The Truth of the Jan. 15th 1966 Coup the Civil War must be told

 

by Chukwuemeka Onyesoh

This is my reaction to Dele Sobowole writing on page 10 of Vanguard of Sunday Dec. 16, 2012 endorsing the submissions of Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola at the 2012 Achebe Colloquim at Providence, Rhode Island, USA appealing to Nigerians to let bye-gone be bye-gone.

 In my own understanding that Nigerians should let the official lies told by the Federal Government of Nigeria on the 15th Jan 1966 coup & the 1967 to 1970 civil war. 

Subject: The Truth of the Jan. 15th 1966 Coup the Civil War must be told:

I admire your writings but do not agree with you that the truth of the 1966 coup & subsequent civil war should be swept under the carpet. 

 In all civilised climes the history of all wars are recorded and taught in schools. Nigeria cannot do so because their version of events are highly questionable and cannot stand the simplest verification test. EG: Nigeria branded Jan. 15th 1966 coup, an Igbo coup. If it was, how come Igbo officers largely foiled the coup? 

Gen Ironsi, Lt-Cols Hilary Njoku & Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Oj ukwu, Major John Obienu (Igbo) who refused to release the ferrets & saladeens stationed at Abeokuta which would have crushed Ironsi & Njoku's resistance, Lt-Col Arthur Unegbe - QMG NA who refused to open the armoury for Major Ifeajuna & co. for the coup & was killed in that coup. 

Odumegwu Ojukwu was the Commander of the 5th battalion based in Kano but refused to co-operate with Nzeogwu in that Jan. 1966 coup and denied Nzeogwu access to Kano airport & Central Bank. I have not come across any record of any Yoruba or Northern Officer whose role between 15th and 20th Jan. 1966 would have stopped that coup. It must be shown that Nigeria is telling lies against Ndigbo. 

2. Obasanjo - an arch Igbo hater & pseudo-nationalist declared Major Chuma K. Nzeogwu a most patriotic Nigerian nationalist in his 1987 book. Evidence available suggest that if Nzeogwu succeeded with his Jan. 1966 coup, he would have done better for Nigeria than Rawlings did for Ghana. 

All of these need to be documented & highlighted and honour, however belated,  given to whoever it is due, even if it is post-humus. 

The indicators are that most of Nigeria's heroes are villains.

No country can survive on falsehood. The truth must be told. There must be genuine historical records which historians can test & teach.

Work in Progress. 

Emeka Onyesoh