By Great Imo Jonathan
After Ojy’s interview on Arise Television with Peter Obi, where she attempted to reinvent the propaganda and lies that followed the 1966 coup, I thought it was time to make it clear that we the young Igbo generation will not answer to such lies and propaganda again.
The rapid turn of events leading to 1966 coup and the successive events after made it impossible for people to settle down to understand what was happening and to decipher the truth from the lies. In the heat of that moment, some destructive elements home and abroad, who had a hiden agenda to cause bloodshed and deconstruction of Nigeria jumped on the mistakes made and manipulated Nigeria into its downward spiral.
Until date Nigeria has not recovered from it. But what is worst is that Nigerians have been so cowardly about that event and have refused to interrogate what truly happened. Especially those who thought the outcome of the crisis favoured them politically. They continued to push the false and negative narrative. Rather than make Nigeria better it has destroyed the nation further.
Unfortunately we have unpatriotic journalists and some hateful agents on social media driving it notwithstanding. Even when there is now alternative facts to the lies we have been told over the years.
To the journalists who keep asking us “what do you thinks about the 1966 coup” and framing it as an “Igbo coup” where “Igbos killed Sardauna Ahmadu Bello and should not be allowed to lead”, this generation of young Igbos takes strong exception to that.
That narrative is a lie and propaganda weaponized for political manipulation. It has done enough damage to Nigeria. Continuing to recycle it is dangerous to the future and progress of Nigeria. If we keep using ethnic hatred to settle political scores, it will be catastrophic for the country in future.
We, this generation of young Igbo people, reject that labelling. We will not keep answering questions built on lies, ethnic hatred planted by a few people, and used for electoral manipulation.
The historical record is clear: 1966 was not an Igbo coup. Nigeria deserves better conversations than this in 2026.
It was understandable that in 1966 there were about 40 majors in the Nigerian army and about 24 of them were Igbo. They were outstanding officers who rose to the rank based on British established qualifications and not through favouritism. So the preponderance of Igbo majors who got involved in the failed revolution of 1966 was high going by their numbers in that rank. Hence, Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, from present day South South, Emmanuel Ifeajuna, Timothy Onwuatuegwu, Donatus Okafor, Humphrey Chukwuka, Chris Anuforo, Ben Gbulie, Ogbu Ogi, K.D.O. Okafor, J.N. Obienu, M.O. Egbunike, R. Egbiko, Arthur Unegbe, and Lt. Nwokedi.
Aside Benjamin Franklin Adekunle who was said to be in the shadows directing affairs of the coup, there were other Yorubas and people from other regions actively involved in the execution. Including Major Adewale Ademoyega- Yoruba. Abiola Akintorin_ Yoruba. Captain Ganiyu (G.) Adeleke – Yoruba. Lieutenant Fola Oyewole – Yoruba. Lieutenant O. Olafemiyan -Yoruba. 2nd Lieutenant John Atom Kpera -Tiv Northern minority / Middle Belt. 2nd Lieutenant Saleh Dambo–Hausa. 2nd lieutenant Harris Hope Eghagha–Urhobo Mid-West minority. 2nd Lieutenant Patrick Ibik–/Mid-West. Lieutenant Dag Waribor– Ijaw (Niger Delta.
Recent counter narratives from those who have ruled Nigeria and who are in possessions of sensitive national records and secret informations about Nigeria have exposed the lies. They were propaganda that was built around the coup against Ndi Igbo over the years. Men like IBB Gen. Ishola Williams, Gen. T. Y Danjuma, Gen. Galma and many others who are high profile Nigerian leaders who served in various governments over the years have debunked the lies of 1966 coup being an Igbo coup.
In his autobiography “A Journey In Service” launched Feb 2025, IBB devoted a chapter to 1966. In his key point he said calling it “Igbo coup” is wrong because the coup had officers of different ethnic backgrounds and the grievance was about corruption and election rigging in 1964/65, not ethnicity. He said the narrative of Igbo coup was weaponized later to justify the July 1966 counter-coup. In IBB’s own words, “There was no basis for labeling the January 1966 coup an Igbo coup.”
Retired Maj Gen Ishola Williams has also given multiple interviews 2023-2024 on Arise TV, Channels, and in written pieces to debunk the lies. He maintained that “the coup was ideological and pan-Nigerian, influenced by Awoism and university radicalism, not an ethnic plot.
Meanwhile General Galma alleged that Lt. Col. Francis Adekunle Fajuyi, then Military Governor of Western Region, had prior knowledge and sympathy for the plotters. His argument: Fajuyi was Yoruba. If a top Yoruba officer was involved, it debunks the “Igbo only” claim.
He also used Fajuyi’s death in July 1966 shielding Gen. Aguiyi-Ironsi as proof of cross-ethnic loyalty.
General Galma said that based on “insider military discussions” years later the ideology behind the coup came from Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s criticisms of the First Republic as corrupt and “a 10% society”.
Many of the young majors, especially those who passed through University of Ibadan, were admirers of Awolowo. With Awolowo jailed in Calabar in 1963, the coup was to “clean up” and pave way for his ideas. He calls it “Awoist in orientation” but not directed by Awolowo himself.
Galma broke down this way to establish that the coup wasn’t ethnic: Maj. Emmanuel Ifeajuna was married to Rose, a Yoruba woman. Ifeajuna was a founding member of the Pyrates Confraternity at UI in 1952 alongside Wole Soyinka, Ralph Opara, and others. It started as an anti-tribalism campus club. Both Wole Soyinka and Ifeajuna were awoists to the core. It was actually Ifeajuna that recruited many other Igbo Majors.
Ifeajuna frequented Ikenne, Awolowo’s town, and was ideologically close to Awo’s circle. Ifeajuna was a leftist pan-Nigerian nationalist and he recruited Nzeogwu into the coup. Nzeoguw only handled Kaduna end. He was literally a northerner without much knowledge of Igbo land but he was a revolutionary.
In conclusion the coup was by “young, educated, idealistic officers” angry at corruption. Because plotters included Igbo, Yoruba, and Middle Belt officers, and because they targeted politicians across regions, ethnicity was not the motive.
Prof. Wole Soyinka has repeatedly said the coup was “not tribal”. He confirms Ifeajuna was a Pyrate and campus radical, not an ethnic champion. Gen. Alani Akinrinade, Gen. TY Danjuma, Chief Emeka Anyaoku all in various 2024 forums said the “Igbo coup” tag was a post-coup propaganda that led to the July counter-coup and 1966 pogroms.
IBB, Galma and others have said “Don’t reduce 1966 to ethnicity. It was a failed attempt at a national cleansing by junior officers against corruption, and influenced by the political ideas of the time including Awolowo’s. Labeling it ‘Igbo’ is what fueled the revenge killings.”
If you can dispute these former Nigerian leaders please come with your receipts. But please leave your cheap propaganda and dirty ethnic biase behind.
Great Imo Jonathan
