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British secret files on Nigeria’s first bloody coup, path to Biafra

The 31-year-old Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna was the brain behind the Revolution. He studied zoology for 4 years at Ibadan University and graduated with a B.Sc before being commissioned into the army in 1961.

At the age of 20, he brought glory to the nation when at the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, he won Nigeria’s first ever gold medal at any international games and set a new record in high jump. He refused to wear the athletes’ spiked boots or any shoe at all for the run-up competitions.

At Vancouver, in front of the international cameras, he was persuaded to wear the boots. As a compromise, he wore a boot only on one leg and jumped the highest setting a new world record in high jump and in bizarre outfitting.

Ifeajuna knew he was not born to be ordinary and so was addicted to breaking rules and setting new records. As a charismatic orator and Director of Information at University College Ibadan Students Union, he led the protest against the Queen’s visit to the University in 1956.

Ibadan City was born by dissident soldiers headed by Lagelu among seven hills as a refuge for immigrants fleeing wars in 1829. By 1960, Ibadan had become the most cosmopolitan city in Nigeria.

Being an embodiment of the lure of consistent non-conformism, Ibadan like New York of that time, held an extraordinary collection of flame-headed intellectuals avid for novelty and whose creativity and distinguished activisms enriched the city and the country. There was nowhere in Africa that matched Ibadan’s assemblage of fire then.

There was SG Ikoku who challenged and defeated his own famous father Alvan Ikoku at the Eastern Region Assembly elections of 1956 and then radicalised his new adopted father Chief Obafemi Awolowo into socialism.

There was Anthony Enahoro, Chris Okigbo, John Pepper Clark, Chinua Achebe, Tayo Akpata, Benedict Obumselu, Chike Obi, Wole Soyinka, Sam Agbam, Akin Mabogunje, Bola Ige, Emeka Anyaoku, Elechi Amadi. Ifeajuna was a friend to most of them. He wrote in his manuscript:

“It was at Ibadan also I learnt my third lesson. One morning, workmen arrived in the campus with what looked like burglar grills. In a matter of days, they had sealed off each hall or residence from the outside and turned all into cages. Altogether, they gave the place the look of a zoo, so that students saw themselves as animals on show…Then the students took a decision – the cages would have to come down faster than they had been put up.

But how to do it? Everybody knew what was wanted but they had not or did not know the means and the manner of effecting the change desired and demanded by all.

Each waited for the other to act or simply waited in the hope that something would happen by way of providential intervention.
“At the appointed hour, I and two others met in a hidden rendezvous. We worked out the detailed plans and assembled hammers for the job.

The events which took place a week or so later went according to plan. We called a Union meeting. There were speeches, moving speeches.

Then one of my friends shouted: ‘Down with the cages.’ He led the way to the hammer dump. Before long the cages were down.

At the end of it all a student friend reflecting on the incident made interesting comment that a collection of professors would still be a crowd: a group must have a leader or remain in chaos.

The University College was closed for a term but we made our point. And the lesson that emerged for me from this incident was the need for careful planning before [undergoing] any operation; the chance of success can be said to be proportion to the work put into the planning.”

Ifeajuna informed Okigbo the discussed Revolution was in the works. According to Wole Soyinka, Okigbo informed Achebe and informed him also without going into details. Soyinka was then on trial for allegedly using a gun to persuade the state broadcaster that instead of Akintola’s tape announcing himself as the election winner, his own tape asking Akintola to pack and go was of better value to the people.

He was later freed by Justice Kayode Eso on 12 December 1965.

Ifeajuna was pleased to hear about Okigbo’s friend subversive broadcast. He regarded it as theatre; they were plotting the real stunt.

On the day of this stunt, more than anywhere else in the country, there was great euphoria of vindication in Ibadan as the people leapt around on the streets like compressed chests freed at last from the tyranny of pushdown bras. Ibadan claimed Ifeajuna as one of its very own and Okigbo distilled the joys of that day into his poem Hurray for the Path of Thunder. When Nzeogwu’s voice fountained out like a genie of the lamp amongst some Ibadan intellectuals clustered around their radio at Risikatu’s restaurant, Okigbo was reported to have called for patience, patience, patience. He confidently proclaimed that there was still another voice that would soon follow suit. He was referring to his friend and chief engineer of the Revolution, Major Emmanuel Arinze Ifeajuna born on 3rd March 1934, married to Rose on 16th June 1959 at Lagos Registry in Ikoyi and commissioned into the army on 6th December 1960.

On the night of the coup, after Ifeajuna concluded his address to his fellow mutineers in his sitting room, he led the largest unit comprising 22 soldiers. Reaching Onikan roundabout, he divided them into three groups. One officer, 2/Lt. G. Ezedigbo and 8 NCOs would go to arrest the finance minister, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh who was then the most corrupt politician in the history of Nigeria. Just like the Downing Street model in London, the Prime Minister and Finance Minister lived side-by-side. But they had become respectively like church and state that did not mix.

Another unit comprising 5 NCOs commanded by second warrant officer Onyeacha was left behind to watch over their vehicles and ensure that no other vehicle entered or exited the Onikan roundabout during the course of the operation. Ifeajuna himself commanded the remaining soldiers whose task was to arrest the Prime Minister, Sir Tafawa Balewa Abubakar, the novelist and teacher turned Prime Minister.

Abubakar was widely known to hardly surround himself with guards at home or even when commuting.

He always cautioned his household against striving for the inessential and ostentatious materialism which expressed itself in need for elaborate security measures. Only Abubakar could have a disabled cripple called Inspector Kaftan Topolomiyo from Nangasu in Chad as his head of security. It was only in 1964 that he consented to a supplement ADC, Sgt Maxwell Orukpabo fondly called “the Igbo” in the household.

In February 1963 during a police council meeting with the four regional premiers, the newly restored Western Premier, Akintola proposed a budget for armoured cars for themselves given the security situation in the country. Abubakar softly reprimanded him: “Mr Premier, if I ever thought I would need an armoured car to go anywhere in Nigeria, I would resign.”

In the pornography of corruption called the Nigerian government, Abubakar was a monk. And so Ifeajuna knew his task would be very easy. The soldiers he took to abduct him were service soldiers drawn from Signal Squadron, Lagos Garrison Organisation and Camp. None were combat soldiers.

Around thirty minutes later, without a single shot fired, the cool and soft-spoken Prime Minister emerged from the front gate of his residence untied, gently rattling his prayer beads and was dressed in a white flowing jalabiya and a pair of sandals.

A lifetime of emotional discipline had rendered his signature face docile and unconquerable by fear. The dead silence of the night lent a hallowed majesty to his steps as he advanced towards his Golgotha. Behind him was Ifeajuna and eight other non-combat soldiers with guns drawn. By the time the entourage reached the parked vehicles, Okotie-Eboh his NCNC Finance Minister had been arrested with his hands tied.

Abubakar was assisted into the backseat of Ifeajuna’s luxurious red Mercedes Benz while Okotie Eboh was tossed like a sack of potatoes into the back of the 3 tonner. The convoy drove to report to Federal Guard’s Officer’s Mess.

AHMED MUSA MAKES WINNING DEBUT FOR LEICESTER CITY

The Super Eagles forward was impressive in his first game for the Foxes as they came-back from behind to win at Oxford United on Tuesday
Nigeria striker Ahmed Musa made an impressive debut in Leicester City 2-1 victory over Oxford United in a pre-season match on Tuesday.

Demarai Gray and Jeff Schlupp provided the vitals goals that helped Claudio Raneri's side come from a goal down after Chris Maguire's lead at the Kassam Stadium.

Musa came on in the 61st minute making his first appearance for the Premier League champions alongside fellow new signings Luis Hernandez and Ron-Robert Zieler in the comeback win.
The hosts opened the scoring in the 14th minute through Maguire before Gray leveled in the 28th minute.

The former CSKA Moscow forced Oxford goalkeeper to a save seven minutes after coming on with a thunderous strike from 25 yards out.
Schlupp netted the winner for City in the 69th minute to snatch the victory with the Nigerian showing glimpses of his quality.

The Foxes will next take on Lincoln City on July 21 before facing Mansfield Town four days after and later confront Birmingham City on August 1.
written authority of Goal.com

FG’s exclusive right to JAMB a mistake – ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said that granting Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) the exclusive right to admit students into tertiary institutions is a mistake.

The ASUU president, Biodun Ogunyemi in Abuja on Monday, July 18, said the ban on Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation examination was uncalled for.
Ogunyemi said the mistake made by the Nigerian government by granting JAMB the right to admit students into universities will hunt Nigeria sooner or later.

He said the union believe that the challenges faced by the Post-UTME is not one that cannot be tackled.
Listing the challenges, Ogunyemi said various recommendations should be adopted by the federal government to ensure the re-implementation of Post-UTME into the education system.

To curtail exploitation of parents and candidates, government can improve funding to universities and other tertiary institutions.

“Total implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement especially the funding for the revitalization and other service–related conditions like payment of staff entitlements, registration of Nigerian Universities Pension Management Committee,” he said.

The union also recommended a review of the validity period of UTME or its registrations fees from one to three years to reduce exploitation by JAMB and ensure fairness to candidates.

“ASUU shall never accept policies which violates university autonomy. This is a call to all well-meaning Nigerians to intervene to avert a looming crisis in the Nigerian university system.

Recently, the federal government through the minister of education Adamu Adamu cancelled the Post-UTME usually conducted by tertiary institutions for students who have score 180 and above in JAMB.

Also, just yesterday, Adamu also confirmed the cancellation of National Examination Council common entrance examination usually written by pupils seeking admission into federal government colleges in Nigeria.

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Meet Loois Odumegwu Ojukwu

Meet Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu: Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu's dad.

Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, KBE, (1901-1966) was a businessman from Ojukwus family of Nwakanwa quarters, Obiuno, Umudim, Nnewi, Nnewi North LGA in Anambra state.

Sir Ojukwu was the first and founding President of The Nigerian Stock Exchange as well as President of The African Continental Bank.

He was also either Chairman or on the board of directors of some of Nigeria's most profitable companies such as Shell Oil Nigeria Limited, Guinness Nig. Ltd, Nigerian National Shipping Lines, Nigerian Cement Factory, Nigerian Coal Corporation, Costain West Africa Ltd, John Holt, Nigerian Marketing Board amongst others.

He won a parliamentary seat during the nation's first republic. He attended a primary school in Asaba and the Hope Waddell Institute, Calabar.

He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth 2 of England.

When Queen Elizabeth II visited Nigeria in 1956, the then Federal Government of Nigeria could not afford a Rolls Royce. Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, father of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, offered his to the Nigeria government (see picture as attached).

He died in 1966, a year before the war started.

Buhari Orders The Probe of Ibe Kachikwu

President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly ordered a probe into the tenure of Ibe Kachikwu as Group Managing Director, GMD, of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.

FINANCIAL WATCH reports that the probe follows allegations of favouritism in the allocation of crude oil to certain companies.

A source close to NNPC who spoke under condition of anonymity said the new NNPC GMD,Dr. Maikanti Baru had been directed to look into the allegations in the swap deals involving CEPSA Refinery, IOC Refinery, ENOC and Sara Refinery labelled as major current receivers of Nigeria’s crude

JAMB forwards provisional admission list to institutions

THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has forwarded provisional admission list for 2016/17 admission year to tertiary institutions.

JAMB Registrar, Professor Dibu Ojerinde, in a statement in Abuja, yesterday, explained that the latest list sent to all the tertiary institutions contains names of candidates who qualified for screening based on the individual institutions’ capacity.
“It’s not in any way an admission list,” he warned.

He, however, advised institutions to source from the omnibus printout earlier sent to them by the board, in the event that the list is not sufficient for the need of the insti­tution. The candid intention of the board is to ensure that available spaces are adequately utilised,” he said.

Prof Ojerinde, thus, reminded the public and all tertiary institutions that admission would only be approved by the board after appropriate screening of the candidates by the institutions.