Nigerians have been given fresh insight into the events leading up to the 1966 coup, as lawyer and political analyst Kenneth Okonkwo recently shared details of a conversation involving Major General Olufemi Olutoye (retired), the Alani of Idoani. According to Okonkwo, General Olutoye recounted an interaction he had with Major Kaduna Nzeogwu in 1964 while both men were in India. During their discussion, Olutoye asked Nzeogwu who he and his fellow coup planners intended to install as Nigeria’s leader if their plan to overthrow the government succeeded.
In response, Nzeogwu reportedly stated that they had chosen Chief Obafemi Awolowo, believing he possessed the knowledge, leadership qualities, and vision required to guide Nigeria toward a brighter future. This revelation has sparked renewed interest in the historical events surrounding the coup and the motivations of its key figures.
Speaking in a video shared by Symfoni TV, Okonkwo emphasized that General Olutoye’s account provides a deeper understanding of the mindset of those involved in the coup. He quoted the retired general, who had been a major at the time, saying: “Don’t take my words for it, take the words of the Alani of Idoani, Major General Olufemi Olutoye (rtd). He was a major in 1964 when he met Major Kaduna Nzeogwu in India. These were his words. He said he asked Nzeogwu who do you want to pick to lead the nation if you succeed in a coup. He said they want to pick a man who was more knowledgeable than they were and who had what it took to make Nigeria great and that man was Awolowo.”
This statement has reignited discussions about what might have been if the coup had succeeded and Awolowo had assumed leadership. Awolowo, a prominent political figure, was known for his progressive policies, including free education, economic development strategies, and his vision for a united and prosperous Nigeria. However, at the time of the coup, he was serving a prison sentence due to political tensions in the First Republic.
The 1966 coup, led by Nzeogwu and other military officers, set off a chain of events that ultimately reshaped Nigeria’s political landscape. Following the coup, a counter-coup and a series of political conflicts led to military rule and, eventually, the Nigerian Civil War. Some analysts believe that had Awolowo been placed in power as originally intended, Nigeria’s history might have taken a different course, potentially avoiding some of the crises that followed. Others argue that the ethnic and regional tensions of the time would have made his leadership just as challenging.
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