The former head of Nigeria's Military Government and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Major General Aguiyi Ironsi, was assassinated in the military coup of 29 July 1966(which was known as the counter coup of 1966)
How the assassination happened
On 29 July 1966 Aguiyi-Ironsi spent the night at the Government House in Ibadan, as part of a nationwide tour.
His host, Lieutenant Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi, Military Governor of Western Nigeria, alerted him to a possible mutiny within the army. Aguiyi-Ironsi desperately tried to contact his Army Chief of Staff, Yakubu Gowon, but he was unreachable.
In the early hours of the morning, the Government House, Ibadan, was surrounded by soldiers led by Theophilus Danjuma, who later arrested Aguiyi-Ironsi and questioned him about his alleged complicity in the coup, which saw the demise of the Sardauna of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello.
The circumstances leading to Aguiyi-Ironsi death still remain a subject of much controversy in Nigeria. His body and that of Fajuyi were later discovered in a nearby forest.
The swagger stick with a stuffed crocodile mascot carried by Aguiyi-Ironsi was called "Charlie". Legend had it that the crocodile mascot made him invulnerable and that it was used to dodge or deflect bullets when he was on mission in the Congo.
He was captured and interrogated by his junior officers. He refused to answer their questions because they were his Junior officers and he considered it disrespectful to be questioned by them. They led him into a bush and shot him dead after stripping him.
Despite the stories, the crocodile mascot probably had something to do with the the name "Aguiyi" as it translates to "crocodile" in Igbo.
He was accorded a state funeral with full military honours on January 20 1967 .
The ceremony took place in his home town, Umuahia-Ibeku , Eastern Nigeria. This picture shows Ironsi's parents, wife Mrs. Victoria Ironsi (in black, behind children)East Nigeria Military Governor Lt Col Ojukwu and other mourners at the graveside, with the coffin in the background
from Nigeriastories on X
The ceremony took place in his home town, Umuahia-Ibeku , Eastern Nigeria. This picture shows Ironsi's parents, wife Mrs. Victoria Ironsi (in black, behind children)East Nigeria Military Governor Lt Col Ojukwu and other mourners at the graveside, with the coffin in the background
from Nigeriastories on X
No comments up in here? Why? This is History peopleeeee!!!
ReplyDeleteKelvin Dat Edo Boi (Stellz Cousin)
Kelvin,
DeletePlease don't bother yourself too much. They find other news more interesting.
Thank you once again SDK for trying to trigger interests in different areas.
This is educative
ReplyDeleteSo this was how Lt. Col. Adekunle Fajuyi too was killed....What a life! A brilliant, loyal military officer. Until death he protected his oga... heard Ironsi was too bending towards northerners bid & that was his undoing..
DeleteQuite an interesting read! Alot of people are lucky that we are no longer in the military era. I wonder what would have become of a lot of unscrupulous elements in the government today.
ReplyDeleteYou have no knowledge of history.
DeleteAguyi Ironsi was warned severally. He however deceived himself that the northerners were amenable to putting the coup behind them. He carried out a desperate policy of appeasement meant to placate the north but no. The North was hell bent on extracting its pound of flesh.
ReplyDeleteIronsi was pathetically weak and his soft mien emboldened the northerners the more. The more he played to their tune, the more it infuriates the North.
It is rather ironic that the same T. Y Danjuma who was among the middle-belt soldiers the fulani-north used to carry out the coup, is today alive and wailing as fulani are ravaging Taraba.
General Gowon with his one Nigeria charade is still alive in plateau state mopping hopelessly as Fulani lay waste to his people.
He could have left the Government house that night, but as fate would have it ....
ReplyDeleteThanks Stella for always educating me here. I always wondered how Aguiyi Ironsi died! Nigeria history for free. Information is wealth. Thanks Stells.
ReplyDeleteYou always wondered when your friend Google is always faithful
DeleteSo I will go on Google and start searching for all our past leaders??? Is it everything I will remember? As Stella brought it here is it not good? Anon please leave me ooo.
DeleteInteresting history
ReplyDeleteI attended school with one his granddaughters. This is very interesting
ReplyDeleteFajuyi was a man's man, showing uncommon loyalty to his boss, country and uniform.
ReplyDeleteExactly. Fajuyi refused to throw his boss under the bus and paid with his life. The military era in Nigeria, indeed Africa was remote controlled by the colonialists who did not really want the best for the continent.
ReplyDelete