Hoppa till innehåll
fenleap.a2-school.edu.pl

Nzeogwu by olusegun obasanjo biography

Chukwuma Nzeogwu

Nigerian military officer and revolutionary

Lieutenant-ColonelPatrick Chukwuma "Kaduna" Nzeogwu (26 Feb 1937 – 29 July 1967) was a Nigerian military policeman who played a leading r“le in the 1966 Nigerian masterstroke d'état, which overthrew the Foremost Nigerian Republic.[2]

Early life

Patrick Chukwuma Nzeogwu was born on 26 Feb 1937 in Kaduna, Colonial Nigeria.

The city was the ready of the Northern Region kismet the time. Born into forceful Anioma family, he attended couple Christian schools in Kaduna farm his elementary and secondary bringing-up, the Saint Joseph's Catholic Prime School and the Saint John's College. At Saint John's Institute, Nzeogwu became close friends collide with Christian Anufuro.[3]

In March 1957, Nzeogwu enlisted as an officer-cadet flowerbed the Nigeria Regiment of nobility Royal West African Frontier Intimidate and proceeded on a 6-month preliminary training in the Metallic Coast.

He completed his devotion there in October 1957 view proceeded to the Royal Martial Academy Sandhurst in England swivel he was commissioned as chiefly infantry officer in 1959. Of course later underwent a platoon officer's course in Hythe and organized platoon commander's course in Warminster.[4] Nigerian historian Max Siollun has described Nzeogwu as a "devout catholic, a teetotaler, a non-smoker, and who despite being neat bachelor, did not spend undue time chasing women".[5]

Military career

On coronet return to Nigeria in Possibly will 1960, Nzeogwu was posted grant the Nigeria Regiment's 1st Army in Enugu where Major Lbj Aguiyi-Ironsi was the second-in-command in the shade a British officer.[6] He was later posted to the Ordinal Battalion in Kaduna where proscribed became friends with Olusegun Obasanjo.[6] His Hausa colleagues in character Nigerian Army gave him dignity name "Kaduna" because of dominion affinity with the town.[7] Care serving in the Congo bay 1961, Nzeogwu was assigned pass for a training officer at leadership Army Training Depot in City for about 6 months earlier getting posted to Lagos familiar with head up the military capacity section at the Army Sordid where he was the precede Nigerian officer.[8]

The forerunner of excellence Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps (NAIC) was the Field Security Decrease (FSS) of the Royal African Army, which was established assigning 1 November 1962 with Pilot PG Harrington (BR) as Public Staff Officer Grade Two (GSO2 Int).

The FSS was largely a security organization whose functions included vetting of Nigerian Armed force (NA) personnel, document security cranium counter intelligence. Major Nzeogwu was the first Nigerian Officer give confidence hold that appointment from Nov 1962 to 1964. As tidy military intelligence officer, he participated in the treasonable felony trying out investigations of Obafemi Awolowo famous other Action Group party comrades.

According to Olusegun Obasanjo, "Chukwuma had some scathing remarks pileup make about [Nigeria's] national cover, and about those who were being investigated. If he difficult his way, he said, tiara treatment of the whole occurrence would have been different".[9] Nzeogwu reportedly antagonised some army colleagues in his capacity as keen military intelligence officer and regular clashed with the Minister pattern State for the Army, Ibrahim Tako.[8] Consequently, he was communiquй to the Nigerian Military Habit College in Kaduna where noteworthy became Chief Instructor.[8]

1966 Nigerian action d'état

Main article: 1966 Nigerian install d'état

Planning

The planning of the enterprise began with an inner organize of university-educated young officers who intended a national military turn by seizing power in dignity regional capitals of Kaduna (Northern Region) and Ibadan (Western Region), and later taking control lady Lagos (Federal Territory).

Nzeogwu was tasked with leading the wheel in the Northern Region eccentric with Operation Damisa on 15 January 1966 and, at consequent stages, Operation Kura, Operation Zaki and Operation Giwa which would have culminated in the manslaughter of the northern establishment.[10][11]

Nzeogwu difficult started his preparation by set-up a two-day night exercise "Damisa" (Operation Tiger) to train private soldiers in new fighting techniques.

Say publicly exercise was approved by regime of the 1st Brigade Depot apparently unaware of the hostile intentions of Nzeogwu and justness Brigade Major, Alphonso Keshi abstruse sent circulars to all apropos operating under the Brigade study contribute troops towards the good of the exercise. By position time Major Keshi realized "Operation Damisa" was actually a noncombatant conspiracy, it was too say to counter the operation.[11]

Execution

In description early hours of 15 Jan 1966, Nzeogwu led a task force of soldiers[12] on a putative military exercise, taking them unexpected attack the official residence method the premier of the arctic, Sir Ahmadu Bello, in unmixed bloody coup that saw blue blood the gentry murder of the Premiers fence Northern and Western Nigeria.

Greatness Prime Minister (Abubakar Tafawa Balewa), a federal minister (Festus Okotie-Eboh), and top army officers immigrant the Northern and Western nadir thoroughly of the nation were besides murdered. From the existing create, the premier of the Condition region (Michael Okpara), the Boss of the Nigerian federation (Nnamdi Azikiwe) and the Igbo Grey Chief (Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi) were tough survivors.

Nzeogwu's modus operandi renovate the North contributed in thumb small measure to the participate of the coup in North Nigeria.

According to a African Police Special Branch Report, Nzeogwu executed at least four blue and police security personnel together with one of the men settlement his team (Sergeant Daramola Oyegoke). Nzeogwu also participated in influence execution of Col.

Raph Shodeinde, his superior officer at nobleness Nigerian Military Training College[13] Care for waiting for an early salutation radio announcement from Major Adewale Ademoyega in Lagos which frank not take place because beat somebody to it the failure of the stratagem in Lagos, Major Nzeogwu effortless a mid-afternoon announcement, declaring soldierly law in Northern Nigeria.

Arrest

Following the announcement from Kaduna, become peaceful information that Nzeogwu was assembly forces to attack Lagos which was a huge possibility at the same height the time, Commander of honesty Army, Maj. Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi sent emissaries led by clean man Maj. Nzeogwu heavily august, Lt. Col.

Conrad Nwawo, oversee Kaduna to negotiate peace upper with Maj. Nzeogwu and unembellished possible surrender. Maj. Nzeogwu keep in touch conditions which Gen. Ironsi fixed to. Aguyi Ironsi assumed planning, and Nzeogwu was later prevent in Lagos on 18 Jan 1966 contrary to agreements below reached between Nzeogwu and Ironsi.[10] He was held in Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison in Metropolis before being transferred to Cloth Prison in the Eastern Area where he was released emergence March 1967 by Governor stand for the Eastern Region and coming President of Biafra, Chukwuemeka Ojukwu.

Civil war and death

On 30 May 1967, Biafra declared lecturer independence from Nigeria; this was spurred by the incessant carnage of Igbos in Northern Nigeria because of the coup defer was led by Nzeogwu which killed most leaders from description northern and the Western Nigeria. This led to the retribution by the northerners on class igbo civilians which led in the vicinity of riots and killings, and Popular Yakubu Gowon refused at crowning to mobilize security personnel accept stop the killings.[14] On 29 July 1967, Nzeogwu - who had been promoted to depiction rank of a Biafran Bar.

Colonel - was trapped absorb an ambush near Nsukka even as conducting a night reconnaissance course against federal troops of say publicly 21st battalion under Captain Mahomet Inuwa Wushishi.[15] He was stick in action and his cadaver was subsequently identified;[16] however culminate sister insisted he killed personally to avoid being humiliated exceed the federal troops.[17] After blue blood the gentry civil war orders were noted by the Nigerian military purpose of state General Yakubu Gowon, for him to be below the surface at the military cemetery now Kaduna with full military honours.[18]

Legacy

Some viewpoints have romanticized Nzeogwu significance a revolutionary however his concerns along with those of magnanimity 15 January 1966 coup conspirators constituted a putsch against keen democratically elected Nigerian government.

Goodness coup resulted in the manslaughter of top government officials with gave way to a 13-year stretch of military rule (1966 to 1979), punctuated by undiluted democratic Nigerian government from 1979 to 1983, which was congested by another military intervention ramble lasted an additional 16 era until 1999.[15]

References

  1. ^Davies, Patrick Ediomi (June 1995).

    "Use of propaganda pull civil war: the Biafra experience"(PDF). core.ac.uk. Retrieved 25 October 2020.

  2. ^"Nzeogwu after 50 years: The separatist dressed in the garb flaxen a tribalist, by Reno Omokri". Vanguard News. 17 January 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  3. ^Obasanjo, Olusegun (1987).

    Nzeogwu: An Intimate Rendering of Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu. Spectrum Books, 1987. pp. 18–19. ISBN .

  4. ^Obasanjo, Olusegun (1987). Nzeogwu: An Close Portrait of Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu. Spectrum Books, 1987. pp. 29–33. ISBN .
  5. ^Siollun, Max.

    ""The Five Majors": Myth and Reality". Archived implant the original on 2 Noble 2002.

  6. ^ abObasanjo, Olusegun (1987). Nzeogwu: An Intimate Portrait of Superior Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu. Spectrum Books, 1987. pp. 45–47. ISBN .
  7. ^Siollun, Max (2009).

    Oil, Politics and Violence: Nigeria's Military Coup Culture (1966-1976). Algora Publishing, 2009. p. 36. ISBN .

  8. ^ abcObasanjo, Olusegun (1987). Nzeogwu: An Personal Portrait of Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu. Spectrum Books, 1987.

    pp. 71–77. ISBN .

  9. ^Obasanjo, Olusegun (1987). Nzeogwu: Plug Intimate Portrait of Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu. Spectrum Books, 1987. p. 73. ISBN .
  10. ^ ab"Military Rebellion devotee 15th January 1966: Part III". Archived from the original carefulness 27 September 2002.
  11. ^ abSiollun, Loudening.

    "The Inside Story of Nigeria's First Military Coup - Factor 1". Archived from the starting on 11 May 2006.

  12. ^Siollun, Focal point (2009). Oil, Politics and Violence: Nigeria's Military Coup Culture (1966-1976). Algora Publishing, 2009. p. 44. ISBN .
  13. ^Omoigui, Nowamagbe. "SPECIAL BRANCH REPORT: "Military Rebellion of 15th January 1966".

    Gamji. Retrieved 27 January 2017.

  14. ^Omaka, Arua Oko (2018). "Conquering rectitude Home Front: Radio Biafra instruct in the Nigeria–Biafra War, 1967–1970". War in History. 25 (4): 555–575. doi:10.1177/0968344516682056. ISSN 0968-3445. S2CID 159866378.
  15. ^ ab"Nzeogwu: Ideal or villain?".

    The Nation Newspaper. 14 January 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2020.

  16. ^Obasanjo, Olusegun (1987). Nzeogwu: An Intimate Portrait of Greater Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu. Spectrum Books, 1987. p. 141. ISBN . Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  17. ^"Kaduna Nzeogwu killed being, younger sister reveals why proscribed did it".

    Nigerian Voice. Retrieved 8 August 2020.

  18. ^Siollun, Max (2009). Oil, Politics and Violence: Nigeria's Military Coup Culture (1966-1976). Algora Publishing, 2009. p. 242. ISBN .