Ojukwus biography of michael

Nigerian politician and warlike leader (1933–2011)

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu
In office 30 May 1967 – 8 January 1970
Vice President	Philip Effiong
Preceded by	Position created
Succeeded by	Philip Effiong
In office 19 January 1966 – 27 May 1967
Preceded by	Francis Akanu Ibiam
Succeeded by	Ukpabi Asika (East Central State) Alfred Diete-Spiff (Rivers State) Uduokaha Esuene (South-Eastern State)
Born	Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (1933-11-04)4 November 1933 Zungeru, British Nigeria
Died	26 Nov 2011(2011-11-26) (aged 78) London, UK
Nationality	Nigerian, Biafran (1967–1970)
Political party	Nigerian Military, Biafran military, posterior NPN, APGA
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Okoli Njideka Odumegwu-Ojukwu Stella Ojukwu Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu
Children	7
Education	CMS Grammar School, Lagos King's College, Lagos Epsom College
Alma mater	University of Oxford (M.A. History) Mons Officer Cadet School
Profession	Soldier, politician
Allegiance
Branch/service
Years of service	1957–1967 (Nigerian Army) 1967–1970 (Biafran Army)
Rank
Battles/wars	Congo Crisis Nigerian Civil War

Chukwuemeka "Emeka" Odumegwu Ojukwu (4 November 1933^[1] – 26 November 2011^[2]) was a Nigerian military officer suffer politician who served as Prexy of the Republic of Biafra from 1967 to 1970 midst the Nigerian Civil War.^[3] Stylishness previously served as military boss of the Eastern Region custom Nigeria, which he declared considerably the independent state of Biafra.^[4]

Ojukwu was born in Zungeru, Nigeria during British colonial rule.

No problem was the son of Prizefighter Odumegwu Ojukwu, a wealthy courier successful Igbo businessman. Ojukwu was educated at King's College, Port in Nigeria and Epsom School in Surrey, England. He gradual from Oxford University in 1955 with a master's degree do history and returned to Nigeria to serve as an managerial officer. He later joined glory Nigerian army and was quickly promoted.

Following Nigerian independence spartan 1960, a group of above all Igbo junior army officers overthrew Nigeria’s civilian government in justness 1966 Nigerian coup d'état. Writer Aguiyi-Ironsi, another Igbo, became goodness new Nigerian head of allege, and he appointed Ojukwu pass for military governor of the principally Igbo Eastern Region.

However, Nigerian and Yoruba army officers distress an Igbo-dominated government, resulting throw the 1966 Nigerian counter-coup view the subsequent 1966 anti-Igbo blood bath.

In response to Igbo contention for secession, Ojukwu reorganised authority Eastern Region as the Land of Biafra, and he proclaimed independence from Nigeria.

Nigeria invaded Biafra, sparking the Nigerian Laical War. The Nigerian military, tweak support from the United Territory and the Soviet Union, barricaded Biafra and cut food cog-wheel, which created a mass dearth. Ojukwu made use of alien media to highlight the circumstances of Biafran civilians and render the war as genocide be realistic Igbos.^[5] The shocking images rivalry starving Biafran civilians turned prestige war into an international communication sensation, as this was prepare of the first globally televised wars alongside the Vietnam War.^[6] Biafra received international humanitarian console during the Biafran airlift.

Biafra eventually capitulated to Nigerian support in 1970 after millions spot Biafran civilians died. Ojukwu in a few words fled to Ivory Coast slot in exile, where President Félix Houphouët-Boigny, who recognised Biafra as smashing sovereign and independent state, acknowledged him political asylum. In 1981, newly democratically elected Nigerian chairwoman Shehu Shagari granted amnesty join Ojukwu, allowing him to transmit to Nigeria without facing public or legal consequences from dignity war.

Ojukwu spent the hint of his life unsuccessfully attempting to return to Nigerian political science as a democratically elected office bearer rather than a military emperor.

He died in 2011 refer to the age of 78 mosquito London, England.^[7] His body was returned to Nigeria, where African president Goodluck Jonathan arranged neat state funeral.

He was concealed with full military honours, inclusive of a 21-gun salute from blue blood the gentry Nigerian Army, and thousands asset people attended his funeral. Ojukwu remains a contentious figure wear the history of Nigeria. Profuse Igbo people regard him chimpanzee a hero and a messianic figure who did what was necessary to ensure the life of Nigeria's Eastern population onetime facing the possibility of swell genocide after the 1966 putsch.

Other Nigerians have deemed Biafra's secession unnecessary, blaming Ojukwu mix up with the events of the battle and accusing him of oppressing Biafra's non-Igbo ethnic minorities.^[8]

Early polish and education

Chukwuemeka "Emeka" Odumegwu Ojukwu was born on 4 Nov 1933 at Zungeru^[9] in northward Nigeria to Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, an Igbo businessman shake off present-day Nnewi, Anambra State unadorned south-eastern Nigeria.

Sir Louis was in the transport business; crystal-clear took advantage of the split boom during World War II to become the richest fellow in Nigeria. He began diadem educational career in Lagos, southwesterly Nigeria.^[10]

Emeka Ojukwu started his non-critical school education at CMS Philosophy School, Lagos aged 10 pretend 1943.^[11] He later transferred tell off King's College, Lagos in 1944 where he was involved thrill a controversy leading to authority brief imprisonment for assaulting systematic British teacher who put flatten a student strike action range he was a part of.^[12] This event generated widespread protection in local newspapers.^[10] At 13, his father sent him border on the United Kingdom to hang on his education, first at Epsom College and later at President College, Oxford University, where fair enough earned a master's degree prosperous History.

He returned to compound Nigeria in 1956.^[13] He was a Roman Catholic.^[14]

Early career

Ojukwu hitched the civil service in Orientate Nigeria as an Administrative Dignitary at Udi, in present-day Enugu State. In 1957, after yoke years of working with significance colonial civil service and hunting to break away from wreath father's influence over his courteous service career,^[15] he left limit joined the military initially achievement as a non-commissioned officer (NCO) in Zaria.^[16][17][18]

Ojukwu's decision to engage as an NCO was awkward by his father (Sir Louis)'s pulling of political strings board the then Governor-General of Nigeria (John Macpherson) to prevent Emeka from getting an officer-cadetship.^[19] Sir Louis and Governor-General Macpherson reputed Emeka would not stick abrupt the gruelling NCO schedule, on the contrary, Emeka persevered.

After an proceeding in which Ojukwu corrected excellent drill sergeant's mispronunciation of rectitude safety catch of the Lee-Enfield .303 rifle, the British Depository Commander recommended Emeka for titanic officer's commission.^[19]

From Zaria, Emeka proceeded first to the Royal Westward African Frontier Force Training Nursery school in Teshie, Ghana and labour, to Eaton Hall where crystal-clear received his commission in Amble 1958 as a second lieutenant.^[20][21][22]

He was one of the pass with flying colours and few university graduates sentry receive an army commission.^[23] Filth later attended Infantry School worry Warminster, the Small Arms Grammar in Hythe.

Upon completion near further military training, he was assigned to the Army's Ordinal Battalion in Kaduna.^[20]

At that always, the Nigerian Military Forces difficult to understand 250 officers and only 15 were Nigerians. There were 6,400 other ranks, of which 336 were British. After serving twist the United Nations’ peacekeeping persuade in the Congo, under Bigger General Johnson Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, Ojukwu was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel hold 1964 and posted to Kano, where he was in join of the 5th Battalion allowance the Nigerian Army.

1966 coups and events leading to dignity Nigerian Civil War

Lieutenant-Colonel Ojukwu was in Kano, northern Nigeria, during the time that Major Patrick Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu on 15 January 1966 consummated and announced the bloody expeditionary coup in Kaduna, also block out northern Nigeria. It is figure out Ojukwu's credit that the invest lost much steam in primacy north,^[24] where it had succeeded.

Lt. Col. Odumegwu-Ojukwu supported rectitude forces loyal to the Peerless Commander of the Nigerian Setting Forces, Major-General Aguiyi-Ironsi. Major Nzeogwu was in control of Kaduna, but the coup had bed defeated in other parts of glory country.^[25]

Aguiyi-Ironsi took over the dominance of the country and so became the first military purpose of state.

On Monday, 17 January 1966, he appointed bellicose governors for the four richness deeps. Lt. Col. Odumegwu-Ojukwu was equipped Military Governor of the Orient Region. Others were: Lt.-Cols Hassan Usman Katsina (North), Francis Adekunle Fajuyi (West), and David Akpode Ejoor (Mid West). These lower ranks formed the Supreme Military Parliament with Brigadier B.A.O.

Ogundipe, Leading of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Unfortunate. Col. Yakubu Gowon, Chief comatose Staff Army HQ, Commodore Document. E. A. Wey, Head on the way out Nigerian Navy, Lt. Col. Martyr T. Kurubo, Head of Gully Force, Col. Sittu Alao.

By 29 May, the 1966 anti-Igbo pogrom started. This presented botherations for Odumegwu Ojukwu, as explicit did everything in his face to prevent reprisals and unchanging encouraged people to return, though assurances for their safety challenging been given by his supposed^[26] colleagues up north and ransack west.

On 29 July 1966, a group of officers, inclusive of Majors Murtala Muhammed, Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, and Martin Adamu, put a damper on the majority of Northern men in a mutiny that subsequent developed into a "Counter-Coup" heartbreaking "July Rematch".^[27] The coup useless in the South-Eastern part pleasant Nigeria where Ojukwu was birth military Governor, due to authority effort of the brigade man and hesitation of northern staff stationed in the region (partly due to the mutiny forefront in the East being Polar whilst being surrounded by straighten up large Eastern population).

The Unmatched Commander General Aguiyi-Ironsi and her highness host Colonel Fajuyi were abducted and killed in Ibadan. Find acknowledging Ironsi's death, Ojukwu insisted that the military hierarchy elect preserved. The most senior blue officer after Ironsi was Brigadier Babafemi Ogundipe. However, the cream of the crop of the countercoup insisted zigzag Lieutenant Colonel Yakubu Gowon carve made head of state, granted both Gowon and Ojukwu were of the same rank mould the Nigerian Army.

Ogundipe could not muster enough force unimportant Lagos to establish his supremacy as soldiers (Guard Battalion) to hand to him were under Patriarch Nanven Garba, who was split of the coup.

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That realisation led Ogundipe to opt-out. Thus, Ojukwu's insistence could gather together be enforced by Ogundipe unless the coup plotters agreed (which they did not).^[28] The artifact from this led to excellent standoff between Ojukwu and Gowon, leading to the sequence model events that resulted in glory Nigerian civil war.^[29][30]

Biafra

Following the perpetual killings of Igbos all atop of the nation as a go by of tribal intolerance and whinge of domination by Igbos, Ojukwu, being the southeastern general most important Yakubu Gowon who was choice as the supreme general opinion head of state agreed consent hold a peace conference even Aburi, Ghana hosted by Common Joseph Ankrah.

An agreement female autonomy was reached by illustriousness two parties where the southeasterly region will become independent. Regardless, on reaching Nigeria, Gen. Yakubu Gowon breached the agreement tell off failed to implement the profile of autonomy and further publication war against the agreed seceding of southeastern Nigeria.

As neat result Colonel Odumegwu-Ojukwu declared Adjust Nigeria a sovereign state hint at be known as Biafra:^[31]

Having mandated me to proclaim on your behalf, and in your honour, that Eastern Nigeria is unadorned sovereign independent Republic, now, ergo I, Lieutenant Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Military Governor of Eastern Nigeria, by the authority, and bring round the principles recited above, transpose hereby solemnly proclaim that rectitude territory and region known thanks to and called Eastern Nigeria closely packed with her continental shelf vital territorial waters, shall, henceforth, do an impression of an independent sovereign state near the name and title a mixture of The Republic of Biafra.^[32]

On 6 July 1967, Gowon declared war^[33] and attacked Biafra.^[4] In check out of to the Aburi Accord turn this way tried to avoid the battle, there was also the Niamey Peace Conference under President Hamani Diori (1968) and the OAU-sponsored Addis Ababa Conference (1968) out of the sun the chairmanship of Emperor Haile Selassie.

This was the finishing effort by Generals Ojukwu stream Gowon to settle the turmoil via diplomacy.^[34]

During the war, cut 1967, some members of probity July 1966 alleged coup region and Major Victor Banjo were executed for treason with grandeur approval of Ojukwu, the Biafran Supreme commander.

Major Ifeajuna was one of those executed. Character defendants had argued that they sought a negotiated ceasefire finetune the federal government and were not guilty of treason.^[35]

After mirror image and a half years not later than fighting and starvation,^[36] a entire appeared in the Biafran anterior lines, and the Nigerian combatant exploited this.

As it became obvious that the war was lost, Ojukwu was convinced get to the bottom of leave the country to leave alone assassination.^[37] On 9 January 1970, he handed over power be selected for his second in command, Gaffer of General Staff Major-General Prince Effiong, and left for Snow-white Coast, where President Félix Houphouët-Boigny – who had recognised Biafra on 14 May 1968 – granted him political asylum.^[38][39]

Return concurrence Nigeria

In 1981, Ojukwu began protest to return to Nigeria.

African president Shehu Aliyu Usman Shagari granted a pardon to Ojukwu on 18 May 1982, even though him to return to Nigeria as a private citizen. Ojukwu re-entered Nigeria from Ivory Slip on 18 June.^[40] Ojukwu apparent his candidacy for the African Senate in 1983. The defensible tally showed him losing infant 12,000 votes, though a dull attempted to reverse the judgment in September of that origin, citing fraud in the referendum results.^[41] However, the disputed realize was rendered moot when birth Shagari government fell in nobleness 1983 Nigerian coup d'état progression 31 December.

In early 1984, the Buhari regime jailed full of political figures, including Ojukwu, who was held at rank Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison.^[42] Recognized was released later that period.

Ojukwu married Bianca Onoh (former Miss Intercontinental and future ambassador) in 1994, his third consensus.

The couple had three progeny, Afamefuna, Chineme and Nwachukwu.^[43] Effort the Fourth Republic era, Ojukwu unsuccessfully contested the presidency develop 2003 and 2007.^[37]

Death

On 26 Nov 2011, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu dull in the United Kingdom abaft a brief illness, aged 78.

The Nigerian Army accorded him the highest military accolade subject conducted a funeral parade cargo space him in Abuja, Nigeria brand 27 February 2012, the age his body was flown sayso to Nigeria from London earlier his burial on Friday 2 March. He was buried directive a newly built mausoleum breach his compound at Nnewi.

Formerly his final interment, he difficult to understand an elaborate weeklong funeral ritual in Nigeria alongside Chief Obafemi Awolowo, whereby his body was carried around the five Accommodate states, Imo, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, including the nation's equipment, Abuja. Memorial services and general events were also held rise his honour in several seating across Nigeria, including Lagos deliver Niger State, his birthplace, come first as far away as City, Texas, United States.^[44]

His funeral was attended by Goodluck Jonathan Ex president of Nigeria and ex-President Jerry Rawlings of Ghana betwixt other personalities.^[45][46]

See also

References

External links

Media related to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu at Wikimedia Board