₦airaland Forum

Equalizer:
Senator Andrew Nwankwo from the Izzi clan in
Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, was a captain in the Nigeria
Air Force before the January 1966 coup that made way
for Major General J. T. U Aguiyi Ironsi to emerge as
Head of State.
He became Ironsi’s Aide-De-Camp through the
recommendation of Brigadier George Krubo who was
then in-charge of the Air Force and subsequently
supervised the late Head of State’s security.
Capt. Andrew Nwankwo (rtd) said he was to die with
his boss, but for fate. He was present when both Ironsi
and Fajuyi were shot dead.
Tracking the 61-year-old former ADC down in his one
story building residence in Abakaliki was not as
difficult as getting him to recall the events that led to
the death of his master 38 years ago.
He would start by taking you down memory lane when
he served as a courier to late Emperor Haile Selassie of
Ethiopia, "I was manning the octopus-a helicopter that
carries 105 artillery gun and six other machine guns.
"So when Ethiopia was at war with Somalia in 1964/65
we formed the defence group of the emperor, we also
formed an attack force. When the emperor is going to
the frontline to see what is happening, we ring him
round to clear the way for him".
It was part of these that Ironsi saw and handed over
his security to the young captain. "It was cool working
with Ironsi, he understood everything about what I
should do because he had commanded the UN forces
in Congo, and that exposed him to the type of people
he needed".
The coup
Recalling the events of that night, July 29, 1966,
Nwankwo noted that they were in Ibadan, "we had a
small detachment of 106 Artillery, Commanded by one
Walbe from Plateau"
The Head of State had the previous day hosted
traditional rulers from all parts of the country in the
Ibadan Government House. "He wasn’t feeling quite
well, he had a knee problem and had to go to bed
early.
"Lieutenant Sanni Bello was the army ADC, and we
were very close. So, we left that night to go and look
out and came back late. Lt. Adamu who was the ADC
to Fajuyi, Sanni Bello, Walbe and myself, we all slept
together in one room that night".
"At about 4a.m the telephone rang, I picked it up and
that was Adeola, the then commissioner of police,
Ibadan he said he wanted to speak with Ironsi, I said I
was the ADC, he said he wanted to speak with him
because there was a coup and he gave me some
names Orok and two others that had been killed in
Abeokuta.
"Immediately, I made a mental picture of it, and I knew
that it was the northerners that were responsible. So, I
handed the phone to Ironsi and they talked. I then
alerted Adamu and Sanni Bello and said look, there is
a coup and the trend is this way.
"Bello assured me that if it is his own people he will
protect me, because, there was tension in the land
such that we knew a coup was imminent. So, we
agreed to protect each other depending on where it will
be coming from. I later discovered that Walbe who was
sleeping with us was part of the coup; he later became
ADC to Gowon.
"Around 5:30 we heard gunfire, then Ironsi had called
Col. Njoku to tell him about the coup. As Njoku was
going out, he was short at, but he escaped with bullet
wounds. It was Njoku, who was the commander of
Lagos Garrison that alerted others outside the
Government House, Ibadan.
"Fajuyi later sent me outside the government House to
find out what was happening. I met Danjuma, who
was then a major and he was my friend. He pretended
he didn’t know what was happening, he was asking
me, and I said I didn’t know. While I was trying to go
back, one sergeant from Benue almost shot me, but
Danjuma stopped him and spoke to him in Hausa.
Danjuma later told me that he would like to see Ironsi,
so that he could tell them what to do.
"It was then that Fajuyi came out to find out what was
holding me, and there inside the Government House
Danjuma ordered for his arrest and mine too. That was
when I saw Walbe. Then Fajuyi asked me to take him
to Ironsi so that they will obey him, that there should
be only one person in charge. So, I took them to Ironsi,
and major Newman, immediately he saw Ironsi, he
seized his crocodile swagger stick, and then they
started asking him about the January coup, he said he
didn’t know about it that he only agreed to be Head of
State so that he can restore confidence and normalcy.
It was immediately they arrested Ironsi that they turned
violent".
The road to the valley of death
They marched us down, Ironsi and myself, to where
Fajuyi was. They used telephone cable to tie my hands
behind and my legs, with a little space to walk. Same
they did to Ironsi, but they removed his shirt, he wore
only trousers, they also tied Fajuyi. Ironsi was in a
Land Rover, Fajuyi in a mini bus and myself in another
bus. They drove us towards Iwo Road, 10 km from
Ibadan, there was a small forest were they stopped,
marched us to the right hand side of the bush, Fajuyi
was leading and as he tried to cross a small stream, he
fell down, the soldiers were unruly, it appeared some of
them had for the first time taken Indian hemp, so when
he fell down some of them started beating him.
My escape
As Fajuyi fell down and they were beating him, Sanni
Bello came to me and tapped me and said, we could
do something now. It was providence, may be I was
not destined to die. I took a few steps from them and
jumped into a nearby ditch, all in a split of a second,
Bello came and stood by the ditch and was shouting
that I had escaped pointing at another direction. So
the soldiers ran around that direction shooting into the
bush, and when they felt they must have killed me,
they shot Fajuyi and then Ironsi there, by the side of
the stream. So Bello made sure that he was the last to
leave the place.
The ADC, who was later elected senator in 1983 stated
that the former Head of State could have escaped if
not that he wanted to make sure that there was no
bloodshed. He said if he sacrificed his life and
prevented bloodshed in Nigeria, it’s better for him.
Even his chaplain urged him to escape but he said No.
Also many of his officers who were contacted instead
of taking action ran away.
The ADC denied the prevailing story that Ironsi was
tied to a Land Rover and dragged along the road. He
maintained that he saw Ironsi and Fajuyi shot dead.
"They shot him on the chest and it was a burst, so he
would have died after the first shot".
The crocodile staff
It was a swagger stick, which he made after his name
Aguiyi (crocodile). It was in the Congo, when he was
commanding the United Nations Forces, the Indian
troops were to land at the Lumumbashi Airport but the
Cameroon gendarmes went and blocked the place with
trucks, so that the Indian soldiers will not land, so, he
used a Land Rover and with the stagger stick waved
as they were shouting, he was eventually able to
convince them to remove the trucks. Many attributed
that feat to extraordinary powers in his swagger stick.
But there was nothing in it, it was just a stick. Ironsi
was not fetish; he was a devoted Catholic and
attended mass every morning, even the day he was killed.

I don't believe 90% of what I just read.

arcdone:
Indications are rife that the President-
elect, Muhammadu Buhari and the
former governor of Lagos State,
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu are set to
clash over Buhari’s insistemce on
having Governor Babatunde Fashola as
the Lagos State ministerial nominee in
his cabinet.
Nigerian Pilot Saturday gathered from a member of
the APC in Abuja that, close associates of Buhari
from the North, are rooting for the outgoing Lagos
State governor because of his sterling performance in
the last eight years.
READ ALSO: Finally! Buhari Unveils Transition
Team, Oyegun, Amaechi, David-West Makes List
However, they (Buhari’s close associates) are said
to be aware that Tinubu is plotting to give final say
on who makes the ministerial list for the entire South
West, South East and South South zones and
Fashola is not likely going to make Tinubu’s list.
Although Tinubu will be allowed to make reasonable
input in the list of ministerial nominees from the three
zones in the South, because of his contributions to the
success of APC, Buhari is not under any obligations
to accept whatever list that is submitted by the
“Jagaban Borgu” as Tinubu is fondly called.
The source said, “since Buhari will be
answerable to Nigerians on the
performance of his ministers, the final
decision of who will be in the incoming
Federal Executive Council, is his to
make.
“If the General insists on having
Governor Fashola in his cabinet,
Tinubu just has to learn to live with it
as there is nothing he can do about it.”
he said.
He further disclosed that Buhari has confidence in
the capacity of Fashola to deliver on his mandate
and the fact that he is not one of the governors that
have corruption allegation hanging on his neck, makes
him a natural choice in Buhari’s cabinet.
READ ALSO: Pastor Tunde Bakare Prays For
Buhari, Osinbajo And GEJ
On why Tinubu will be allowed to have a say on the
list of ministers beyond the South West zone, he
said APC did not produce any governor in majority of
the South East and some South South states and
as the national leader of the party, the party leaders
in all those states will need to consult him on the
ministerial nominees.
However, he explained that Governors Adam
Oshiomhole of Edo State is expected to pick a
nominee from his state, while his Imo State
counterpart, Owelle Rochas Okorocha will pick the
Imo ministerial nominee if he emerges victorious in the
supplementary election in his state.
Meanwhile, rumour mills are flying around that some
APC governors in the South West that were
recently reelected, are getting set for war with
Tinubu over ministerial, ambassadorial and board
appointment nominees.
The governors are plotting to frustrate any attempt
by Tinubu to impose ministerial nominees on them.
READ ALSO : How APC Changed Outcome Of
2015 Presidential Election
In a similar vein, the bickerings over the zoning
arrangement in the APC has pitched party chieftains
against each other as Tinubu has reportedly hijacked
most of the positions.

PDP liar.

hardywaltz:
Once they mentioned WikeD's name I knew wuruwuru most be involved.

True talk; that guy like anything wuruwuru.

Maybe Tonto discovered that what she bought from that lady were knock offs & after complaining to the lady she didn't budge, that's why she delayed payments.

Maybe Tonto discovered that what she bought from that lady were fake & after complaining to the lady she didn't budge, that's why she delayed payments.

Amechi the lion of South south.

stronger:
PDP is such a demonic party! They tried to fight their mates (APC) and failed woefully.

Now they are still going to oppress ordinary small APGA. . APGA that is still struggling. What sort of evil is that?

I blame APGA sha. . they were to eager too be concubines to the PDP! Now their eye don clear!

Abi

DInvertedHammer:
/

Is he there to deliver a congratulatory message from Akiolu to his counterpart in SA?

\

bad guy

Angel1977:
For the sake of the Office that GEJ occupied, which OBJ himself occupied at sometime, for the sake of our national pride as Nigerians, I think it is about time OBJ is called to order. In spite of their fierce contest, even GEJ and GMB did not throw personal attacks at each other before, during and after the elections, there has been this mutual respect for each other. Why this endless desecration of the exalted Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? Is OBJ jealous of the name that GEJ has made for himself by peacefully conceding rather than trying to use unconstitutional means to perpetuate himself in power like trying to manipulate the populace for a 3rd term, like he OBJ did? We have not forgotten his infamous attempt at getting a third term . . . .

who is more respected among OBJ & Gej worldwide? Its definitely OBJ so there ain't room for comparison as the little respect Gej have is as a result of him accepting the election result & nothing else! He has even stated losing it with what his wife did in Rivers state; if he doesn't bukkle up & restrain his wife & his trabalist nature; he may lose the respect he has left. I use to like Gej & supported him a lot in his first year as President but his tribalist & incompetence made me think otherwise.

Obasanjo keep saying the truth even if heaters keep hatting because they only want what favor them & their people only. Tribalist.

nairalandist:
First it was Xenophobia, now South Africa is trying to ally with Palestine and they want to access it via Israel? These guys don't know a thing about foreign policies do they? Trying to mask entry to a region using Higher education as an excuse, do they think Israel is dumb?

How many standard universities does Palestine have that they want to partner with them?

They are just stepping on toes everywhere. The Israel/Palestine case is sensitive and SA is trying to pocknose. . . I wish them all the beXt

They surely don't.

Thandolwethu:
I start by imploring you to read this letter with an open and unbiased mind as this will enable you grab the full gist of my message.
I am a full blooded South African, born and bread in Soweto. I have never been to Nigeria and my impression of your Country is formed by the behaviour and actions of the many Nigerians who live in SA and what we hear and read from the media about the goings on in your country.
I deliberately joined Nairaland today as I noted that alot of you are on this Forum hence its a good platform to pass my message. Suffice it to say that i will delete this account after this message. I will read your responses with keen interest.

1. There is no question that there was xenophobic attack on Foreigners in SA in the past 3weeks. What is in doubt is the scale of the attack. I have noted that Nigerians have overtly blown the crises out of proportion by spreading lies and wrong informatiom concerning the crisis. The idea that South Africans are going round SA cities killing, maiming and burning Foreigners is a lie. Only 7 people have been killed so far and of these 7, 3 are south Africans, 2 Ethiopians and 2 Mozambican. The world media is in agreement with these figures. While its 7 lives too many that doesnt give credence to the news going round in Nigeria that we are killing and burning Foreigners. If thats true then there would be more people dead.
STOP BELIEVING WHATYOU READ AND WATCH ON social media as most are lies and fabricated figments of the imaginations of mischievous Nigerians in other to stoke the flame of discord between Nigeria and SA.

2. Why are Nigerians up in arms against SA with xenophobia when the war in Nigeria is far worse than here in SA. Boko haram is killing thousands your people everyday and theres no end in sight meanwhile no Nigerian has been killed in this Xenophobic attack. That is why Nigerians throng our embassies in Lagos and Abuja seeking Visas to come to SA and escape the despicable living conditions in the slums of Nigeria.

3. This recent Xenophobic attack was predicated on the fact that Foreigners commit so much heinous crimes in SA without impunity and we are tired of all these. We have our own criminals here so we cant add more problems from foreigners.
A. NIigerians are the kingpins of drugs killing our children and society. Your brothers drug our girls into prostitution. They con our people with fraud and 419. They hack into our bank accounts stealing millions.

B. Zimbabweans are involved in robberies and car hijackings

C. Mozambicans kill our farmers and take our jobs for peanuts leaving many South Africans jobless

D. Ethiopians and Somalians open shops to do illegal activities and pollute our communities. Theres a Somalian shop in every 2 houses on every street in SA. No Country can allow that.

SA has its own issues but we would like to solve them without the added problems of Foreign crimials.

If you like burn down shoprite and close MTN its your people that will suffer because these companies employ millions of Nigerians. They will simply go jobless.

Thank you

Where image of fake story about foreign child attacked by xenophobic mob comes from
http://www.politicsweb.co.za/iservice/rubber-bullet-did-this--daily-sun

Fake photos misrepresent xenophobic violence
http://ewn.co.za/2015/04/17/Fake-photos-misrepresenting-xenophobic-violence

Internet boasts false images of xenophobic violence in South Africa
http://observers.france24.com/content/20150417-south-africa-durban-immigrant-xenophobic-false-photos

Mumu, and who killed Lucky Dube? A south African! How many Nigerians are employees of Your mtn? 6000! How much is being made & remitted to south Africa? Billions of dollars. You largest investment is outside south Africa are in Nigeria & south Africa's make up 45% of Zimbabwe worker's. You people need to be thought a lesson & I believe it will come sooner or later as there is no place for evil south Africans.

Eyepencil:
You can relocate to South West or north east, we will use ur family house to keep mad people b4 taking them to hospital.

south south swine

Eyepencil:
You can relocate to South West or north east, we will use ur family house to keep mad people b4 taking them to hospital.

you can stay in your south swine hole or south exhaust but do note that Jonathan was your brother who lost the election because he didn't perform & also because of tribalism & threats that all your people & accomplice are still doing up till now. No tribe or region outside your domain can take this! Please note that if you people think you're hard or tuff Guy's na lie o! As if na start any silly thing on a go here am big time. Other people ain't dumb but simply waiting you people to go past your boundary (violence). I suggest you r leader meet with other region & deliberate on things rather than being thuggish.

IdiAmin1:
These people are equally as confused as Pdp honestly. I pity buhari for being entrapped in all these.

they are trying not to make the same mistake PDP made which lead to the party down fall; you just have to bring in the best brains & thereby carry everyone along.

callistus124:
[img]http://3.bp..com/-e2Qd_6MWO7s/VTkgeTeoWpI/AAAAAAAAFr8/l6TjwDKO3nY/s1600/solidstar%2Bsix%2Bpack.jpg[/img]
Singer Solidstar wants us to know that he bought a new adidas boxers..... LOL!!
Anyways, he has a nice body stature.
Nice pix!!
[url=http://www.google.com.ng/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%..com%2F2015%2F04%2Fsolidstar-goes-shirtless-shows-off-his.html&ei=wiE5Vfm_OcvKaOSQgLgE&usg=AFQjCNEZcnjBBJ7zmq-0o9U2SfsDBVLS2w&sig2=XUm_WUHQRrAUKheDGVZUOw&bvm=bv.91427555]SOURCE[/url]

Bad guy.

Google your fact as Yoruba is not only spoken in Nigeria, it is also spoken in Benin Republic, Togo etc, even their culture etc are embedded in Brazil, Cuba etc.

Rilwayne001:
Ref: Laurie Bauer, 2007, ﻫَﻮُﺱَ The Linguistics Student’s Handbook, Edinburgh.

^ ab Gibanawa at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015)

Lalasticlala make things balance by doing the needful, no partiality.

Point of correction about you saying unlike Yoruba & Igbo; Yoruba is spoken outside Nigeria even outside Africa, if you don't believe this then google it but stop this your little propaganda.

steppin:
Bros Amaechi is trying too hard.
If he lost in the presidential/governorship elections, what makes him think his party will win in the chairmanship and councillorship elections?

can PDP rig this one through Mrs INEC the vote manupulator? Capital NO. So let all parties go to the poll then even if I do not support Amechi on this one.

Nice one, Spoken in Nigeria.

boko haram, IYC, Massob even students threats didn't bother them but OPC's threat gave them goose pimples.

Obiagelli:
Gas supply for power generation and industrial use has
been sustained with supply outstripping demand both in the
Western and Eastern axes. Available records indicate that
the volume of gas available for power generation is
unprecedented in the history of oil and gas in Nigeria.

Really?

•Security contracts awarded for the protection of a major
crude oil supply pipeline (Escravos-Warri) to improve
capacity utilization of Warri Refinery which has now
achieved 70%.

Seriously?

She must be investigated financial wise likewise Patience Jonathan & Ngozi the out going finance Minister. A word is enough for Bihari.

baybeeboi:
leaving it for Tinubu abi and Amaechi

So this money would have been pocketed by Jonathan after all the trillions of Naira he, patience, wike, Madueke, okonjo etc stole! If it were not for APC that opened their yanch, wetin Nigerians for do?

Maybe she have not eaten amala in a long time & she suddenly go one free & she's like if I carry did thing reach house them go follow me chop am since many of us never chop amala for years now, abeg who know me for here? I dey chop my amala quick.

janus05:
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/apc-youths-query-ojudu-omirin-over-fayoses-impeachment-election-funds/

fayose have bribed you people! The legislator has the right to do the right thing in-respect of Stomach infrastructure ekiti people want or says. Tell is it right for the police to go after an armed robbery suspect who fleed from where a crime took place? If yes, then Fayose can be impeached so far he has done things that makes him impeachable.

Volksfuhrer:
I don't believe Tinubu's influence on Buhari would be limited because he didn't deliver enough SW votes in the Presidential elections!

Jagaban's work was done at the APC primaries. Buhari would have lost the primaries without Tinubu's support. And I believe Buhari knows this. So, Tinubu's influence need not ride on SW votes!

yes true talk; but people should know that Tinubu was the human key to Bihari being voted in as president as he brought several big & small politicians, business men & women & many Nigerians over to Buhari's side most of whom would not have supported Buhari. Let me stress this; if the west have choose & voted Jonathan during this election, Jonathan would have won outrightly. That's just the truth.

jaytee01:
Very true

Donald Duke? How acceptable is Donald Duke outside the South East & South South? All PDP needs is someone who is a national figure that is generally acceptable to all Nigerians inrespect of tribe,race or religion & Duke ain't that. Even the South East for who they are will fight against it. Sentiment & tribalism has turned PDP to a regional party which do not have what it takes to so what APC have been able yo do as opposition for Years; they simple have to reach out to other regions & let IMO state be since Okorocha won outrightly because that will be the last stroll that breaks PDP if the try to use NEC ( INEC ) to rig or declare PDP as the winner in IMO in place of APC that won.

This woman can lie, even more than the devil! GMB most probe Jonathan & all those that serve in his administration as we that voted & supported him do not want anything less. We don't want any safe landing for anyone; Buhari must keep to his promise & his reputation as a discipline person but if he fail to probe them & also investigate Patience Jonathan then we will see him as corrupt & he will definitely not get enough vote for a second term as President.

SeverusSnape:
Yes o... Including Tinubu, Amaechi and Atiku, Lest I forget, SARAKI.
Thanks.

including Jonathan,patience, wike who took bribe of 3bn naira from NDDC fund with patience; not to forget Kasamu who most be sent the US.

Ozigbondu:
He is still dazed after the knock out Wike and the good people of rivers gave him.

nope! He feels relaxed as he is like make rivers people free me now; since na don. Vote wike make only wait make he come develop ona state now! So stop disturbing me as I am reserving my energy for federal things & foreign levels so make rivers people dey play them local league they go & you people should not call me when wike teach ona. Serious lesson. On a. Eyes go soon clear.

ShowYourCertificate:
No it isn't. If Buhari and APC are wise politicians, they should strive to win the love of the SE region. This way APC will have a national appeal and not an ethnic party (yoruba+hausa party) appeal that it is at the moment..

PDP which is people voted & rigged for is now majorly an Igbo party; why all these demands when Igbo's threw all they have into supporting PDP even APGA messed up big time, they killed Ojukwu's party. Though Buhari the president elect is the President of all Nigerians & he must develop all the regions but the Igbo's shouldn't get more than other regions as they never liked Buhari, the Yoruba's & Hausa's nor do they like APC except for very few of them like Ngige, Okorocha etc who are true Nigerian not all those tribalist Igbo's.

PapaNnamdi:
may 3



may weather wife too rezemble l
porrrn star

meaning you watch porn movies a lot .