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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Politics / The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. (4077 Views)
'1966' Igbo Coup Was Based On Religious Sentiments. / Emmanuel Nwobosi And Nnamdi Kanu Meet In Israel, Speaks On 1966 Military Coup / The January 1966 Coup Was Not An Igbo Coup- Zikistmovement.com (2) (3) (4)
The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by Ngozi123(f): 5:23pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
Much has been made of Nigeria's first military coup, which occurred on 15th January 1966 with regards to the Second Military Coup 28th July 1966, the anti-Igbo pogroms May-Sept 1966 and subsequently, the Biafran War 1967-70. The generally 'accepted' narrative was that a group Igbo soldiers conspired to bring down Northern and South-Western leadership to its knees, so as to assume power for themselves and install Aguiyi-Ironsi as the leader of Nigeria and ensure that the Igbos were the indisputable ruling class in the country. Now, just as with all myths, I will try to take this story apart piece by piece- starting from the beginning. "a group of Igbo soldiers" It is well-known that of 8 main coup plotters (Nzeogwu, Anuforo, Okafor, Ifeajuna, Chukwuka, Onwuatuegwu, Gbulie, Oji and Ademoyega), one was a Yoruba man and the rest were Igbos. If we look at those those who were most active in the staging of the coup, it would be (Nzeogwu, Onwuatuegwu, Ifeajuna, Ademoyega, Okafor, Anuforo, Chukwuka, Nwobosi and Oguchi). Out of these 9 men, one is a Yoruba man and the rest are Igbos. Now, I know that many Nigerians will look at this list of names through their tribalist lenses and think that because this list is comprised of mostly Igbo names, it must be an 'Igbo coup' without bothering to go any further into the matter. However, this is erroneous thinking. First of all, other people knew of the coup and promised to support it should it succeed and these include the likes of Fajuiyi, who was subsequently assassinated in the Second Coup, and Lt-Colonel Njoku. Secondly, If you look closely into the backgrounds of these soldiers then you'd know that many, if not all, of them were very much 'Nigerians' before they were 'Igbos'. Both Nzeogwu and Anuforo were childhood friends who grew up in the North together and spoke Hausa, the former even spoke Hausa better than Igbo and considered himself "a Northerner". Okafor was Igbo only through his father and had a Northern mother; he too spoke Hausa very well. Nwobosi was a nationalist and considered the interests of his country before his tribe. This was best exemplified in his preference to choose Awolowo, a Yoruba man, in favour of Azikiwe to become president once the coup was completed. This last point ties in neatly to my next point. The coup plotters wanted to "install Aguiyi-Ironsi as the leader of Nigeria" This couldn't be farther from the truth. First of all, Aguiyi-Ironsi was marked by the coup plotters on their hit list. Second of all, Aguiyi-Ironsi warned several of his colleagues of an impending coup, which many chose to ignore. Third of all, the coup plotters wanted to instate Awolowo, not Aguiyi-Ironsi and not Azikiwe as the president of Nigeria. This was confirmed by almost all of the majors involved in the coup and even by Awolowo's secretary himself. Nzeogwu said: "Neither myself nor any of the other lads was in the least interested in governing the county... Chief Obafemi Awolowo was, for example, to be released from jail immediately and to be made the executive provincial President of Nigeria." Nwobosi said: "We planned after the coup, none of us was going to be Head of State Awolowo was in Calabar prison and in our own minds, this was the man we wanted to put at the helm of affairs of the federal government... We wanted to put somebody who was sincere... I don't even think he was even the best friend of the Igbo. He wasn't but we wanted the job done and we knew that the man who would do it well was Awolowo. You know Zik? Zik is from next door to my place, from my town Obosi, but I[b] wouldn't trust Zik to do the type of thing we had in mind. I'm telling you the honest truth."[/b] Odia Ofeimun, Awolowo's secretary said: "The plan of the coup makers was to release Awolowo from jail and make him their own leader... They were comfortable with Awolowo's ideas and believed they would help the nation... People were told that it was an Igbo coup but that is not correct. It is a very interesting part of the Nigerian story. In the first place, there have been many serious lies that have been told by our leaders... Our leaders have not been bold enough to tell us he truth. But the point is that the average Yoruba man could never really believe that some Igbo would plan a coup and hand over power to Awolowo because that is not the way Nigeria is seen." Contrary to what many Nigerians like to say, the Igbos truly have been, up until very recently, Nigeria's most nationalistic tribe out of the three major tribes. Finally, the last myth to bust is the belief that the coup plotters wanted to "bring all Northern and South-western leaders to their knees" How could this be possible when they wanted to install Awolowo as the Head of State of the country? They wanted to get rid of all of his political enemies and anyone who they believed would stand in their way. Their motives for this coup couldn't have been clearer but many Nigerians would still prefer to call it an 'Igbo coup' as that narrative appeals to their anti-Igbo paranoia and justifies, to them, the pogroms and ongoing mistreatment against Ndigbo in this country. I'll leave with a quote from Nzeogwu: "We had a short list of people who were either undesirable for the future progress of the country or who by their positions at the time had to be sacrificed for peace and stability." Cc: hammer6 Pazienza Ikechuob QueenofNepal Ephi123 Cumbak60 Ngokafor Amarabae Sources: Max Siollun's "Oil, Politics and Violence" book and some Internet sources. 3 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by hammerT: 5:29pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
It was not an Igbo coup, the Yorubas were the orchestrators of that coup. Meaning they were involved at all level. We also have the likes of Hassan katsina from the North dat was involved. Participants[edit] Capt. Emmanuel Nwobosi (Igbo) Capt. G. Adeleke (Yoruba) Lt. Fola Oyewole (Yoruba), author of "The reluctant rebel" Lt. R. Egbiko (Esan) Lt. PM Okocha (Igbo) Lt. Tijani Katsina(Hausa/Fulani) Lt. O. Olafemiyan (Yoruba) Capt. Gibson Jalo (Bali) Capt. Swanton (Middle Belt) Lt. Dag Warribor (Ijaw) 2nd Lt. Saleh Dambo (Hausa) 2nd Lt. John Atom Kpera (Tiv) Capt. Ben Gbulie (Igbo) 1 Like |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by BornnAgainChild(f): 5:32pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
Wait...lemme go and ask my grandma for the answer cos i dont know if it was or not |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by Ngozi123(f): 5:40pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
hammerT: Do you have source for this? I would very much like to read it. 1 Like |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by Seguntimmy(m): 5:44pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
I will do as the comment above me indicates, na my grandma go get correct story, it may just get me up to 8hrs to know the specific truth because grandma won't do without telling tales of her great grandfather's third sister's firstborn. |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by NCP: 5:47pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
Una weldone oooh. OP we don't need your REVISED History Manual for NL. Abeg carry am go another place. 5 Likes
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Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by GMBuhari: 5:49pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
It's been proven world over its Igbo coup Death toll in the north Death toll in the South west Compared to yeebos killed is ratio 1:100 Meaning 1 or no Ibo for tens and hundreds of soldiers killed from north and south west Aguyi ironsi was not a planner or beneficiary but took power anyways and did not punish the culprits instead he promoted them , what did you expect? It's Ibo coup period and when counter coup happened your brother declared a republic and wasted 3M Igbo lives Face reality 12 Likes 1 Share |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by Ngozi123(f): 5:52pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
NCP: If by 'revised' history you mean 'not the lies spread by the Nigerian government and media' then you'd be correct. Even Awolowo's secretary attested to this. 1 Like |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by Ngozi123(f): 5:53pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
GMBuhari: The coup plotters and Awolowo's secretary told you what the aim of the coup was and you're here, posting this. Can you or can you not refute anything I posted in the op? 2 Likes |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by BlakKluKluxKlan(m): 6:08pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
When Tafawa Balewa was Prime Minister of Nigeria; Chief of Army Staff was from SE Chief of Naval Staff was from SE IG of Police was from SE Chief of Defence staff was fron SE Internal Affairs Minister SE External Affairs Minister SE Education Minister South SE Many other key ministries to SE Parliament President SE Unilag VC from SE University of Ibadan VC from SE North resisted same at ABU! Still there was dissatisfaction by SE, the officers from the region killed this same Balewa!!!! Out of all the most senior officers in Nigeria, SE has 37, none was killed. 8 from the north, all of them were killed. 10 from the west, 2 were killed. Then Ironsi imposed a unitary system of government on the country so that everything can belong to a region who snatched it! We must know our history so that when we want to make corrections, we will not end up concealing the truth. This has nothing to do with tribalism but everything to do with the truth.....at times when lies litter the streets. These are documented facts! Thou shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. Copied. 8 Likes 1 Share |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by Ngozi123(f): 6:14pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
BlakKluKluxKlan: You've typed many words here yet none of them seem to challenge anything I've said in the op ... Did you read the op? 1 Like |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by orisa37: 6:26pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
Ask SLS. |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by Nobody: 7:00pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
I really don't know why we have to come back to this issue again when we have already thoroughly thrashed it out over and over again. No amount of revisionism is going to change the verdict of history on the Jan 15 1966 coup, and that verdict is that it was indeed an igbo coup. Period! 7 Likes 1 Share |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by headz(m): 7:11pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
True that the participation had spread but casualties were one sided and the coup plotters were left off light. Tribalism later came in certainly wasn't kaduna's idea. 1 Like |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by FemiFimile: 7:18pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
so if it is not ibo coup, who is responsible then? 5 Likes |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by StOla: 7:20pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
hammerT: Hahahaha! This guy above wants to use Igbo sense for us. He has suddenly forgotten the names of over 7 Igbo Majors that were the most senior planners and master minds of the coup. It is well-known that of 8 main coup plotters (Nzeogwu, Anuforo, Okafor, Ifeajuna, Chukwuka, Onwuatuegwu, Gbulie, Oji and Ademoyega), one was a Yoruba man and the rest were Igbos. If we look at those those who were most active in the staging of the coup, it would be (Nzeogwu, Onwuatuegwu, Ifeajuna, Ademoyega, Okafor, Anuforo, Chukwuka, Nwobosi and Oguchi). Out of these 9 men, one is a Yoruba man and the rest are Igbos. But he remembers the name of Lts and 2nd Lts that are Northerners and were directly under the control of Nzeogwu who was their instructor at the military academy and who never told them what they had been training for over days until the night of the deed. Nzeogwu told them they were fighting a revolution for Nigeria, little did they know that that had fallen victim of Igbo sense. Instead, the Igbos were wiping out Yoruba and Northern military brightest prospects, and eliminating their regional leaders and the federal Prime Minister. The guy above also mentioned Hassan Katsina, but did not mention that the coup had already started when Hassan Katsina ran into Nzeogwu, who then asked him at gun point if Katsina was with him or against him. Maybe he expected Katsina to answer that he was against him? 14 Likes 4 Shares |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by joeyfire(m): 7:37pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
BlakKluKluxKlan: What you have posted is not logical. Why would we want to overthrow a government that was in our pocket already?? The Eastern region was enjoying projects like the Niger Bridge, Okpara was on fire commissioning likes of Obudu Cattle Ranch, Trans-amadi industrial layout and Nkalagu Cement etc Try harder |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by StOla: 7:38pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
joeyfire: Because you are Igbo and you must have it all to satisfy your insatiable greed. You had already cornered the top federal civil service jobs that your Northern political partners could not compete for, while the Yorubas were in opposition government in the parliament. But you still wanted to exert your influence on the Northern Region Civil Service, but were checkmated by the Northern Premier Ahmadu Bello. You hated him for having the effrontery to want to ensure Northerners got jobs in their own region - job you felt you were entitled to, while not sparing any leftovers in your own Eastern Region. You hated Akintola for daring to draw attention to the fact the the University of Ibadan, then headed by the Igboman Kenneth Dike over the more senior and qualified Oladele Ajose, conducted an employment exercise that recruited 105 Easterners and only 3 Yorubas. Akintola had to die for that revelation. 14 Likes 3 Shares |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by joeyfire(m): 7:55pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
StOla: Makes absolutely no sense. So we would destroy a government that was in our pocket so some igbos can get some northern region civil service jobs and Vc of Unilag job that we had already rocked Do you know a fulani prince was Mayor of Enugu? Our regional capital? Abeg park well. Try harder |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by GMBuhari: 8:45pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
Ngozi123: And when Hausas carried out the counter coup they did it to eliminate corruption , so why are you angry they overthrew your government? Hausas also looked for a legitimate honest soldier who weren't participants Buhari and Shagari its like 1-1 but you people never recovered from it hardly a day goes by without you insulting or blame Hausas for your predicaments 1 Like |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by jaksmillioniar: 8:51pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
Ngozi123:yet dey neva kill azikiwe dey neva kill ironsi dey neva kill ojuku dey neva kill nzegu. u are dey biggest lier. why did u ibo lie dat u neva wish death upon us when u kill us first? we kill u like rat later and u are crying. carry ur ibo talk comot here. remember October 1 9 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by jaksmillioniar: 8:52pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
BlakKluKluxKlan:God bless u 7 Likes |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by jaksmillioniar: 8:56pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
joeyfire:u wanted more cos u are greedy as ibo man is today if u giv ibo ur house he will wish to get it frm u and collected ur house. we let ibo use lagos and dey greedy pple say lagos is no man land. neva allow ibo rule again Naira 8 Likes 1 Share |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by OAUTemitayo: 9:03pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
BlakKluKluxKlan:God bless you. 4 Likes |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by Nobody: 9:05pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
GoroTango:it was not an Igbo coup...... 1 Like |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by Ngozi123(f): 10:44pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
jaksmillioniar: Ironsi was a target for the coup plotters so he was lucky to survive. The coup plotters didn't target Azikiwe because he wasn't really a threat to Awolowo, whom the coup plotters wanted to install as president, and he wasn't likely to prevent them from achieving their goals as he was abroad when all of this happened, I believe. Who is nzegu? 2 Likes 1 Share |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by Ngozi123(f): 10:46pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
GMBuhari: The second military coup was not solely conducted by Hausas so I don't know where you got that from . You still have not challenged anything I said in the op- changing the subject won't work here. 1 Like |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by Ngozi123(f): 10:52pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
headz: You could say that they were let off lightly but do we have a similar event in Nigerian history to compare it to in order to determine whether Ironsi's actions were too lenient? Regarding the bolded, could you expatiate please? 1 Like |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by pazienza(m): 11:52pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
BlakKluKluxKlan: The minister of education in 1966 when Balewa was killed was not Igbo, he was a Yoruba by the name Richard Akinjide. The Foreign minister ( external affairs) in 1966 also wasn't Igbo, he was a Northerner by the name Nuhu Bamalli. It doesn't take much to see that this your write up is an ignorant one tainted with Igbophobia and usual falsehoods Are those the only portfolios in the government. Why not provide the full ministerial list with the names of the occupants and their regions and let us be the judge? When exactly did Ndiigbo show dissatisfaction over Balewa government? The last time I checked, the tussle was between Awolowo and Balewa. What Ironsi needed impose on the country so that everything could belong to Ndiigbo was extreme regionalism cum confederation, and not unitary system, seeing as Crude oil were recently discovered in Mid-west and Eastern regions, with both under Osadebey and Okpara leadership, seeing as you lots had accused Ojukwu and Ndiigbo declaring Biafra because of hunger to Claim the oil wealth of the nation for Ndiigbo alone. You lots can't seem to keep your story straight. It has everything to do with tribalism, this your write up, and is exactly the reason your colonial entity called Nigeria will remain a failure . Your truth are lies to me, and my truth lies to you, we simply can't find a middle ground, this therefore is an invitation to chaos. 6 Likes 1 Share |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by kn23h(m): 11:55pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
It was an Ibo coup. Nnamdi wants to try it again. If he doesn't want another Ojukwu-Awolowo saga, he shouldn't trespass on any Yoruba soil. 7 Likes 1 Share |
Re: The Jan 15th 1966 Military Coup Was Not An 'igbo Coup'. by kn23h(m): 11:57pm On Aug 17, 2017 |
JUST BECAUSE A LION IS SILENT DOESN'T MEAN HE HAS NO TEETH. 5 Likes 1 Share |
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