nigerian Army was a British man called General Everard in 1965, Zik managed to find a to keep Bassey at the rank of Colonel and let Ironsi, Ademulegun, Maimalari, Ogundipe and Shodeinde all overtake Bassey?

You need to do more research on Nigeria history, everything in life is not ethnic biase even though that's what you guys are all about

Christistruth02:
Stop telling lies Wellington Bassey went to Waddell Hope College in Calabar and joined the Army straight out of school at age 18

It was Ethnic Politics that made Azikiwe victimise Bassey!!!

If Wellington was incompetent why was he made the Commader of the 1st Battalion Kaduna then after Ironsi became head of state?

It is only first class officers that commanded Kaduna

Wellington Bassey was an Infantry Officer who became an field Officer during the second World War


Ironsi was a Clerk for almost his entire military career
They were not mates

tishbite41:
In terms of military valour, Aguiyi-Ironsi is unmatched in the annals of African military history

Christistruth02:
Firstly It was Col Fajuyi that was the Nigerian Soldier with the highest Military Award of the Military Cross awarded for Valour for actions he took under fire in rescuing a unit under Ambush in the Congo

Even before he died with Gen Ironsi dring the July 1966 Coup col Fajuyi already had a reputation of putting his life on the line for others


Do you know that on the Morning of the Jan 1966 Coup
Maj David Ejoor met Njoku and Ironsi drinking tea and eating biscuits at the Police headquarters after premiers of the North and West,and his top Military commanders especially from the North and West had being murdered and the Prime Minister had been kidnapped by Soldiers?

It was Gowon and William Walbe that took control and went after the Coup plotters

Maj Ejoor was straight to take control of his Battalion in Enugu and when he got there they told him they had been informed by the Army head office he would not be coming back

Iironsi was part of the Coup

Christistruth02:
Iironsi was part of the Coup

Difrent:
Hmmmm deep o. Not many people knew this. Zik was also in the know

The northern soldiers knew this too hence the revenge coup

Christistruth02:
Don't you find it annoying how Wellington Duke Umoh bassey Of Calabar And his Army Career were almost destroyed to make way for his junior Officer Gen Ironsi to Emerge as the Head of Army

azikiwe was supposed to have been fighting for all of bassey's delayed Promotions since bassey was from Calabar in azikiwe's Eastern Region
To add insult to injury they tried to eliminate bassey during the Jan 1966 Coup

Ironsi Got to Power again only to make Ojukwu who was 11 years Basseys Junior Officer the Governor of the Eastern Region

But to be honest azikiwe complained to Ironsi about that one




Below are excerpts From Azikiwe's publication "Origins of the Cjvil War".

Just look at what azikiwe wrote in his book
" Origins of the Nigerian Civil War " on pages 1 and 2 admitting that Gen Ironsi had played the tribalism Card on Wellington bassey to make Ojukwu who was 11 years his Junior Officer the Governor of the Eastern Region

Yujin:
Even from the excerpts you posted, Colonel Wellington Umoh Bassey was already a two level junior in rank to Major General Aguiyi Ironsi in 1966. The real question to ask is why it was so.
Mind you, just as I squashed your all your lies in a previous thread, I'll do even more in this one.

gidgiddy:
Nobody is arguing that he was senior, he was the first commissioned officer. What you should try and research is why those he was senior to like Ironsi, Ademulegun, Ogundipe, Shodeinde and Maimalari managed to be senior to him later on