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4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had - Politics (5) - Nairaland

Nairaland ForumNairaland GeneralPolitics4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had (8450 Views)

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Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by SonOfEl(m): 12:01pm On May 04, 2020
jneutron4000:
Aguiyi Ironsi is 100% aware of the coup.
Because you were there or because the coup plotters said. Mugu.

Go and read the book titled "THE RELUCTANT REBEL" by FOLA OYEWOLE, one of the coup plotters.

You keep lying to assure your deluded mind that you are right.
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by SonOfEl(m): 12:04pm On May 04, 2020
There is another book written by another Yoruba titled "WHY WE STRUCK" by Ademoyega, one of the coup plotters. Ironsi was completely exonerated. He was only criticised for being indecisive after quelling the coup.
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by jneutron4000: 12:05pm On May 04, 2020
SonOfEl:
Because you were there or because the coup plotters said. Mugu.

Go and read the book titled "THE RELUCTANT REBEL" by FOLA OYEWOLE, one of the coup plotters.

You keep lying to assure your deluded mind that you are right.
You are highly foolish, how will a coup usher in someone who has no knowledge about it as the Head of states? Why did he not give capital punishment to those involved in the coup if he has no canal knowledge of it. Get off of my mention idiot.
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by SonOfEl(m): 12:08pm On May 04, 2020
jneutron4000:
You are highly foolish, how will a coup usher in someone who has no knowledge about it? Why he did not punishes those involved in the coup if he has no canal knowledge of it. Get off of my mention idiot.
Why not ask the questions and critically look at the answers from informed historians and coup actors at the time RATHER THAN answering before asking?

Your brain has indeed been microwaved.
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by jneutron4000: 12:12pm On May 04, 2020
SonOfEl:
Why not ask the questions and critically look at the answers from informed historians and coup actors at the time RATHER THAN answering before asking?

Your brain has indeed been microwaved.
I dont have precious time to waste in educating you. You Igbos always think you are wise. Aguiyi, Nnamdi Azikwe are 100% aware of the coup, it was a typical Igbo agenda that failed. Keep believing what you want idiot.
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by SonOfEl(m): 12:50pm On May 04, 2020
jneutron4000:
I dont have precious time to waste in educating you. You Igbos always think you are wise. Aguiyi, Nnamdi Azikwe are 100% aware of the coup, it was a typical Igbo agenda that failed. Keep believing what you want idiot.
Emotional dunce
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by omonnakoda: 12:55pm On May 04, 2020
Miracle1991:
The truth is that an igbo man is naturally greedy.
Ironsi brought the unitary government because at that time the north was doing very well in agriculture., The West was doing well in commerce, education and agriculture, but the East had nothing to offer. Since he wants his people to benefit from the north and the West he had to bring that decree 34.
Secondly, ojukwu went to war because oil was discovered in the niger delta region.
Thirdly, late kanu is agitating for break up because of the same niger deltan oil. Thinking they will overrun the south South if the country is divided.
Lastly, the same greed made NNAMDI Azikiwe to stand against the secession clouse in the Constitution,knownfully well that the south east (igbos) were not having anything as at that time.
The same greed is making must of them to engage in many criminalities e g drugs,armed robbery,cult, baby factory, ritual, production of fake fake things etc in order to make quick money.
too greedy
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by DATACUG00000(m): 1:16pm On May 04, 2020
Ok
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by SonOfEl(m): 2:38pm On May 04, 2020
omonnakoda:
too greedy
and your ethnic group are too selfless..... get a brain dude
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by BluntTheApostle(m): 7:39pm On May 04, 2020
SonOfEl:
Because Akinjide served the wishes of the northerners. It later brought discord between him and Awolowo during the Election leading to the second republic.

I for one I don't expect a Yoruba appointee to speak against his northern benefactor. Look for the book, "12 years of Military Rule" published by daily times.
You question the credibility of my source while at the same time trying to force your own source down my throat. Tell me, who wrote 12 Years of Military Rule so that I can question their own credibility too. Tit for tat!!!

Also, I will like to ask some questions?

If indeed Ironsi was not in the know about the coup, how then did he become head of state? Orizu was the acting president, why did Ironsi have to get involved? What concerned a military man with politics?

Again, there were claims that the coup was difficult to suppress, and so the acting president "voluntarily" handed over power to him. My question is: "If a GOC could not control his soldiers, what gave Orizu the assurance that he needed to first be the head of state to have such control? Why was he the GOC in the first place?

There were also claims that soldiers wanted Ironsi to take over.

How so? Which soldiers? Igbo soldiers? Itsekiri soldiers? Or Northern soldiers?
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by SonOfEl(m): 5:48pm On May 05, 2020
BluntTheApostle:
You question the credibility of my source while at the same time trying to force your own source down my throat. Tell me, who wrote 12 Years of Military Rule so that I can question their own credibility too. Tit for tat!!!

Also, I will like to ask some questions?

If indeed Ironsi was not in the know about the coup, how then did he become head of state? Orizu was the acting president, why did Ironsi have to get involved? What concerned a military man with politics?

Again, there were claims that the coup was difficult to suppress, and so the acting president "voluntarily" handed over power to him. My question is: "If a GOC could not control his soldiers, what gave Orizu the assurance that he needed to first be the head of state to have such control? Why was he the GOC in the first place?

There were also claims that soldiers wanted Ironsi to take over.

How so? Which soldiers? Igbo soldiers? Itsekiri soldiers? Or Northern soldiers?
It's very simple to analyze.

Operation wetie in the west coupled to deep ethnic fracture among the political class brought distrust to the politicians.

The military believed they were the only hope at the time to truly unite the nation and Ironsi being the GOC took it upon himself to squash a coup and bring the boys under control while using a level head to restore calm and order to the political space
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by BluntTheApostle(m): 6:03pm On May 05, 2020
SonOfEl:
It's very simple to analyze.

Operation wetie in the west coupled to deep ethnic fracture among the political class brought distrust to the politicians.

The military believed they were the only hope at the time to truly unite the nation and Ironsi being the GOC took it upon himself to squash a coup and bring the boys under control while using a level head to restore calm and order to the political space
What do you want to analyze? The justification of the coup, or that it was necessary for Ironsi to accept leadership?

Always remember one thing, coup plotters or those who assassinate presidents always have their reasons, no matter how great the president was.

So, know that the military have always thought they were the hope, even when they had nothing to offer.

Ironsi was the GOC. As a gentleman, he should have known that the military had no place in politics. He suspended a bulk of the constitution, and ruled by decrees. He was no different from the dictators and tyrants that came after him.

Moreover, he was there for only 5 months. Who knows maybe he would have turned into a monster if he had more years.

After all, Gowon started off as a confused man who couldn't crush the aftermath of the countercoup. Igbo soldiers continued to get slaughtered even though Gowon ordered a stoppage to the madness. But after some months, he was able to gain control.
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by SonOfEl(m): 6:27pm On May 05, 2020
BluntTheApostle:
What do you want to analyze? The justification of the coup, or that it was necessary for Ironsi to accept leadership?

Always remember one thing, coup plotters or those who assassinate presidents always have their reasons, no matter how great the president was.

So, know that the military have always thought they were the hope, even when they had nothing to offer.

Ironsi was the GOC. As a gentleman, he should have known that the military had no place in politics. He suspended a bulk of the constitution, and ruled by decrees. He was no different from the dictators and tyrants that came after him.

Moreover, he was there for only 5 months. Who knows maybe he would have turned into a monster if he had more years.

After all, Gowon started off as a confused man who couldn't crush the aftermath of the countercoup. Igbo soldiers continued to get slaughtered even though Gowon ordered a stoppage to the madness. But after some months, he was able to gain control.
if Ironsi was a tyrant, he would have investigated the rumours he was receiving much earlier about an impending coup against his administration.

If he was a tyrant, he would have changed the sharing formula to his favor.

I think you just want to paint Ironsi with a monstrous hue despite having no facts for it.
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by Deadlytruth(m): 11:00pm On May 26, 2020
gidgiddy:
So in other words, you dont have anything practical that Ironsi abolished Regionalism and removed true federalism except that Ironsi said "All Nigerians want an end to Regionalism"


Well if you dont know it, know it now. Ironsi never abolished the Regions. In fact, all 4 Regions were existing and functioning even up to the day Ironsi was killed.

The person who abolished the Regions was Gowon. Gowon came in after Ironsi and enacted decree 14 of 1967 that abolished all 4 Regions and replaced them with 12 states. The decree is below
If Ironsi's national broadcast of May 24 1966 didn't abolish federalism as you would have us assume, then you could do us a favour by explaining what exactly he meant with the bolded lines in that broadcast as reproduced below:



Fellow Nigerians:
During the past two weeks I presided over meetings of the Supreme
Military council and the Central Executive Council at which many
important state matters were considered. . .
It is now three months since the Government of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria was handed over to the Armed Forces. Now that peace has
been restored in the troubled areas it is time that the Military
Government indicates clearly what it proposes to accomplish before
relinquishing power. The removal of one of the obstacles on the way
is provided for in the Constitution (Suspension and Modification)
Decree (No. 5) 1966 which was promulgated by me today and comes into effect at once.
The provisions of the Decree are intended to remove the last
vestiges of the intense regionalism of the recent past, and to
produce that cohesion in the governmental structure which is so
necessary in achieving, and maintaining the paramount objective of
the National Military government, and indeed of every true Nigerian,
namely, national unity.
The highlights of this Decree are as follows:
The former regions are abolished, and Nigeria grouped into a number
of territorial areas called provinces. . . .
Nigeria ceases to be what has been described as a federation. It
now becomes simply the Republic of Nigeria
.

The former Federal Military government and the Central Executive
Council become respectively the National Military Government and the
executive Council
. All the Military Governors are members of the
Executive Council.
A Military Governor is assigned to a group of provinces over which
and subject to the direction and control of the Head of the National
Military Government, he shall exercise executive power. In order to
avoid any major dislocation of the present administrative machinery,
the grouping of the provinces has been made to coincide with the
former regional boundaries. This is entirely a transitional measure
and must be understood as such. The present grouping of the
provinces is without prejudice to the Constitutional and
Administrative arrangements to be embodied in the New Constitution in
accordance with the wishes of the people of Nigeria.
The National Military Government assumes the exercise of all
legislative powers throughout the Republic subject to such
delegations to Military Governors as are considered necessary for
purposes of efficient administration.
The public services of the former federation and regions become
unified into one national public service under a National Public
Service Commission. There is a provincial Service Commission for
each group of provinces to which is delegated functions in respect of
public officers below a given rank. This rather drastic change will
probably involve a reconstitution of the existing commissions, and
the National Military Government reserves the right to do so in the
manner stipulated in the Decree. Until this is done, the present
Commissioners continue to act in their posts.........
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by Deadlytruth(m): 11:09pm On May 26, 2020
gidgiddy:
What exactly did Ironsi start? Did Ironsi abolish the Regions or not? If you say he abolished the Regions then how come the 4 Regions were still in existence even to the day Ironsi died?

Gowon came in after Ironsi and within months, Gowon abolished the 4 Regions and replaced them with 12 states.

Dwelling on what Ironsi said, rather than what he actually did is the reasoning of kids. I dont care what Ironsi said, Im only interested in what he did and he did nothing wrong
The regions were no longer existing as at when Ironsi was killed. In fact he was killed because he killed the regions and replaced them with very weak provinces.
On arrival in power, Gowon actually made an attempt to restore the regions and was making progress until the need arose for him to halt it due to Ojukwu's intransigence. If Ironsi left the regions as he met them, then how come the original objective of Aburi Summit was unanimously to restore the regions?
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by Deadlytruth(m):
joeyfire:
Google will bring up ignorant opinions like yours so don't go there grin So Ironsi criticising the weaknesses of regionalism under Tafawa Balewa = to abolishing the regions grin grin grin grin

I thought you had something real to offer. Now read carefully...Ironsi until he died, had regional governors who could make laws for their regions. He felt he could strengthen his govt by enacting decree 34 and unifying the civil service (ministries etc) . Gowon created states not Ironsi!

Is it clear now or do we have to connect your brain to a server before you can learn the facts
It is rather disingenuous that you are labouring hard to divorce civil service unification from destruction of federalism. Our secondary school Government textbooks make us understand that the civil service is the only lawful instrument by which a government exercises its powers, generates revenue, manages those revenues and pays its employees salaries and also funds projects. In fact all governnental functions are done through the civil service of that governnent. The existence of any governnent is predicated and premised on her public/civil service.
Now, going by the simple principle above it becomes clear that any governnent which is no longer in control of its civil service is as good as dead and non-existent. So by unifying and centralizing the former regional civil services, Ironsi had implicitly paralyzed and killed the regions and regional governnents. Imagine a situation whereby the FG takes over the Anambra State civil service making the civil servants there become loyal and answerable to only Buhari, will Obiano still be able to run any governnent or claim that Anambra State is still in existence?
It is like removing the engine of a car and arguing that as long as you left the body intact and visible you didn't destroy it. If your mechanic removes the engine of your car, takes it home and then tells you that as long as he left the body intact he has not done any damage to the car, will you give him a pat on the back and even pay for 'services' rendered?

And by the way, how was Ironsi hoping to be able to continue paying the now huge salaries of the centralized civil service without having also unified the regional sources of revenue which the salaries of the regional civil service used to come from, hence automatically dismantling resource control? Or was Ironsi so rich that he had hoped to pay the now centralized/unified civil servants from his personal pocket?
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by gidgiddy(op): 11:40pm On May 26, 2020
Deadlytruth:
The regions were no longer existing as at when Ironsi was killed. In fact he was killed because he killed the regions and replaced them with very weak provinces.
On arrival in power, Gowon actually made an attempt to restore the regions and was making progress until the need arose for him to halt it due to Ojukwu's intransigence. If Ironsi left the regions as he met them, then how come the original objective of Aburi Summit was unanimously to restore the regions?
Then that means you dont know Nigerian history. All 4 Regions, Western, Eastern, Northern and Midwestern were all in existence even a year after Ironsi died. Infact, the Eastern Region is what Ojukwu later declared Biafra. the only military ruler who left the Regions as he met them was Ironsi. Gowon came along and abolished all for Regions and replaced them with 12 states
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by gidgiddy(op): 11:44pm On May 26, 2020
Deadlytruth:
If Ironsi's national broadcast of May 24 1966 didn't abolish federalism as you would have us assume, then you could do us a favour by explaining what exactly he meant with the bolded lines in that broadcast as reproduced below:



Fellow Nigerians:
During the past two weeks I presided over meetings of the Supreme
Military council and the Central Executive Council at which many
important state matters were considered. . .
It is now three months since the Government of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria was handed over to the Armed Forces. Now that peace has
been restored in the troubled areas it is time that the Military
Government indicates clearly what it proposes to accomplish before
relinquishing power. The removal of one of the obstacles on the way
is provided for in the Constitution (Suspension and Modification)
Decree (No. 5) 1966 which was promulgated by me today and comes into effect at once.
The provisions of the Decree are intended to remove the last
vestiges of the intense regionalism of the recent past, and to
produce that cohesion in the governmental structure which is so
necessary in achieving, and maintaining the paramount objective of
the National Military government, and indeed of every true Nigerian,
namely, national unity.
The highlights of this Decree are as follows:
The former regions are abolished, and Nigeria grouped into a number
of territorial areas called provinces. . . .
Nigeria ceases to be what has been described as a federation. It
now becomes simply the Republic of Nigeria
.

The former Federal Military government and the Central Executive
Council become respectively the National Military Government and the
executive Council
. All the Military Governors are members of the
Executive Council.
A Military Governor is assigned to a group of provinces over which
and subject to the direction and control of the Head of the National
Military Government, he shall exercise executive power. In order to
avoid any major dislocation of the present administrative machinery,
the grouping of the provinces has been made to coincide with the
former regional boundaries. This is entirely a transitional measure
and must be understood as such. The present grouping of the
provinces is without prejudice to the Constitutional and
Administrative arrangements to be embodied in the New Constitution in
accordance with the wishes of the people of Nigeria.
The National Military Government assumes the exercise of all
legislative powers throughout the Republic subject to such
delegations to Military Governors as are considered necessary for
purposes of efficient administration.
The public services of the former federation and regions become
unified into one national public service under a National Public
Service Commission. There is a provincial Service Commission for
each group of provinces to which is delegated functions in respect of
public officers below a given rank. This rather drastic change will
probably involve a reconstitution of the existing commissions, and
the National Military Government reserves the right to do so in the
manner stipulated in the Decree. Until this is done, the present
Commissioners continue to act in their posts.........
The above announcement, if made by Ironsi's, did not abolish the 4 Regions. It only designated them "groups of provinces" which is what they already were. Changing the terminology of something does not mean that it is removed. All 4 Regions were still existing long after Ironsi died
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by Deadlytruth(m): 11:50pm On May 26, 2020
gidgiddy:
The above announcement, if made by Ironsi's, did not abolish the 4 Regions. It only designated them "groups of provinces" which is what they already were. Changing the terminology of something does not mean that it is removed. All 4 Regions were still existing long after Ironsi died
You are still arguing that Ironsi didn't abolish the regions even after seeing him repeatedly use the word 'former' in reference to the regions and then unequivocally declared that the regions had ceased to exist and Nigeria ceasing to be a federation? I can see that even if Ironsi should wake up from his grave to confess to destroying federalism you will still accuse him of lying against himself.
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by Deadlytruth(m): 11:58pm On May 26, 2020
gidgiddy:
The above announcement, if made by Ironsi's, did not abolish the 4 Regions. It only designated them "groups of provinces" which is what they already were. Changing the terminology of something does not mean that it is removed. All 4 Regions were still existing long after Ironsi died
If the regions still existed up till and beyond the day Ironsi was killed, then how come the unanimously agreed ultimate objective of Aburi Summit by the participants was that the regions be restored and all Ironsi's decrees abrogated if genuine peace and trust would return?
Re: 4 Reasons Why Aguiyi Ironsi Was The Best Military Head Of State Nigeria Ever Had by Deadlytruth(m): 10:46am On Jul 25, 2020
https://www.sunnewsonline.com/impunity-killing-nigeria-phillip-asiodu/

Please note where the report reads thus:

"In fact when the coup happened, he wanted me to join him in Enugu and I told him that I was not a regional man. And Ojukwu told me ‘we shall abolish the regions within 6 months''.
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Major J T Aguiyi Ironsi During An Army Training Exercise At Warminster EnglandLieutenants Bassey, Ademulegun, Maimalari, Umar & Aguiyi-Ironsi (Throwback PhotoThrowback Photos From The Burial Of Aguiyi Ironsi In 1966234

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