Nearly six decades after Nigeria’s first military coup, former military ruler, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), has shattered a long-held belief: the 1966 coup was not an Igbo-driven plot.
For years, many believed the mutiny that toppled Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa’s government was ethnically motivated, especially since key Northern leaders—like Ahmadu Bello and Ladoke Akintola—were killed, while then-Head of State, Major General Aguiyi Ironsi, and other Igbo officers survived. Additionally, several coup masterminds were Igbo, fueling suspicions of an ethnic agenda.
However, in his book A Journey in Service, IBB debunked this notion, emphasizing that the coup had broader political objectives rather than tribal motives. He highlighted the role of Major John Obienu, an Igbo officer, in suppressing the coup, and pointed out that Igbo officers were also among the casualties—disproving the idea that the Igbo community orchestrated the rebellion for ethnic gain.
Babangida further revealed that the coup’s original goal was to free political icon Obafemi Awolowo from detention and install him as Nigeria’s president. He also noted the participation of Yoruba officers like Major Adewale Ademoyega, Captain Ganiyu Adeleke, and others, proving that the coup was not an Igbo-exclusive plot.
This revelation rewrites a crucial chapter of Nigeria’s history, challenging deep-seated narratives about one of the country’s most defining political events.
