The Last Challenge (1967)
In Defence Of Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu (1937-1967)
Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, an infantry and intelligence officer born in northern region of Kaduna and a native of Okpanam in present Delta State represents different things to different people and remained controversial even in death. His role in the military coup of 1966 in Nigeria declined his stature in the political affairs of the nation and brought untold hardship and massacre to his people but whether the coup led by him was a sectional one or not is what this write-up sets out to establish.
After the said coup of 1966 which included many Igbo and Ademoyega Adewale, a Yoruba man, Nzeogwu was captured and imprisoned at the Kirikiri Maximum Prison in Lagos by Major-General Aguyi-Ironsi who was himself overthrown in July 1966 in another coup led by Yakubu Gowon a northerner. The conception of the north was that the coup led by Nzeogwu was an Igbo coup. Modern events in the country have since provided evidences to disclaim this assertion. Specious arguments and propagandas of the north had submitted that the 1966 coup was a sectional one citing the deaths of a Prime Minister, a federal minister, two regional premiers and other top government functionaries from the north and western regions and the survival of Nnamdi Azikiwe as evidences.
In truth, the tagging of the activities of the coup plotters as sectional remains unfortunate and one of those errors of judgments in the political history of Nigeria which neglected what the coup plotters represented quite bereft of tribalism. Nzeogwu and his co-coup plotters were quick to notice the imbalance in the leadership of the nation created by the British colonial administration to favour the northerners who at first were reluctant to secure independence with the rest of the nation from the British. Nzeogwu was not also comfortable with the level of corruption perpetuated by the leaders of the first republic.
The British unsatisfied with the overthrow of the northern led government of the first republic installed by them moments before independence paved way for the outbreak of months of Civil War in the country by running a broadcast in the BBC that the coup was an Igbo coup which lacked national outlook. Obviously, the British displayed preference for Balewa over Nzeogwu and swiftly raced to prepare Gowon another northerner to successfully counter the Ironsi government and take over. By implication, the British had planted a seed of discord that led to the loss of innocent souls in massacres and a Civil war that followed.
The highly instigated and suspicious northerners were also unhappy that It was Ironsi another Igbo man that countered Nzeogwu’s coup. The patience of the north was further strained with the reluctance of Ironsi to court-martial the coup plotters. With this development, the stage was set for another counter coup by the British prepared-Gowon and other young officers who were mainly of the northern region.
Post war political activities of the country with the intention of the everlasting desire of the north to hold on to power till infinity proves shows that Nzeogwu was right after all for the north has continuous occasions claim the leadership of the nation as the birthright of the region. The reluctant north that refused to embark on the journey to independence with the sympathy of the British has grown to ward-off challenges for the contention of the nation’s leadership seat. It was enormously astonishing that the less popular Balewa among the people could beat Azikiwe and Awolowo for the leadership position of the country and emerge as the Prime Minister just as Azikiwe was made his ceremonial President.
People who liken the 1966 coup to the Igbo ethnicity often become oblivious of the fact that at the time of the coup northerners carefully positioned by the British occupied almost all the important political and military positions and it was just natural that office holders become targets in the strife to unseat any government if the coup must see the light of the government. Not much Igbo were murdered because marginalized as they were then, not much of them rose to higher positions. The coup plotters therefore may have reasoned that absolute power resided with the Prime Minister in the parliamentary system of government and the President being only a figure head held no real power. Would Gideon Orkar Coup largely participated in by young officers from the Middle Belt be referred to as Middle Belt coup?
Not many remember that the Murtala Mohammed that was hailed as a hero and messiah was a coup plotter who seized power from Gowon using the means that other coup plotters used. Today, his icon is gloriously rested in the nation’s 20 Naira currency as a national hero. Perhaps if Nzeogwu had succeeded in the coup that was first hailed before the British intervention, he would have been applauded. Such is life. By and large, there is no emphasizing much on the reason more westerners and northerners lost their lives which obviously was because they ruled the nation.
Nzeogwu was never propagated secession judging from the interview he granted in Dennis Ejindu in 1967, in that interview he posited that:
“Secession will be ill-advised, indeed impossible. Even if the East fights a war of secession and wins, it still cannot secede. Personally, I don’t like secession and if this country disintegrates, I shall pack up my things and go. In the present circumstances, confederation is the best answer as a temporary measure. In time, we shall have complete unity.”
The case of Nzeogwu is like that of AbduMuttallab who though was born in Nigeria was western trained lad only to be disclaimed and re-linked to his country of birth. Nzeogwu as a child of immigrant parents from Mid-western region who settled in Kaduna was a product of the northern region. Till date it remains doubtful whether he spoke the Enuani dialect of Igbo or even understood it passably. It must be noted that the above official statement made to Ejindu set him apart with Ojukwu which is why the nature of his death also at Nsukka remains suspicious. And quite typical of Africans Ojukwu has never spoken to clear the air on this development and principal characters involved in the scene have all given conflicting accounts on the possible cause of his death. He was to communicate his strained relationship Ojukwu to his best friend Obasanjo. Indeed, it was a relationship that left him bored in the South East.
He is still respected by the Federal troop principal actors such as Lieutenant Abdullahi Shelleng, Domkat Bali and even Gowon that ordered that his body be honourably buried in a military cemetery at Kaduna. All of which points to the fact that the 1966 coup led by him was not an Igbo coup. His death is regrettable.
About the Author
Emeka Esogbue hails from Ibusa, Delta State,
1967 Martini Challenge
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The Last Challenge ( The Pistolero of Red River ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Spain ]
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