Chukwuma Nzeogwu
Chukwuma Nzeogwu | |
---|---|
British Nigeria | |
Died | 29 July 1967 (aged 30) Near Nsukka, Nigeria |
Buried | Kaduna |
Allegiance |
|
Service/ | Nigerian Army Biafran Army[1] |
Years of service | 1957–1967 |
Rank | Lieutenant-Colonel |
Battles/wars | |
Alma mater | Royal Military Academy Sandhurst |
Lieutenant-Colonel Patrick Chukwuma "Kaduna" Nzeogwu (26 February 1937 – 29 July 1967) was a Nigerian military officer who played a leading role in the 1966 Nigerian coup d'état, which overthrew the First Nigerian Republic.[2]
Early life
Patrick Chukwuma Nzeogwu was born on 26 February 1937 in
In March 1957, Nzeogwu enlisted as an officer-cadet in the Nigeria Regiment of the Royal West African Frontier Force and proceeded on a 6-month preliminary training in the Gold Coast. He completed his training there in October 1957 and proceeded to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England where he was commissioned as an infantry officer in 1959. He later underwent a platoon officer's course in Hythe and a platoon commander's course in Warminster.[4] Nigerian historian Max Siollun described Nzeogwu as a "devout catholic, a teetotaler, a non-smoker, and despite being a bachelor, did not spend much time chasing women".[5]
Military career
On his return to Nigeria in May 1960, Nzeogwu was posted to the Nigeria Regiment's 1st Battalion in Enugu where Major Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi was the second-in-command under a British officer.[6] He was later posted to the 5th Battalion in Kaduna where he became friends with Olusegun Obasanjo.[6] His Hausa colleagues in the Nigerian Army gave him the name "Kaduna" because of his affinity with the town.[7] After serving in the Congo in 1961, Nzeogwu was assigned as a training officer at the Army Training Depot in Zaria for about 6 months before getting posted to Lagos to head up the military intelligence section at the Army Headquarters where he was the first Nigerian officer.[8]
The forerunner of the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps (NAIC) was the Field Security Section (FSS) of the Royal Nigerian Army, which was established on 1 November 1962 with
1966 Nigerian coup d'état
Planning
The planning of the coup began with an inner circle of university-educated young officers who intended a national military revolution by seizing power in the regional capitals of Kaduna (Northern Region) and Ibadan (Western Region), and later taking control of Lagos (Federal Territory). Nzeogwu was tasked with leading the revolution in the Northern Region starting with Operation Damisa on 15 January 1966 and, at later stages, Operation Kura, Operation Zaki and Operation Giwa which would have culminated in the murder of the northern establishment.[10][11]
Nzeogwu had started his preparation by organizing a two-day night exercise "Damisa" (Operation Tiger) to train soldiers in new fighting techniques. The exercise was approved by authorities of the 1st Brigade Headquarters apparently unaware of the real intentions of Nzeogwu and the Brigade Major, Alphonso Keshi had sent circulars to all units operating under the Brigade to contribute troops towards the success of the exercise. By the time Major Keshi realized "Operation Damisa" was actually a military conspiracy it was too late to counter the operation.[11]
Execution
In the early hours of 15 January 1966, Nzeogwu led a group of soldiers[12] on a supposed military exercise, taking them to attack the official residence of the premier of the north, Sir Ahmadu Bello, in a bloody coup that saw the murder of the Premiers of Northern and Western Nigeria. The Prime Minister (Abubakar Tafawa Balewa), a federal minister (Festus Okotie-Eboh), and top army officers from the Northern and Western regions of the nation were also murdered. From the existing government, the premier of the Eastern region (Michael Okpara), the President of the Nigerian federation (Nnamdi Azikiwe) and the Igbo Army Chief (Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi) were notable survivors. Nzeogwu's modus operandi in the North contributed in no small measure to the success of the coup in Northern Nigeria.
According to a Nigerian Police Special Branch Report, Nzeogwu executed at least four army and police security personnel including one of the men on his team (Sergeant Daramola Oyegoke). Nzeogwu also participated in the execution of Col. Raph Shodeinde, his superior officer at the Nigerian Military Training College[13] After waiting for an early morning radio announcement from Major Adewale Ademoyega in Lagos which did not take place because of the failure of the coup in Lagos, Major Nzeogwu made a mid-afternoon announcement, declaring martial law in Northern Nigeria.
Arrest
Following the announcement from Kaduna, and information that Nzeogwu was gathering forces to attack Lagos which was a huge possibility at the time, Commander of the Army, Maj. Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi sent emissaries led by a man Maj. Nzeogwu heavily respected, Lt. Col.
Civil war and death
On 30 May 1967,
Legacy
Some viewpoints have romanticized Nzeogwu as a revolutionary however his actions along with those of the 15 January 1966 coup conspirators constituted a putsch against a democratically elected Nigerian government. The coup resulted in the murder of top government officials and gave way to a 13-year stretch of military rule (1966 to 1979), punctuated by a democratic Nigerian government from 1979 to 1983, which was stopped by another military intervention that lasted an additional 16 years until 1999.[15]
References
- ^ Davies, Patrick Ediomi (June 1995). "Use of propaganda in civil war: the Biafra experience" (PDF). core.ac.uk. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ "Nzeogwu after 50 years: The nationalist dressed in the garb of a tribalist, by Reno Omokri". Vanguard News. 17 January 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
- ISBN 9789780291341.
- ISBN 9789780291341.
- ^ Siollun, Max. ""The Five Majors": Myth and Reality". Archived from the original on 2 August 2002.
- ^ ISBN 9789780291341.
- ISBN 9780875867106.
- ^ ISBN 9789780291341.
- ISBN 9789780291341.
- ^ a b "Military Rebellion of 15th January 1966: Part III". Archived from the original on 27 September 2002.
- ^ a b Siollun, Max. "The Inside Story of Nigeria's First Military Coup - Part 1". Archived from the original on 11 May 2006.
- ISBN 9780875867106.
- ^ Omoigui, Nowamagbe. "SPECIAL BRANCH REPORT: "Military Rebellion of 15th January 1966". Gamji. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
- S2CID 159866378.
- ^ a b "Nzeogwu: Hero or villain?". The Nation Newspaper. 14 January 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
- ISBN 9789780291341. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- ^ "Kaduna Nzeogwu killed himself, younger sister reveals why he did it". Nigerian Voice. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
- ISBN 9780875867106.