1966 coup: Why Zik, Okpara, Fani-Kayode were not killed during 1966 coup - Ex-Biafra soldier, Oyewole explains

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1966 coup: Why Zik, Okpara, Fani-Kayode were not killed during 1966 coup - Ex-Biafra soldier, Oyewole explains

Retired Lt. Fola Oyewole, a Nigerian Military Officer of the Yoruba stock, who fought on the side of Biafra during the civil war, has explained why Remi Fani-Kayode, father of ex-Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode was not killed during the first coup in 1966.

Oyewo who was, because of the first coup 50 years ago, imprisoned in Lagos and in Enugu but was released by Lt Col Odumegwu Ojukwu.

There have been a political tilt on how the coup was carried out and it has been generating controversy till today. Critics said the coup was lopsided.

For instance, Ladoke Akintola was killed in the West, then Nnamdi Azikiwe and Mike Okpara “were not around,” during the coup, making some to believe that it was an ‘Igbo coup.’

The argument was that Zik and other Igbo leaders got wind of what was going to happen and left.

Leaders from other parts were killed and the Igbo leaders were said to have been allowed to escape.

But explaining this in an interview with The News, Oyewole said, “I wouldn’t subscribe to that argument.

“They said Zik was ill, he was going for treatment and then he left the country and at the time of the coup, he wasn’t there, whether he got wind or he didn’t get wind of it, I would not know.

“Those who planned the coup must have taken a decision but it does appear that it was not in totality deliberate.

“I give you a specific example, the signal commencing the action in Enugu was delivered that morning and it did say: ‘Arrest, secure the key points and wait for further instructions.’

“And if you are in doubt, that was why Fani Kayode was arrested in Ibadan and brought down to Lagos, they wanted to kill him but what stopped them from killing him in his house in Ibadan was because of the instructions (waiting for further instructions) and he was brought down to Lagos.”

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Nigerian Civil War: What US, Other World Power Planned On Doing To Help Biafra

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Nigerian Civil War: What US, Other World Power Planned On Doing To Help Biafra

 

A former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mathew Mbu, has made a new exposition into the Nigeria Civil War.

The former Minister said United States of America and other world powers were planning to change the history of the war by eventually backing Biafra.

Mbu said had the civil war lasted longer, America would have intervened and come on Biafra’s aide.

According to him, the World Powers had great sympathy for Biafra but preferred the option of exploring a more flexible federation for Nigeria.

He said this in an autobiography the he left behind to be published by his family.

The book entitled “Dignity in Service,” is due for public presentation on Tuesday next week at the Yar’Adua International Conference Centre, Abuja.

He wrote, “The regions should have a little bit of autonomy; that was the issue throughout those 30 terrible months of the civil war.

“The first Biafran cabinet meeting was held and articulated in Enugu by our head of government, Col. Ojukwu, and after subsequent meetings in Umuahia and Owerri, he summoned leaders of thought and took a resolution.

“The United States and other major powers had great sympathy for Biafra.

“One fear that haunted other African nations was that if Biafra breaks they would also break up.

“Their enormous sympathy for Biafra notwithstanding, they preferred the option of exploring a more flexible federation for Nigeria.

“Had the war lasted longer, there would have been a major intervention that would have changed the history of the civil war by the major powers. It was good it ended when it did.

“The suffering as being portrayed outside, the suffering of children on humanitarian ground was too compelling to ignore.”

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How I Risked Been Detained, Killed By Ojukwu During Biafra War - Mbu

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How I Risked  Been Detained, Killed By Ojukwu During Biafra War - Mbu

Matthew Mbu, a former Foreign Minister and United Nations, UN, ambassador, has revealed how late Biafra warlord, Dim Odimegwu Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, plotted to detain him after the Civil War.

He said he cautioned Ojukwu as the war progressed to surrender due to the suffering of the civilian population in the Southeast.

Mbu said people around Ojukwu convinced the warlord to detain him because of his advice to end the war.

These revelations were made public through an autobiography the late ex-Minister left behind to be published by his family.

The book entitled “Dignity in Service,” is due for public presentation on Tuesday next week at the Yar’Adua International Conference Centre, Abuja

He said, “We had the hawks and the doves, on the Biafra and the federal side that made the contest bloody. As the war progressed, I cautioned Ojukwu based on the realities that were obvious, especially the suffering of the civilian population. The hawks of the civil war were in their own world.

“They convinced Ojukwu to detain me because of my advice of caution. I remember when I once came in from a foreign trip, Chief M. D. Yusuf, my friend said: ‘Do you know how close you were to being detained?

“We were surprised you weren’t detained. Ojukwu was to detain you, your friend was to detain you, we knew he was going to detain you.’ I said, ‘Yes when I came back from my foreign missions, they saw me and they began to cry and said you are going to be detained, he is going to detain you’, because I told him the truth.

“My overriding interest was just to bring peace to the whole situation. That was how I led the Biafran diplomacy during the war and eventually signed the communiqué that ended the war. Some people who went on diplomatic mission never came back again. But I was going out and coming in frequently.”

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