The military coup of 1966 brought him into limelight as head of state and commanderinchief of the armed forces, but was killed seven months later on july 29, 1966 in another coup detat. The inside story of nigerias first military coup 2. The second step examined the effect of military governance on education, the economy, and foreign policy. However the actions and motivation of the principal actors has been the subject of misintepretation over the years.
First military coup halted nigerias development momah. Nigeria has therefore been governed for a longer period over thirty years of her independence by the military. To say that the military had undertaken very active roles in the constructive transformation and economic development of the nigerian nation is an. It may have been quiet and bloodless but it was a coup all the same.
Radio broadcast by major chukwuma kaduna nzeogwu announcing nigerias first military coup on radio nigeria, kaduna on january 15, 1966 culled from vanguard newspaper on september 30, 2010 in the name of the supreme council of the revolution of the nigerian armed forces, i declare martial law over the northern provinces of nigeria. Dasuki and all the armed services and intelligence chiefs and others at the nigerian military may have succeeded in committing a coup against the constitution, but they cannot twist history. The source of this myth is the we were five in number comment, which the coup s most visible, participant. T he inside story of nigerias first military coup part 1. Before proceeding to the analysis, it would be convenient to. Nigeria, us begin military summit in abuja prnigeria news.
Buhari against the transfer of civil duties to the military. On this day, january 15 1966, the first military coup in nigeria was staged by a group of nigerian soldiers read more. Below is major chukwuma kaduna nzeogwus speech announcing the first military coup in nigeria on january 15, 1966. Read all the latest news, breaking stories, top headlines, opinion, pictures and videos about military coup from nigeria and the world on today. In the name of the supreme council of the revolution of the nigerian armed forces, i declare martial law over the northern provinces of nigeria. Babangida, which abubakar alleged was carried out by col. The nigerian army has been lambasted following a clash with civilians while parading a new armoured carrier and passed through nnamdi kanus residence. Political killings had risen to a dangerous level and the whole country was heading towards chaos and disaster.
The person in power at that time was president nnamdi azikiwe, while. D in strategic studies, he was categorized among the emerging generation of intellectuals in the nigerian military. Between 1966 and 1999 the army held power in nigeria without interruption apart from a shortlived return to democracy between 19791983. Why the orkar coup failed, and how col uk bello was killed. How first coup still haunts nigeria 50 years on bbc news. Since leaving the military, momah has spent most of his time writing books on the. The history of coup detat in nigeria it is all about.
Buhari justified his coup and subsequent actions by citing the troubles of the second republic and the declining economy. The first military coup in nigeria was staged in 1966. Some of the remote causes of the coup included the use of soldiers to quell unrest, such as the riots among the tiv people of the lower northern region. The first military coup in nigeria january 15, 1966 coup. Following the humble beginning of the nigerian army in the immediate postcolonial era, expectations were high with respect to the positive roles that the military can play towards the economic and sociopolitical transformation of the country. Sam momah, a retired major general, served as minister of science and technology during the military regime which terminated in 1999. We all know that nigerias first military coup took place on january 15 1966.
As a selfimposed watchdog, amnesty international, in. Finally, relaxing the assumption that any military government has a higher quality than a bad. Men of the nigeria army a professor of english at carleton university and social commentator, pius adesanmi has condemned the invasion of nnamdi kanus house by men of the nigerian army resulting. In analyzing the three coups after 1981 chronologically. Nigeria, us begin military summit in abuja top military officers from across africa have converged on abuja, nigerias seat of government for a crucial summit cohosted by the united states with a mindset at advancing cooperation between countries fighting extremist groups. Akintola, the premier of western region, sir abubakar tafawa balewa, prime minister of nigeria, chief festus okotieeboh, federal. Later as major general, and the most senior serving indigenous military officer in nigeria, he became the head of the nigerian army in february 1965. The coup was carried out by young officers in the nigerian army, and it was also a boldly one, making it the first bloody coup in the history of the country. The inside story of nigerias first military coup part 1. Niger government toppled in military coup cbs news. There is a tragic postscript to the widely held but false presumption that the january 15 coup preempted an inevitable military operation to. The source of this myth is the we were five in number comment, which the coups most visible, participant. The first military coup in nigeria took place on january 15, 1966.
The regime declared a war against indiscipline wai, which resulted in the arrest, detention, and jailing of a number of politicians. Why nigeria has not experienced military coup since 1999. A military coup is the violent or nonviolent overthrow of an existing political regime by the military. When the wai was extended to journalists and others not responsible for the social. The constitution is suspended and the regional government and elected assemblies are. The 1966 nigerian countercoup, or the socalled july rematch, was the second of many military coups in nigeria. The coup leaders were backed by a combination of officers and junior officers. In the early hours of january 15, 1966, citing a laundry list of complaints against the political class, there was a military rebellion in nigeria against the first republic. April 1990 coup detat speech on nigerias social and. After the january 1966 coup, a succession of military governments led nigeria for thirteen years until a military regime headed by general olusegun obasanjo the current democratic president restored the country to civilian democratic rule in 1979. However, he was killed a few months later, and was followed by ltcol yakubu gowon from the christian north. One enduring myth is that nigeria s first military coup was carried out by five igbo majors. Nigerian military in the past 3 years leadership newspaper. Nigeria became an independent country in october 1 st 1960 after about a century occupation by the british colonial masters.
A military coup in 1966 brought majorgeneral johnson aguiyiironsi, an ethnic ibo from the eastern region, to power. In this interview, he blames the entire problems of nigeria on the three military coup detats of 1966, 1975 and 1983, as he forecasts that getting out of the current economic recession may not. One enduring myth is that nigerias first military coup was carried out by five igbo majors. Instead, major general johnson aguiyi ironsi, commander in chief of the army, became nigerias first military ruler. Babangidas chief security officer cso, recently spoke on why the orkar coup failed. Kaduna nzeogwu on this day january 15, 54 years ago 1966, five army majors and accomplices of the nigerian military read more. The unsuccessful coup of 15 january 1966 lead to the death of the prime minister, sir abubakar tafawa balewa and many others. Relations became extremely poor between the federal government and the ibos of the eastern region.
The coup failed to bring the young turks who led it to power but it did result, through a complex and controversial series of events, in the emergence of a military regime led by general ironsi. The nigerian army and national development since the civil. The june 12 crisis radically changed the nigerian populaces relationship with the military and a military coup in modern nigeria would be met with massive civil opposition and sanctions from the international community. International responses to coups are best summarized with a single word. The conclusion recommended an increase in military to military contact with nigeria to. Nigerian militarys invasion of nnamdi kanus house is. The balewa led administration could not help matters and the young military boys felt they will do better. The problems of nation building in nigeria, most of which are congenital, dating to the birth of the. The first successful coup in nigeria took place on 16 january 1966. M haruna, a lawyer and war veteran was a former federal commissioner for information, adjutant general and former goc of one division, kaduna.
Military coup news latest breaking stories and top. Coupfriendly institutions and apolitical militaries. Top 8 facts about the first military coup in nigeria. History of coup detat in nigeria the first coup in nigeria on january 15, 1966, chukwuma kaduna nzeogwu led the first ever military coup in nigeria that led to the death of sir ahmadu bello, the sardauna of sokoto and premier of northern nigeria, chief s. By the end of 1983, the civilian government in nigeria was overthrown by a military coup led by majorgeneral muhammadu buhari. Speech by major kaduna nzeogwu announcing the first coup. Nigerias first successful military coup by sesugh akume. He posited that some of the policies they pursued, along with all the coups. Buhari repeating mistakes that caused 1966 coup, afenifere warns. Nyiam and major orkar, the coup leaders, disagreed on the killing of col. On december 31, 1983, the military seized power once again, primarily because there was virtually no confidence in the civilian regime.
Editorial seventeen and half months of nigerias third democratic experiment coincides with 35 years after the first military coup detat was hatched in the country. The first military coup in nigeria took place on january 15, 1966, this will forever be remembered in nigeria because it was the first time that the nigerian military ever thought of taking power which led to a series of dark moments in the countrys history never before in the history of nigeria had anyone thought of a coup. Military rule became dominant feature of government in nigeria only after political independence. Nigeria the 1966 coups, civil war, and gowons government. Nnamdi azikiwe and nigerias first military coup youtube. Buhari repeating mistakes that caused 1966 coup, afenifere. This result is consistent with the case of nigeria 19662000. How 1966, 1975 and 1983 military coups destroyed nigeria. Introduction the military is a peculiar organization in several respects. On 15 january 1966, a group of young, idealistic, uktrained army majors overthrew nigerias democratic government in a violent military coup. Colonel murtala muhammed and many northern military officers. It is time for every nigerian to consciously resolve to stand up to support the nigerian military in the counterinsurgency war.
Ibrahim babangida orkar was the guy on state radio early on the morning of april 22 announcing the revolution on behalf of the patriotic and wellmeaning peoples of. Major chukwuma kaduna nzeogwu, made in an interview with dennis ejindu africa and the world may 1967 after the coup. The nigerian military, in our opinion, is on record to have been viciously attacked by amnesty international and its agents in nigeria. The coup began as a mutiny at roughly midnight on july 28, 1966 and was a reaction to the killings of northern politicians and officers by mostly igbo soldiers on january 15, 1966 see 1966. Military regimes and nation building in nigeria, 19661999. Obasanjo, who first ruled nigeria as a military head of state between 1976 and 1979, later governed the nation as a democratically elected leader between 1999 and 2007. The events of january 15, 1966 was the first time ever that. Unfortunately the military struck in january 16 1966 and ruled the country for over 30 years. The final step determined the future path of nigeria and its army after the birth of nigeria s third republic. The author, a highranking officer in the government toppled by nigerias fourth coupdetat, offers a detailed account of the coup and nigerias history leading up to it, as well as a discussion of what lessons can be learned from it for nation building in africa. On this date in 1990, nigerian major gideon gwaza orkar and dozens of others were shot for a coup attempt against that countrys military strongman, gen. It would take civilian misrule of cataclysmic proportions for nigerians to tolerate military rule ever again. The first coup in 1966 was a result of the deteriorating situation in western nigeria where politicians had failed to find a solution. General gowon pledges support for the military government which has deposed him july 31st 1975 duration.
376 439 998 1418 1197 948 186 478 791 928 200 1142 1063 730 532 834 355 727 1069 1420 1487 572 650 47 1151 344 1065 765 1037 881 1446 228 681 139 301 723 94 512 1081 456 136 459 1192