Nigeria Beyond Divorce: Amalgamation in Perspective

Chapter Four: Nigerian Military in Governance

C H A PT E R 4 NIGERIAN MILITARY IN GOVERNANCE A few times the civilian politicians have pushed the country to the precipice. Therefore, no matter the merits of a democratically elected civilian government, military intervention has had its blessing, at least in the survival of Nigeria as a single entity. The prospects of one united Nigeria are too bright, beneficial and tempting to be sacrificed on the altar of any ‘tribal’ democracy. – Senator ‘Lar Joseph in his book, Nigeria – Shadow of A Great Nation. Post-independent Nigeria (1st October 1960 to 14th January 1966) was very vibrant, peaceful and held a lot of hopes as Africa’s economic giant and political colossus. At that time, South Africa was in bondage and the rest of Southern and East Africa were economically gagged. Nigeria, then with a population of sixty million people was the power to behold in South Saharan Africa and she had virtually everything going for her. Then suddenly, in the early morning hours of 15th January 1966, all the hopes that Nigeria once held 33 34 Nigeria Beyond Divorce evaporised and the democracy that was intensely cherished got defied by an early morning broadcast by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu in which he declared amongst others that: We seized power to stamp out tribalism, nepotism and corruption… There were five of us in the inner circle and we planned the details… it was truly Nigerian gathering and only in the Nigerian Army can you find true Nigerianism… We did this for the good of this country… Our enemies are the political profiteers, the swindlers, the men in high and low places that seek bribes and demand 10 percent… Those that make the country look big for nothing before international circles, those that have corrupt our society etc. And so, this was how Nigeria started the long journey of thirty three years through a military wilderness of coups and countercoups from 1966 to 1999. Till date, Nigeria has had nine military coups of which four were abortive and five were sustained. It should be noted that the word “succeed” is not used for coup d’état. Instead, the word “sustained’ is used because coup d’état being an illegality can only be sustained and not otherwise. The first coup so shocked and overwhelmed the civilian government that it had to invite the military. The next three coups were counter-coups in which military overthrew itself while the last coup was a case of coarsed peaceful relinquishing of power by a civilian puppet regime to the military. The full details of the nine coups are as summarised below: 35 Nigerian Military in Governance Record of Military Coups d’état in Nigeria S/No 1a Coup Date 15 Jan. 1966 The Overthrow of First Republic Abortive Coups Leaders Major Kaduna Nzeogwu plus five other Majors. Some books indicate that there were six other Majors. Heads of State that emerged from a Coup or a Change in Situation Comment Abortive Coup. It was the First Nigerian Coup. The Majors tried to overthrow the Civil Government of Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafewa Balewa, but failed. According to some authors they failed for 2 main reasons: Gen Aguiyi Ironsi, GOC Nigerian Army who was to be eliminated escaped and also, Major Obienu who was to support the coup in Lagos with his RecceVehicles chickened out at the last minute. If the Recce vehicles were available they may have resisted and defeated Ironsi’s forces. 36 Nigeria Beyond Divorce S/No 1b 2 Coup Date 29 July 1966 Abortive Coups Leaders N/A N/A Heads of State that emerged from a Coup or a Change in Situation Gen Aguiyi Ironsi was Head of State from 15 January 1966 to 29 July 1966. Gen Yakubu Gowon was Head of State from 29 July 1966 to 29 July 1975 Comment Gen Ironsi crushed the coupin Lagos. Remnant of the bartered civilian government handed over power to him. He announced Decree 34 for Unitary Government with Unified Civil Service. Riots started in the North. Ironsi visited the North to douse the “fire” and returned safely. He now visited Ibadan and got killed there in a coup. Created the 12 states out of 4 regions. Crushed the Biafran secession. Declared “No Victor No Vanquished”. Launched the 3RReconciliation , Rehabilitation , and Reconstruction . Declared on 1st October 1974 that the original date of 1976 to handover to civilian government...