According to The Vanguard, former military head of state, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), was reported to have absolved the Igbo ethnic group of any blame regarding the 1966 military coup. This statement comes nearly six decades after the coup took place.
The 1966 coup led to the removal of the civilian government headed by Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa. Several key political and military figures lost their lives in the process, including Balewa himself, Northern Premier Ahmadu Bello, Western Region Premier Ladoke Akintola, and numerous senior military officers from the North.
While many have perceived the coup as having ethnic undertones, Babangida, in his book A Journey in Service, argued that it was not driven by ethnic bias. He highlighted the role played by Major John Obienu, an Igbo officer, in resisting the coup and pointed out that several high-ranking Igbo officers were also killed during the operation.
In his book, Babangida condemned Major Kaduna Nzeogwu’s actions, particularly the killing of Sir Ahmadu Bello and his wife, Hafsatu, describing it as a cruel act. He noted that the coup’s original purpose was eventually hijacked by external influences, giving it a distinct ethnic dimension, especially since no similar coup efforts were made in the Eastern Region.
However, in response to claims that Babangida had stated the 1966 coup was not an Igbo-led uprising, Femi Fani-Kayode countered this assertion in a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account. On Monday morning, he stated that nowhere in Babangida’s book did he deny the ethnic nature of the coup. Instead, Babangida acknowledged that it took on a strong ethnic character.
Fani-Kayode argued that some individuals had misrepresented Babangida’s words, either due to misunderstanding, a lack of direct knowledge of the book’s content, or deliberate misinformation spread through social media.
He acknowledged that Babangida had been diplomatic in his discussion about the Igbo people in his book but insisted that this should not be an excuse for twisting his words. He emphasized that the facts remained unchanged: the vast majority of the officers behind the January 15, 1966 coup were Igbo, while nearly all those who were assassinated, including political and military figures, were from other ethnic backgrounds.
Fani-Kayode stressed the importance of recognizing historical truths and honoring those who were killed, rather than distorting the facts for political or sentimental reasons. He urged people who had not thoroughly read the book or lacked proper comprehension of English to refrain from spreading misleading narratives.
Hear him speak: “I hate to burst your bubble but there is NOWHERE in IBB’s book that he said that the coup of January 15th 1966 was NOT an Igbo coup. In fact he alluded to the contrary when he said the coup had taken on an “unmistakable ethnic coloration.
To Get More News, Click The Button Below.👇