gidgiddy:
On the 29th of July 1966, Major General Aguiyi-Ironsi, the Military Head of state, stopped over in Ibadan as part of a Nationwide tour. He was recieved by Lt Colonel Fajuyi who was Military Governor of the Western Region. Before this visit, Ironsi had been warned several times that Northern elements in the Nigerian Army were planning a counter-Coup to which Ironsi dismissed as 'mere rumour'. After Ironsi and Fajuyi had conducted several meeting and consultations, both men retired to Government House for the night. Early in the morning the next day, a detachment of Soldiers led by Major Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma surrounded Government house Ibadan. On sensing the danger outside, Ironsi hid his son, Thomas Ironsi, in a wardrobe before the Soldiers forced their way into Government House. Ironsi, Fajuyi, Ironsi's ADC Captain Nwankwo and Fajuyi's ADC Lt Bello were all arrested. The four men were taken to a thick forest on the outskirts of Ibadan, off Iwo road. Because Lt Bello was a Northerner, he was released while Nwankwo, Fajuyi and Ironsi were badly beaten. When Fajuyi could no longer stand on his two legs, he was gunned down. It was during the shooting of Fajuyi that Lt Bello created a distraction which helped Captain Nwankwo to escape. Thereafter, Ironsi was also executed.

As part of the Aburi agreement, Ironsi's body was later flown to the East where he was given a state burial in his hometown Umuahia. People openly chanted at Ojukwu to pull the Eastern Region out of Nigeria during the burial proceedings.

Ironsi's ADC, Captain Andrew Nwankwo, escaped from Ibadan back to the East and would later fight on the Biafran side during the war. He later became a Senator representing Ebonyi state.

Lt Bello who helped him escape died in the war

Thomas Ironsi would later become a minister under the regime of Obasunjo.

Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma who killed Ironsi would later become Chief of Army Staff. He retired from the Army in 1979 and went on to become Chairman of Nestle Nigeria. He was appointed Defence minister during the regime of Obasunjo and is today a billionaire Oil mogul.

Posterity70:
What brought up this story now ? I think before the Ironsi and Fajuyi execution, There was the Belewa and Sardauna's Execution. Hence to get our History right, We have to start with what Ironsi and Fajuyi did. Please teach Your Children that violence beget violence
And the Bible Says that those Who live by the Sword shall Die by it.

Baselm:


Were the likes of TY Danjuma who plotted the counter coup even imprisoned? They lived,died and some still lives freemen. Most of the 1966 coup plotters died in prison or during the civil war.

Ironsi promised that they would be pardoned and form part of his government as conditions for Nzeogwu's surrender of Northern Nigeria, he even had the air force as it was only in Northern Nigeria, he saved Nigeria from a civil war by surrendering because he would have won.

JuanDeDios:

You've been reading Danjuma chapter 1 verse 1. Stop believing lies. Aguiyi-Ironsi was cited for bravery in Congo among other places.

ezegenigbonine:


Ask your father or an elder of the history OK. I think they will explain to u well.
But let me educate u small.
After the killing of belewa, northerners called it Ibo cue because they called Kaduna nzeogwu who superhead the cue Ibo. And also because Ibo took over as the head of state, they were not happy so they plan a counter cue.

After the counter cue, Ojukwu been the governor of the eastern region ask for justice which they refused

Bobbyfreshh:

Billionaire09:


And who confirmed T.Y, Obasunjo, late president Buhari, and others didn't killed General Ironsi?

JuanDeDios:

You've been reading Danjuma chapter 1 verse 1. Stop believing lies. Aguiyi-Ironsi was cited for bravery in Congo among other places.

DMerciful:
Ironsi ruined Nigeria with his unitary govt that has become our albatross till date.
As for Danjuma, he cried recently about the murder of his people but he forgot what goes around comes around! There is always retribution

JuanDeDios:

You. Don't. Give. The. Prime Minister's. Killer. A. Pardon.

You don't do it. Ironsi was knaive not to have seen what was coming. The fact that Danjuma got away with murdering the head of state and went on to prosper with his blood-soaked hands is a part of our tragedy as a nation.

JuanDeDios:

And what's the point of your writing which restates what every six year old knows? I see you're the elder here - a very poorly-reasoning one though.

Baselm:


U might be a brave soldier and know nothing about governance,coupled with the fact he wasn't prepared for governance, he was just a reactionist who benefitted from the heroics of the revolutionists.

We need men like Nzeogwu, Ademoyega and Ifeanjuwa again to start another revolution in this country,but they must complete the revolution this time, not surrender to some opportunistic reactionists.

ezegenigbonine:


Calm down and learn my boy.

fergie001:
Bello was in the know but Nwankwo wasn't ....... But they were very close friends and hence Bello felt he owed him.....
Just like Col. Madiebo and 'Jack' Gowon

Baselm:


They killed the prime minister, Yes. but they have a leverage( the whole of Northern Nigeria which is bigger than southern Nigeria) and handed themselves over to Aguiyi, they weren't captured. They could have started a civil war at the expense of civilian lives which they have more resources and tactical heads to win than Ojukwu who did the same

JuanDeDios:

Which sword? Yorubas and Igbos do business together and intermarry every day of the week. The idiots who spend all day calling people Afonja and Ipob don't represent anyone.

IkonBee:


Jonathan is no different from Ironsi.

Baselm:


They killed the prime minister, Yes. but they have a leverage( the whole of Northern Nigeria which is bigger than southern Nigeria) and handed themselves over to Aguiyi, they weren't captured. They could have started a civil war at the expense of civilian lives which they have more resources and tactical heads to win than Ojukwu who did the same

DuxofMen:
Almost all that came out of this episode alive gained something. Danjuma became a billionaire, Bello and even his son , became a governor, Ironsi's son Thomas was given an appointment by Obj, whilst Ironsi' ADC, Nwankwo, we're told became a senator later.

Hmm,

Pray what happened to the family of the gallant Adekunle Fajuyi who paid the ultimate sacrifice for loyalty.

Never heard that any of his children later went on to become anything.

Godblesspmb:
When Ironsi and his Igbo brothers killed tafawa balewa, did he expects the north to clap for him?
Definitely the Bible is not wrong when it stated that (he who killed with sword will certainly die by sword).

DuxofMen:
Almost all that came out of this episode alive gained something. Danjuma became a billionaire, Bello and even his son , became a governor, Ironsi's son Thomas was given an appointment by Obj, whilst Ironsi' ADC, Nwankwo, we're told became a senator later.

Hmm,

Pray what happened to the family of the gallant Adekunle Fajuyi who paid the ultimate sacrifice for loyalty.

Never heard that any of his children later went on to become anything.

maestroferddi:
You can use your head, cant you?

Ironsi promulgated Decree 34 (known as Unification Decree) of 1966 changing Nigeria from federalism to a unitary state to eliminate tribalism and ethnocentrism.
The Counter Coup of July 1966 was allegedly carried out to reverse the above Decree 34.
Infact the first act of Gowon's military junta was to suspend/abrogate the Unification Decree reverting Nigeria to a federal state which has proved an albatross to the nation ever since.
So what nonsense are you talking about?

maestroferddi:
You can use your head, cant you?

Ironsi promulgated Decree 34 (known as Unification
Decree) of 1966 changing Nigeria from federalism to a unitary state to eliminate tribalism and ethnocentrism.

The Counter Coup of July 1966 was allegedly carried out to reverse the above Decree 34.

Infact the first act of Gowon's military junta was to suspend/abrogate the Unification Decree reverting Nigeria to a federal state which has proved an albatross to the nation ever since.

So what nonsense are you talking about?

ezegenigbonine:
All this names were middlebelt.
That Bello, Ty danjuma, gowon, that means the real northerners have not seen war, n they are making noise.
Also my fellow Yoruba brothers, what did u ppl do Wen the western governor ur brother was murdered? Out of what he did not do.
Ur brother abiola was murdered again, what do u do? Yoruba answer my question

colestephan86:

Were they supposed to be just imprisoned, after killing the prime minister, premier of the north, and akintola.
FYI dimka killed murtala, and he was sniffed out like a rabbit until he was caught in afikpo, and was executed along with all his allies and including a civilian. The radio station worker that gave him access into the braodcasting room.

winj3:


In Congo - All peacekeepers are usually cited for bravery in Congo, the m0ron is no different.

Ask why he was never cited for bravery in his own country, Nigeria!

I think the fact that Ironsi's actions also put my dad in danger means I don't need Danjuma to know how useless Ironsi was.

IkonBee:


Yes, Ironsi delayed in persecuting the coup plotters cos, he spent more time trying the pacify the northerners.

At the emboldened, after Dimka was arrested in Feb, the SMC didn't order for his execution until May.