The narrative surrounding Nigeria’s first military coup of January 1966 has been steeped in controversy, misinformation, and politically motivated distortions. For decades, a dominant view has persisted: that the coup was an Igbo-led conspiracy to seize power and subjugate other ethnic groups, particularly the North. However, emerging accounts, including A Journey in Service revelations, a book written by former head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida presents a compelling argument that challenges this perception.
The book reaffirmed a crucial fact that was known by many who are objective in viewpoints. While many of the January 1966 coup plotters were of Igbo origin, the coup itself was not an “Igbo coup.” The mastermind, Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, was not an ethnic nationalist; he was a military officer raised in Kaduna, fluent in Hausa, and more culturally aligned with the North than with the Igbo heartland. Additionally, the coup had participation from non-Igbo officers, including Yoruba officers like Major Adewale Ademoyega and others .
A key revelation is that the coup’s primary targets were not chosen based on ethnicity but rather on their perceived role in Nigeria’s political corruption. Sir Ahmadu Bello and Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa were assassinated, but so was Lt-Col. Arthur Unegbe, an Igbo officer, gunned down by a fellow Igbo plotter for refusing to cooperate . Furthermore, the coup aimed to free Chief Obafemi Awolowo and install him as Nigeria’s leader, which further disproves the claim that it was meant to establish Igbo dominance .
If this coup had truly been an Igbo attempt to take over Nigeria, why were some of the most prominent Igbo officers, including General Aguiyi-Ironsi, not part of the planning? And why did the counter-coup of July 1966, which was explicitly anti-Igbo, lead to the massacre of thousands of Igbo civilians across Northern Nigeria, not tagged a “Northern Coup”? These are questions that have long been ignored in the mainstream narrative.
The counter-coup that followed in July 1966 was not just a reaction to the January coup; it was an ethnically motivated purge. Igbo officers were specifically targeted, and what began as a military power struggle escalated into the mass killing of Igbo civilians in Northern cities. These events ultimately fueled the secession of Biafra and the Nigerian Civil War .
The importance of these revelations cannot be overstated. Nigeria’s history has been shaped by distorted narratives that continue to fuel ethnic distrust and division. Recognizing that the 1966 coup was not an “Igbo coup” but rather a “misguided nationalistic intervention” allows for a more honest reckoning with history. It is time to lay to rest the propaganda that has vilified an entire ethnic group for the actions of a few young, idealistic military officers.
As Nigeria continues its struggle for national unity, a re-examination of its historical truths is imperative. Only through truth and reconciliation can the nation move beyond the ghosts of 1966 and toward a future of mutual understanding and collective progress.
Written by Maazi Tochukwu Ezeoke, MD/CEO of Njenje Media Group.
