Former Nigerian military ruler, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), has refuted claims that the 1966 coup, led by Major Kaduna Nzeogwu, was an Igbo-driven conspiracy, dismissing the notion of ethnic motivation behind the military takeover.
According to excerpts from A Journey in Service, the coup was not orchestrated to serve Igbo interests. The book highlights that Nzeogwu, despite being Igbo by origin, was born and raised in Kaduna, spoke fluent Hausa, and identified more with the northern region.
The primary objective of the coup, Babangida reveals, was to free Chief Obafemi Awolowo from prison and install him as Prime Minister. He noted that the plotters included officers from various ethnic backgrounds, such as:
- Major Adewale Ademoyega
- Captain Ganiyu Adeleke
- Lieutenants Fola Oyewole and Olafimihan
This diverse composition, he argues, weakens the claim that the coup was an Igbo-led conspiracy.
Igbo Officers Were Also Victims
Babangida further pointed out that several Igbo officers were among the victims of the coup, such as Lt-Col. Arthur Chinyelu Unegbe, who was executed by Major Chris Anuforo, an Igbo officer himself.
Additionally, the coup was ultimately crushed by Major John Obienu, another officer of Igbo extraction, reinforcing the argument that it was not an ethnic uprising but rather a failed military intervention with specific political goals.
Rewriting the 1966 Narrative
The former military leader’s remarks challenge the long-standing narrative that the coup was an Igbo-led plot and contribute to ongoing historical debates about the events that led to Nigeria’s civil war.
He suggests that media control plays a significant role in shaping historical perspectives, stressing that:
“The most powerful people in this world are those who control your media and information.”