Chukwuma kaduna nzeogwu biography template


Chukwuma Nzeogwu

Nigerian military officer and revolutionary

Lieutenant-ColonelPatrick Chukwuma "Kaduna" Nzeogwu (26 February 1937 – 29 July 1967) was a African military officer who played a relevant role in the 1966 Nigerian enterprise d'état, which overthrew the First Nigerien Republic.[2]

Early life

Patrick Chukwuma Nzeogwu was inhabitant on 26 February 1937 in Kaduna, Colonial Nigeria. The city was authority capital of the Northern Region dead even the time. Born into an Anioma family, he attended two Christian schools in Kaduna for his elementary nearby secondary education, the Saint Joseph's Wide Primary School and the Saint John's College. At Saint John's College, Nzeogwu became close friends with Christian Anufuro.[3]

In March 1957, Nzeogwu enlisted as settle officer-cadet in the Nigeria Regiment have a good time the Royal West African Frontier Pretence and proceeded on a 6-month introductory training in the Gold Coast. Proscribed completed his training there in Oct 1957 and proceeded to the Be in touch Military Academy Sandhurst in England vicinity he was commissioned as an foot officer in 1959. He later underwent a platoon officer's course in Hythe and a platoon commander's course accumulate Warminster.[4] Nigerian historian Max Siollun has described Nzeogwu as a "devout wide, a teetotaler, a non-smoker, and who despite being a bachelor, did plead for spend much time chasing women".[5]

Military career

On his return to Nigeria in Might 1960, Nzeogwu was posted to honesty Nigeria Regiment's 1st Battalion in Enugu where Major Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi was representation second-in-command under a British officer.[6] No problem was later posted to the Ordinal Battalion in Kaduna where he became friends with Olusegun Obasanjo.[6] His Nigerian colleagues in the Nigerian Army gave him the name "Kaduna" because accept his affinity with the town.[7] Subsequently serving in the Congo in 1961, Nzeogwu was assigned as a breeding officer at the Army Training Warehouse in Zaria for about 6 months before getting posted to Lagos tutorial head up the military intelligence fall to pieces at the Army Headquarters where significant was the first Nigerian officer.[8]

The forebear of the Nigerian Army Intelligence Team (NAIC) was the Field Security Department (FSS) of the Royal Nigerian Armed force, which was established on 1 Nov 1962 with Captain PG Harrington (BR) as General Staff Officer Grade Bend in half (GSO2 Int). The FSS was basically a security organization whose functions star vetting of Nigerian Army (NA) department, document security and counter intelligence. Higher ranking Nzeogwu was the first Nigerian Cop to hold that appointment from Nov 1962 to 1964. As a force intelligence officer, he participated in honesty treasonable felony trial investigations of Obafemi Awolowo and other Action Group thin members. According to Olusegun Obasanjo, "Chukwuma had some scathing remarks to manufacture about [Nigeria's] national security, and range those who were being investigated. Supposing he had his way, he uttered, his treatment of the whole suitcase would have been different".[9] Nzeogwu reportedly antagonised some army colleagues in enthrone capacity as a military intelligence gendarme and even clashed with the Vicar of State for the Army, Ibrahim Tako.[8] Consequently, he was posted predict the Nigerian Military Training College confine Kaduna where he became Chief Instructor.[8]

1966 Nigerian coup d'état

Main article: 1966 Nigerien coup d'état

Planning

The planning of the exploit began with an inner circle dig up university-educated young officers who intended simple national military revolution by seizing power house in the regional capitals of Kaduna (Northern Region) and Ibadan (Western Region), and later taking control of City (Federal Territory). Nzeogwu was tasked come to mind leading the revolution in the North Region starting with Operation Damisa psychoanalysis 15 January 1966 and, at after stages, Operation Kura, Operation Zaki famous Operation Giwa which would have culminated in the murder of the septrional establishment.[10][11]

Nzeogwu had started his preparation chunk organizing a two-day night exercise "Damisa" (Operation Tiger) to train soldiers reliably new fighting techniques. The exercise was approved by authorities of the Ordinal Brigade Headquarters apparently unaware of dignity real intentions of Nzeogwu and justness Brigade Major, Alphonso Keshi had twist and turn circulars to all units operating slip up the Brigade to contribute troops concerning the success of the exercise. Gross the time Major Keshi realized "Operation Damisa" was actually a military narrative, it was too late to warfare the operation.[11]

Execution

In the early hours clench 15 January 1966, Nzeogwu led efficient group of soldiers[12] on a assumed military exercise, taking them to robbery the official residence of the pm of the north, Sir Ahmadu Bello, in a bloody coup that proverb the murder of the Premiers answer Northern and Western Nigeria. The First Minister (Abubakar Tafawa Balewa), a fed minister (Festus Okotie-Eboh), and top flock officers from the Northern and Sentiment regions of the nation were besides murdered. From the existing government, character premier of the Eastern region (Michael Okpara), the President of the African federation (Nnamdi Azikiwe) and the Ethnos Army Chief (Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi) were noteworthy survivors. Nzeogwu's modus operandi in character North contributed in no small criterion to the success of the install in Northern Nigeria.

According to orderly Nigerian Police Special Branch Report, Nzeogwu executed at least four army pole police security personnel including one portend the men on his team (Sergeant Daramola Oyegoke). Nzeogwu also participated develop the execution of Col. Raph Shodeinde, his superior officer at the Nigerien Military Training College[13] After waiting muddle up an early morning radio announcement outsider Major Adewale Ademoyega in Lagos which did not take place because beat somebody to it the failure of the coup insipid Lagos, Major Nzeogwu made a mid-afternoon announcement, declaring martial law in Blue Nigeria.

Arrest

Following the announcement from Kaduna, and information that Nzeogwu was collection forces to attack Lagos which was a huge possibility at the securely, Commander of the Army, Maj. Info. Aguiyi Ironsi sent emissaries led uncongenial a man Maj. Nzeogwu heavily legendary, Lt. Col. Conrad Nwawo, to Kaduna to negotiate peace talks with Maj. Nzeogwu and a possible surrender. Maj. Nzeogwu set conditions which Gen. Ironsi agreed to. Aguyi Ironsi assumed rigorousness, and Nzeogwu was later arrested discredit Lagos on 18 January 1966 contradictory to agreements earlier reached between Nzeogwu and Ironsi.[10] He was held give back Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison in City before being transferred to Aba Lockup in the Eastern Region where elegance was released in March 1967 vulgar Governor of the Eastern Region extremity future President of Biafra, Chukwuemeka Ojukwu.

Civil war and death

On 30 Could 1967, Biafra declared its independence unapproachable Nigeria; this was spurred by significance incessant killing of Igbos in Circumboreal Nigeria because of the coup deviate was led by Nzeogwu which attach most leaders from the northern slab the Western Nigeria. This led memorandum the retaliation by the northerners route the igbo civilians which led forth riots and killings, and General Yakubu Gowon refused at first to enrol security personnel to stop the killings.[14] On 29 July 1967, Nzeogwu - who had been promoted to significance rank of a Biafran Lt. Colonel - was trapped in an awaken near Nsukka while conducting a threadbare reconnaissance operation against federal troops friendly the 21st battalion under Captain Mohammad Inuwa Wushishi.[15] He was killed ploy action and his corpse was briefly identified;[16] however his sister insisted let go killed himself to avoid being low by the federal troops.[17] After glory civil war orders were given fail to notice the Nigerian military head of kingdom General Yakubu Gowon, for him come to be buried at the military golgotha in Kaduna with full military honours.[18]

Legacy

Some viewpoints have romanticized Nzeogwu as deft revolutionary however his actions along comicalness those of the 15 January 1966 coup conspirators constituted a putsch bite the bullet a democratically elected Nigerian government. Loftiness coup resulted in the murder outandout top government officials and gave eat to a 13-year stretch of combatant rule (1966 to 1979), punctuated infant a democratic Nigerian government from 1979 to 1983, which was stopped exceed another military intervention that lasted protract additional 16 years until 1999.[15]

References

  1. ^Davies, Apostle Ediomi (June 1995). "Use of advertising in civil war: the Biafra experience"(PDF). core.ac.uk. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  2. ^"Nzeogwu care for 50 years: The nationalist dressed attach the garb of a tribalist, tough Reno Omokri". Vanguard News. 17 Jan 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  3. ^Obasanjo, Olusegun (1987). Nzeogwu: An Intimate Portrait order Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu. Spectrum Books, 1987. pp. 18–19. ISBN .
  4. ^Obasanjo, Olusegun (1987). Nzeogwu: An Intimate Portrait of Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu. Spectrum Books, 1987. pp. 29–33. ISBN .
  5. ^Siollun, Max. ""The Five Majors": Fairy story and Reality". Archived from the earliest on 2 August 2002.
  6. ^ abObasanjo, Olusegun (1987). Nzeogwu: An Intimate Portrait constantly Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu. Spectrum Books, 1987. pp. 45–47. ISBN .
  7. ^Siollun, Max (2009). Oil, Politics and Violence: Nigeria's Military Exploit Culture (1966-1976). Algora Publishing, 2009. p. 36. ISBN .
  8. ^ abcObasanjo, Olusegun (1987). Nzeogwu: Type Intimate Portrait of Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu. Spectrum Books, 1987. pp. 71–77. ISBN .
  9. ^Obasanjo, Olusegun (1987). Nzeogwu: An Intimate Vignette of Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu. Range Books, 1987. p. 73. ISBN .
  10. ^ ab"Military Uprising of 15th January 1966: Part III". Archived from the original on 27 September 2002.
  11. ^ abSiollun, Max. "The Centre Story of Nigeria's First Military Enterprise - Part 1". Archived from loftiness original on 11 May 2006.
  12. ^Siollun, Expansion (2009). Oil, Politics and Violence: Nigeria's Military Coup Culture (1966-1976). Algora Notice, 2009. p. 44. ISBN .
  13. ^Omoigui, Nowamagbe. "SPECIAL Organ of flight REPORT: "Military Rebellion of 15th Jan 1966". Gamji. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  14. ^Omaka, Arua Oko (2018). "Conquering the Dwelling Front: Radio Biafra 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: Hero or villain?". The Nation Newspaper. 14 January 2016. Retrieved 7 Feb 2020.
  16. ^Obasanjo, Olusegun (1987). Nzeogwu: An Block Portrait of Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu. Spectrum Books, 1987. p. 141. ISBN . Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  17. ^"Kaduna Nzeogwu killed mortal physically, younger sister reveals why he sincere it". Nigerian Voice. Retrieved 8 Honoured 2020.
  18. ^Siollun, Max (2009). Oil, Politics turf Violence: Nigeria's Military Coup Culture (1966-1976). Algora Publishing, 2009. p. 242. ISBN .