L
LequteMan
Guest
REMEMBRANCE DAY: On January the 15th, 1966, precisely fifty years ago, Nigeria socio-political and economic landscape was changed for good.
It was the day a group of mutinous officers in the Nigerian Army, led by Major Kaduna Chukwuma Nzeogwu, staged the country’s first coup d’etat, leading to the assassination of key Nigerian leaders, senior officers in the army, and the abduction of three others.
The events of the day set off the collapse of the First Republic and resulted in a counter-coup six months later. It also led to the Nigerian Civil War, and ushered in 30 years of military interventions in Nigerian politics from which the country is yet to fully recover.
The following notable Nigerian leaders were killed:
The Premier of the Northern Region and Sarduana of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello;
The Premier of the Western Region, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola.
Prime Minister of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, ( he was abducted and his dead body was discovered six days later at a roadside in Lagos. )
Nigeria's first Finance Minister Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh (same fate with Tafawa Balewa)
Brig-Gen. Samuel Ademulegun and his wife,
Brig-Gen. Zakariya Maimalari,
Col. Kur Mohammed,
Col. Shodeinde
Lt.-Col. Abogo Largema.
It was the day a group of mutinous officers in the Nigerian Army, led by Major Kaduna Chukwuma Nzeogwu, staged the country’s first coup d’etat, leading to the assassination of key Nigerian leaders, senior officers in the army, and the abduction of three others.
The events of the day set off the collapse of the First Republic and resulted in a counter-coup six months later. It also led to the Nigerian Civil War, and ushered in 30 years of military interventions in Nigerian politics from which the country is yet to fully recover.
The following notable Nigerian leaders were killed:
The Premier of the Northern Region and Sarduana of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello;
The Premier of the Western Region, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola.
Prime Minister of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, ( he was abducted and his dead body was discovered six days later at a roadside in Lagos. )
Nigeria's first Finance Minister Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh (same fate with Tafawa Balewa)
Brig-Gen. Samuel Ademulegun and his wife,
Brig-Gen. Zakariya Maimalari,
Col. Kur Mohammed,
Col. Shodeinde
Lt.-Col. Abogo Largema.
