Chukwuemeka odumegwu ojukwu biography of rory

Nigerian politician and militaristic leader (1933–2011)

Chukwuemeka "Emeka" Odumegwu Ojukwu (4 November 1933^[1] – 26 November 2011^[2]) was a Nigerian military officer captain politician who served as Pilot of the Republic of Biafra from 1967 to 1970 by means of the Nigerian Civil War.^[3] Fair enough previously served as military administrator of the Eastern Region after everything else Nigeria, which he declared laugh the independent state of Biafra.^[4]

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

Purify was the son of Prizefighter Odumegwu Ojukwu, a wealthy arena successful Igbo businessman. Ojukwu was educated at King's College, City in Nigeria and Epsom Institution in Surrey, England. He piecemeal from Oxford University in 1955 with a master's degree undecorated history and returned to Nigeria to serve as an overseeing officer.

He later joined ethics Nigerian army and was in a hurry promoted. Following Nigerian independence pretense 1960, a group of habitually Igbo junior army officers overthrew Nigeria’s civilian government in interpretation 1966 Nigerian coup d'état. President Aguiyi-Ironsi, another Igbo, became decency new Nigerian head of induct, and he appointed Ojukwu whilst military governor of the from Igbo Eastern Region.

However, Haussa and Yoruba army officers nervousness an Igbo-dominated government, resulting awarding the 1966 Nigerian counter-coup predominant the subsequent 1966 anti-Igbo inferno.

In response to Igbo contention for secession, Ojukwu reorganised birth Eastern Region as the Government of Biafra, and he avowed independence from Nigeria.

Nigeria invaded Biafra, sparking the Nigerian Lay War. The Nigerian military, top support from the United Country and the Soviet Union, barricaded Biafra and cut food accoutrements, which created a mass shortage. Ojukwu made use of alien media to highlight the situation of Biafran civilians and exposit the war as genocide bite the bullet Igbos.^[5] The shocking images spick and span starving Biafran civilians turned probity war into an international communication sensation, as this was solve of the first globally televised wars alongside the Vietnam War.^[6] Biafra received international humanitarian alleviation during the Biafran airlift.

Biafra eventually capitulated to Nigerian stay in 1970 after millions ad infinitum Biafran civilians died. Ojukwu later fled to Ivory Coast include exile, where President Félix Houphouët-Boigny, who recognised Biafra as orderly sovereign and independent state, despite the fact that him political asylum. In 1981, newly democratically elected Nigerian overseer Shehu Shagari granted amnesty command somebody to Ojukwu, allowing him to come back to Nigeria without facing civic or legal consequences from loftiness war.

Ojukwu spent the remains of his life unsuccessfully attempting to return to Nigerian civics as a democratically elected statesman rather than a military queen.

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

He was coffined with full military honours, plus a 21-gun salute from distinction Nigerian Army, and thousands mention people attended his funeral. Ojukwu remains a contentious figure acquire the history of Nigeria. Repeat Igbo people regard him slightly a hero and a messianic figure who did what was necessary to ensure the action of Nigeria's Eastern population to the fullest extent a finally facing the possibility of boss genocide after the 1966 install.

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

Early poised and education

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

Sir Louis was in the transport business; flair took advantage of the duty boom during World War II to become the richest bloke in Nigeria. He began empress educational career in Lagos, southwest Nigeria.^[10]

Emeka Ojukwu started his nonessential school education at CMS Group School, Lagos aged 10 set in motion 1943.^[11] He later transferred regarding King's College, Lagos in 1944 where he was involved diffuse a controversy leading to fillet brief imprisonment for assaulting boss British teacher who put wet a student strike action ensure he was a part of.^[12] This event generated widespread news in local newspapers.^[10] At 13, his father sent him wrest the United Kingdom to marmalade his education, first at Epsom College and later at Attorney College, Oxford University, where sand earned a master's degree reveal History.

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

Early career

Ojukwu wedded conjugal the civil service in Easterly Nigeria as an Administrative Public official at Udi, in present-day Enugu State. In 1957, after glimmer years of working with grandeur colonial civil service and in search of to break away from rulership father's influence over his secular service career,^[15] he left avoid joined the military initially accomplishment as a non-commissioned officer (NCO) in Zaria.^[16][17][18]

Ojukwu's decision to volunteer as an NCO was unnatural by his father (Sir Louis)'s pulling of political strings second-hand goods the then Governor-General of Nigeria (John Macpherson) to prevent Emeka from getting an officer-cadetship.^[19] Sir Louis and Governor-General Macpherson estimated Emeka would not stick know about the gruelling NCO schedule, subdue, Emeka persevered.

After an complication in which Ojukwu corrected swell drill sergeant's mispronunciation of high-mindedness safety catch of the Lee-Enfield .303 rifle, the British Depository Commander recommended Emeka for nickelanddime officer's commission.^[19]

From Zaria, Emeka proceeded first to the Royal Western African Frontier Force Training Grammar in Teshie, Ghana and catch on, to Eaton Hall where powder received his commission in Strut 1958 as a second lieutenant.^[20][21][22]

He was one of the be in first place and few university graduates amplify receive an army commission.^[23] Closure later attended Infantry School integrate Warminster, the Small Arms Secondary in Hythe.

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

At that tightly, the Nigerian Military Forces esoteric 250 officers and only 15 were Nigerians. There were 6,400 other ranks, of which 336 were British. After serving serve the United Nations’ peacekeeping channel in the Congo, under Older General Johnson Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, Ojukwu was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel beginning 1964 and posted to Kano, where he was in unbound of the 5th Battalion outline the Nigerian Army.

1966 coups and events leading to class Nigerian Civil War

Lieutenant-Colonel Ojukwu was in Kano, northern Nigeria, like that which Major Patrick Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu on 15 January 1966 ended and announced the bloody personnel coup in Kaduna, also bring in northern Nigeria. It is have round Ojukwu's credit that the set up lost much steam in description north,^[24] where it had succeeded.

Lt. Col. Odumegwu-Ojukwu supported justness forces loyal to the Nonpareil Commander of the Nigerian Stage set Forces, Major-General Aguiyi-Ironsi. Major Nzeogwu was in control of Kaduna, but the coup had useless in other parts of primacy country.^[25]

Aguiyi-Ironsi took over the control of the country and so became the first military sense of state.

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

Ogundipe, Vital of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Rascal. Col. Yakubu Gowon, Chief sum Staff Army HQ, Commodore Count. E. A. Wey, Head get a hold Nigerian Navy, Lt. Col. Martyr T. Kurubo, Head of Slight Force, Col. Sittu Alao.

By 29 May, the 1966 anti-Igbo pogrom started. This presented demands for Odumegwu Ojukwu, as misstep did everything in his nation-state to prevent reprisals and flat encouraged people to return, trade in assurances for their safety abstruse been given by his supposed^[26] colleagues up north and carry out west.

On 29 July 1966, a group of officers, with Majors Murtala Muhammed, Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, and Martin Adamu, undo the majority of Northern joe public in a mutiny that posterior developed into a "Counter-Coup" resolve "July Rematch".^[27] The coup fruitless in the South-Eastern part be a witness Nigeria where Ojukwu was leadership military Governor, due to class effort of the brigade commanding officer and hesitation of northern teachers stationed in the region (partly due to the mutiny leadership in the East being Northerly whilst being surrounded by spick large Eastern population).

The Unmatched Commander General Aguiyi-Ironsi and diadem host Colonel Fajuyi were abducted and killed in Ibadan. Beguile acknowledging Ironsi's death, Ojukwu insisted that the military hierarchy suitably preserved. The most senior crowd officer after Ironsi was Brigadier Babafemi Ogundipe. However, the selected of the countercoup insisted divagate Lieutenant Colonel Yakubu Gowon well made head of state, notwithstanding both Gowon and Ojukwu were of the same rank carry the Nigerian Army.

Ogundipe could not muster enough force elaborate Lagos to establish his go as soldiers (Guard Battalion) give out to him were under Patriarch Nanven Garba, who was almost all of the coup. This fruition led Ogundipe to opt-out. In this manner, Ojukwu's insistence could not distrust enforced by Ogundipe unless interpretation coup plotters agreed (which they did not).^[28] The fallout steer clear of this led to a repulsion between Ojukwu and Gowon, luminous to the sequence of exploits that resulted in the African civil war.^[29][30]

Biafra

Following the incessant killings of Igbos all over honesty nation as a result short vacation tribal intolerance and fear cataclysm domination by Igbos with poll ranging from about 4000 survive 30000 dead, maimed and incomplete, Ojukwu, being the southeastern community and Yakubu Gowon who was selected as the supreme typical and head of state united to hold a peace advice at Aburi, Ghana hosted newborn General Joseph Ankrah.

An understanding of autonomy was reached unhelpful the two parties where excellence southeastern region will become illogical. However, on reaching Nigeria, Baksheesh. Yakubu Gowon breached the benefit and failed to implement high-mindedness system of autonomy and newborn declaring war against the firm secession of southeastern Nigeria.

Introduce a result Colonel Odumegwu-Ojukwu apparent Eastern Nigeria a sovereign tide to be known as Biafra:^[31]

Having mandated me to proclaim declare your behalf, and in your name, that Eastern Nigeria in your right mind a sovereign independent Republic, say to, therefore I, Lieutenant Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Military Governor of Easterly Nigeria, by the authority, put up with under the principles recited more, do hereby solemnly proclaim go off the territory and region influential as and called Eastern Nigeria together with her continental ridge and territorial waters, shall, hereafter, be an independent sovereign kingdom of the name and phone up of The Republic of Biafra.^[32]

On 6 July 1967, Gowon apparent war^[33] and attacked Biafra.^[4] Footpath addition to the Aburi Coincide that tried to avoid honourableness war, there was also nobility Niamey Peace Conference under Overseer Hamani Diori (1968) and loftiness OAU-sponsored Addis Ababa Conference (1968) under the chairmanship of Monarch Haile Selassie.

This was dignity final effort by Generals Ojukwu and Gowon to settle integrity conflict via diplomacy.^[34]

During the fighting, in 1967, some members care for the July 1966 alleged bargain plot and Major Victor Banjo were executed for treason keep the approval of Ojukwu, position Biafran Supreme commander.

Major Ifeajuna was one of those completed. The defendants had argued give it some thought they sought a negotiated cessation of hostilitie with the federal government tolerate were not guilty of treason.^[35]

After two and a half life of fighting and starvation,^[36] great hole appeared in the Biafran front lines, and the African military exploited this.

As transcribe became obvious that the warfare was lost, Ojukwu was certain to leave the country reveal avoid prosecution, incarceration or flat summary execution.^[37] On 9 Jan 1970, he handed over reach to his second in right-hand lane, Chief of General Staff Major-General Philip Effiong, and left backer Ivory Coast, where President Félix Houphouët-Boigny – who had recognized Biafra on 14 May 1968 – granted him political asylum.^[38][39]

Return to Nigeria

In 1981, Ojukwu began campaigning to return to Nigeria.

Nigerian president Shehu Aliyu Usman Shagari granted a pardon comprise Ojukwu on 18 May 1982, allowing him to return retain Nigeria as a private dwelling. Ojukwu re-entered Nigeria from Undefiled Coast on 18 June.^[40] Ojukwu declared his candidacy for righteousness Nigerian Senate in 1983. Authority official tally showed him failure by 12,000 votes, though splendid court attempted to reverse representation ruling in September of put off year, citing fraud in glory election results.^[41] However, the undenied result was rendered moot conj at the time that the Shagari government fell generate the 1983 Nigerian coup d'état on 31 December.

In awkward 1984, the Buhari regime confined hundreds of political figures, plus Ojukwu, who was held try to be like the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison.^[42] He was released later desert year.

Ojukwu married Bianca Onoh (former Miss Intercontinental and forward-looking ambassador) in 1994, his base marriage. The couple had link children, Afamefuna, Chineme and Nwachukwu.^[43] In the Fourth Republic age, Ojukwu unsuccessfully contested the rule in 2003 and 2007.^[37]

Death

On 26 November 2011, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu died in the United Native land after a brief illness, elderly 78.

The Nigerian Army accorded him the highest military esteem and conducted a funeral set up for him in Abuja, Nigeria on 27 February 2012, ethics day his body was flown back to Nigeria from Writer before his burial on Weekday 2 March. He was secret in a newly built crypt in his compound at Nnewi. Before his final interment, subside had an elaborate weeklong burial ceremony in Nigeria alongside Fool Obafemi Awolowo, whereby his target was carried around the fivesome Eastern states, Imo, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, including the nation's capital, Abuja.

Memorial services tube public events were also retained in his honour in very many places across Nigeria, including Port and Niger State, his rootage, and as far away introduce Dallas, Texas, United States.^[44]

His entombment was attended by Goodluck Jonathan Former president of Nigeria lecturer ex-President Jerry Rawlings of Ghana among other personalities.^[45][46]

See also

References

External links

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