NewStats: 3,264,088 , 8,182,566 topics. Date: Monday, 09 June 2025 at 03:59 PM 1e4b4o

"I AM NOT DEAD YET." THE TRIAL AND EXECUTION OF COL.VICTOR BANJO. 25TH SEPTEMBER 1967.

Victor Banjo was executed by firing squad by the regime of Col. Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, on trumped up charges of planning a coup against the government of Biafra, on September 22nd, 1967.

Victor Banjo was among officers arrested by the government of Aguiyi Ironsi after the coup of January 15th 1966, that led to the deaths of the then Prime Minister, Tafawa Balewa, Sardauna of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello, the then Finance Minister, Sir Okotie Eboh, and a number of civilians and military officers.

Banjo denied he ever was knowledgeable of the coup, and many of the coup plotters attested to the fact that he was not one of them. But Ironsi left him in the gulag, and Yakubu Gowon, who succeeded Ironsi, refused to heed the numerous letters of appeal Banjo wrote him from prison to be released.

Banjo was imprisoned in Ikot Epene in Eastern Nigeria. When the whole brouhaha between Ojukwu and Gowon over the secession question began, Ojukwu released all officers who planned the coup and had been imprisoned in the East. They all ed the Biafran rank - including Banjo. Banjo, as a Yoruba, was at first reluctant to work with Ojukwu. But Ojukwu urged him to his government.

At that time, the Nigerian crisis was mainly between the Igbos and the Hausas. The Igbos had accused the Hausas of carrying out genocide on their people in Northern Nigeria. The Hausas claimed the 1966 coup was an Igbo coup targeted at killing their Sardauna and other key Hausa leaders. The country was boiling. Killings were being carried out every day in every part of the country. The Igbos felt vulnerable and were returning in droves to the East.

Ojukwu was muting with the idea of secession. Banjo advised that he delayed announcing it. Ojukwu announced the secession of the nation of Biafra on the 31st May, 1967. Civil War had broken forth in Nigeria.

The mid West, now Delta and Edo States, at first took a middle position as far as the crisis was concerned. Ojukwu sent Victor Banjo, Lt. Col.Emmanuel Ifeajuna, Major Phillip Alale, Major Samuel Agbam, and army of soldiers to take over the mid West. The mid West fell to Biafran soldiers in August 1967. It was a major military tactical move that many have credited to the intelligence of Banjo. But on getting to Benin, things fell apart between Banjo and Ojukwu.

Muritala Mohammed was sent by Gowon to recover the mid West and invade Biafra itself. The Nigerian army successfully pushed their Biafran counterpart out of the mid West. This was the period the famous "Ogun ore olekun" occurred. The Biafran army blew up a part of the Niger bridge, therefore impeding the Nigerian army's surge into Onitsha.

Ojukwu welcomed his defeated army back to Enugu with open arms. He had mended fences with Banjo and had promised him greater task ahead. But in a few days, trumped-up charges of a coup were levied against Banjo. Banjo had made Ifeajuna his chief of staff. Ifeajuna had acted as a go between Banjo and Ojukwu at Benin. However, the charges of plotting to overthrow the government of Biafra were levied against Victor Banjo, Major. Emmanuel Ifeajuna, Major Philip Alale, and Samuel Agbam. The case was however taken to a military tribunal, of which the first tribunal dismissed the case, but a second tribunal sentenced the soldiers to death.

At their court martial, it was Victor Banjo that stood as counsel for himself and the three others. His words, as recorded by Alexander Madiebo in his book, are these:

"My name is Brigadier Victor Banjo. I command the liberation army in Mid-West. Before then, l commanded all the operations in the Northern front.

“I know all the other three accused persons fairly well. The second accused, Philip Alale, l met for the first time on July 9, 1967, when there was a collapse of the Nsukka front among our troops. Neither himself nor myself was then an officer in the Biafran Army.

"We went to Nsukka together with Brigadier Philip Effiong to assist to watch Philip talk to the troops with vehemence and sincerity. That, to a great extent, helped to rekindle their sagging morale.

“His Excellency, Col. Ojukwu was as well at Nsukka that night. I later found out from the governor that Philip Alale has been his close friend and that the man was primarily instrumental in organising the of the masses for the declaration of the Republic of Biafra.

“I know that Major Alale has been involved in settling some conflicts in the trade union movements, which might well for the extraordinary hostility of one of the witnesses for the prosecution. I , in fact, that when l was about to return to the Western Command, His Excellency refused to allow Major Alale accompany me because he needed Major Alale for the task of preparing a political programme for the Republic of Biafra. It would be impossible to conceive of Major Alale being tried by this tribunal for the offense in this charge.

"I know Lieutenant Colonel Emmanuel Ifeajuna very well. He had been my colleague in the old Nigerian Army, although a junior colleague. I know about his involvement in the coup of January 1966. He was responsible for the deaths of a few people. He was with me in prison for quite some time.

“I have had the opportunity to discuss the details of that coup with him. I know he regrets the bloodshed that took place on that occasion in fact, his aversion to bloodshed is in the nature of an obsession, which to a certain extent, militates against his efficiency as a commander of troops in the battlefront.

“These considerations were primary in my mind when he was offered to me as a commanding officer for the Western operations. Instead, l chose to make him my Chief of Staff. As Chief of Staff, he discharged himself with such confidence that constituted in no small measure to the success of that operation.

“Lt-Col. Ifeajuna ed the group of young men who have been in the habit of giving advice to His Excellency on State matters. During my short disagreement with his Excellency on the MidWest political policy, he was himself personally instrumental in bringing to His Excellency my point of view on the Mid-West operation. I am aware that he subsequently became a frequent member of this group.

“My stay in Biafra, after having been released from prison, has been due to my friendship with Col. Ojukwu. I clearly once telling him that l would return to the West. He told me that he needed me here because he felt he needed someone who could ta to hi without ceremony; someone in a position to give blame t him for his mistakes. Most of the political maneuvers that Col. Ojukwu planned early this year in connection with achieving Southern solidarity against the North, which was planned with me.

“When he decided to declare an Independent Republic of Biafra, l pleaded with him to postpone it as both the people West and Mid-West wee not ready or at that stage, sufficiently strong militarily to take the same stand, even though they would wish it.

“I pointed out to him his declaration of Biafra at the time was not consistent with our plans and agreements. I told him that the people of the West who were acting on the basis of the fact that l would bring assistance to them from here, would consider the decision to declare Biafra at that time a betrayal of our arrangements. I told the military governor that l would leave Biafra for the West or for the outside world after his declaration of Independence.

“However, when l discovered the emerging trend that followed the declaration of Independence of Biafra, it became clear to me that a war with the North was imminent. I decided to stay behind and assist in the prosecution of the war, both for the sake of my friendship with Colonel Ojukwu and in the hope that having assisted to fight back the Northern threat to Biafra, he would assist me with troops to rid the Mid-West and Lagos of the same menace.

“I came into the war at a moment of temporary collapse of the Biafran fighting effort, when it became quite clear to me that the fighting effort of the Biafran Army was not only being incompetently handled, but also being sabotaged. Since then, it has been my fortune to command the Biafran troops on their successful exploits.

“On the whole, l had in private, told Col Ojukwu that l could never be made to stand charged for having plotted against his office and his person. There was no plot against him.”

The highest authorities of the Biafran government did not believe Banjo's story. The officers hearing the court martial of these four officers found them guilty of plotting to overthrow the government of Biafra, which Ojukwu headed.

They were sentenced to death. Banjo's last moment reels with poignancy. It was said that all four men walked to the site of their death with head high. Banjo, without his glasses, stood erect as he was tied to the poles. Their executors took position and opened fire on them. After the first round of fire, all three men were dead except Banjo. Defiant till the end, he let out a cry. "I AM NOT DEAD YET... I AM NOT DEAD YET..." This time, all executors directed their rifles at Banjo alone. After the second round of shots, Banjo was still screaming defiantly: "I AM NOT DEAD YET..." However, the third rounds of shots silenced him.

In a country were the legacies of soldiers who fought on both sides have largely been forgotten, Lt. Col. Victor Banjo̩ did set a template for us as Nigerians to live beyond tribe, and for the greater purpose of humanity.

Victor Banjo, Ifeajuna, Alale, and Agbam were executed in September 1967, barely four months after the commencement of the civil war.

If he was alive, Victor Banjo would have turned 95 years on Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

Matters arising. This country will break Las Las.

Same treatment await all the woke among us.

Yoruba propaganda. "I am not dead yet" my arss. Big liars.

Bialegend:
Yoruba propaganda. "I am not dead yet" my arss. Big liars.

Does Alexander Madiebo sound like a Yoruba name to you, Chinedu? Do something useful with the little whitish substance in your oblong head—go and read Madiebo's book!

^^You are wasting your time with someone like him....even if his grandfather was an eyewitness to it, he would spit in his face and call him a liar seeing as the narrative doesn't fit the hate he grew up in and obviously he's struggling to think for himself.

One thing I don't get about this Biafran coup is who was meant to take over from Ojukwu?

Surely after the recent events of the first coup (in Nigeria) no normal human being would plan a coup without being sure who they wanted to take over and install. No soldier (particularly Ifeajuna) would be stupid enough to make the same mistake twice. So definitely if they had someone that was to replace Ojukwu I would imagine it would be someone senior who they respect.....which leaves only Banjo.

So now I ask, does it make sense that Banjo, would plan a coup to put himself in power in Biafra? Could his brain have been so fried that he would think Igbo and other Easterners would listen to him and instruct their kith and kin to follow him to war/surrender?!

Someone should please educate me on who was meant to take over, because unless Banjo was planning a coup for his junior (which is also madness and totally unheard of in the military) I must say it really looks unbelievable that he would have been involved, that's if their was even a coup in the first place.

samstradam:
^^You are wasting your time with someone like him....even if his grandfather was an eyewitness to it, he would spit in his face and call him a liar seeing as the narrative doesn't fit the hate he grew up in and obviously he's struggling to think for himself.

One thing I don't get about this Biafran coup is who was meant to take over from Ojukwu?

Surely after the recent events of the first coup (in Nigeria) no normal human being would plan a coup without being sure who they wanted to take over and install. No soldier (particularly Ifeajuna) would be stupid enough to make the same mistake twice. So definitely if they had someone that was to replace Ojukwu I would imagine it would be someone senior who they respect.....which leaves only Banjo.

So now I ask, does it make sense that Banjo, would plan a coup to put himself in power in Biafra? Could his brain have been so fried that he would think Igbo and other Easterners would listen to him and instruct their kith and kin to follow him to war/surrender?!

Someone should please educate me on who was meant to take over, because unless Banjo was planning a coup for his junior (which is also madness and totally unheard of in the military) I must say it really looks unbelievable that he would have been involved, that's if their was even a coup in the first place.

Personally, I'm neither convinced nor in doubt there was a coup. What was obvious is that Maduebo hinted that someone mooted the idea of a coup to him. I don't doubt the possibility. Who did the Germans plan to make Feurer if the coup against Hitler succeeded? War coup mostly have one objective: to end the war. Banjo and co may have been set up by the British to weaken Biafra. After all, Ojukwy didn't even know that Frederick Forsyth he made a confidante was a British spy. In any case, we can only speculate since the trial was military tribunal known for not being always fair.

On the flip side. Why were Banjo and Ifeajuna always linked to coup? I understand Ifeajuna's case since he never denied his involvement, T least in the first one. But Banjo... For a man to lose his first wife to death within a couple of months is pitiful, but losing his second wife in a couple of months is remarkable if not suspicious.

Having said that, what I found intriguing in the article is that the Yoruba also wanted separation from the north, but quickly ed up with them when it became obvious that there were spoils of war to enjoy enjoy in Biafra's defeat.

Hitler would have been a weak leader comparatively if Ojukwu had succeeded with his illusionary Biafra.

All these contracted history spinners commissioned to create a certain narrative.. Thats what the likes of reno are doing. They try to pit brothers against brothers by inventing history and giving everything ethnic coloration.. Now its to pit yoruba against igbo because election is near.. Smh.. Nairaland.com sef. I would leave this platform very soon

genkins:
All these contracted history spinners commissioned to create a certain narrative.. Thats what the likes of reno are doing. They try to pit brothers against brothers by inventing history and giving everything ethnic coloration.. Now its to pit yoruba against igbo because election is near.. Smh.. Nairaland.com sef. I would leave this platform very soon

It happens every where in the world. The problem with Nigeria is that there are too many people available to be used. If you keep them poor and uninformed, you can always use them. If they become informed, United and unafraid, game over, those in suits and agbada will become powerless overnight

There’s a choice we have. Since the government has decided to keep people poor, ignorant, and vulnerable to manipulation, the informed and fortunate ones have to fight for the rest, come together and fight to educate and empower them. That seems to be the only way out for Nigeria at this point because the leaders are getting deeper and deeper into their resolve to impoverish the people.

The Yoruba man is so wicked with history. All that was bad was always by the Igbo and all that was good was by the Yoruba.

Real history. Banjo was given Biafran soldiers on his request to go liberate Yoruba land. He stopped at Benin and removed the . The time wasted in Benin meant Lagos already knew he was on his way as Alabi Isama reported that he radios to inform Lagos. On getting to Ore later he set up communication between him and other Yoruba with wooe soyinka as his messenger. Soyinka wrote about this in his his You must set forth at dawn. The book confirmed that Banjo planned a two way coup that would remove Ojukwu in Enugu and Gowon in Lagos. When Yoruba rewrite history like this it is because they believe Ojukwu should have allowed Banjo to kill him since he was a Yoruba. Ndi nzuzu

Christlike01:


Does Alexander Madiebo sound like a Yoruba name to you, Chinedu? Do something useful with the little whitish substance in your oblong head—go and read Madiebo's book!

The guy you're replying is talking out of pain. You know his ancestors accuse Yorubas of being cowards to cover their own well known cowardice. So, when he reads something that exposes his ancestors as the frauds and liars they truly were, it makes him feel distraught. So, he reacts with bitterness.

samstradam:
^^You are wasting your time with someone like him....even if his grandfather was an eyewitness to it, he would spit in his face and call him a liar seeing as the narrative doesn't fit the hate he grew up in and obviously he's struggling to think for himself.

One thing I don't get about this Biafran coup is who was meant to take over from Ojukwu?

Surely after the recent events of the first coup (in Nigeria) no normal human being would plan a coup without being sure who they wanted to take over and install. No soldier (particularly Ifeajuna) would be stupid enough to make the same mistake twice. So definitely if they had someone that was to replace Ojukwu I would imagine it would be someone senior who they respect.....which leaves only Banjo.

So now I ask, does it make sense that Banjo, would plan a coup to put himself in power in Biafra? Could his brain have been so fried that he would think Igbo and other Easterners would listen to him and instruct their kith and kin to follow him to war/surrender?!

Someone should please educate me on who was meant to take over, because unless Banjo was planning a coup for his junior (which is also madness and totally unheard of in the military) I must say it really looks unbelievable that he would have been involved, that's if their was even a coup in the first place.

You started from a wrong premise. You are talking about developers here. Just first reason this; have you ever come across any of their actions or words that follows logic? So, trying to see the logic in their action will not take you anywhere. You think Buhari, who had known them for many years, didn't know what he was doing when he proposed building 15 psychiatric hospitals for them?

Igbophobia:


Personally, I'm neither convinced nor in doubt there was a coup. What was obvious is that Maduebo hinted that someone mooted the idea of a coup to him. I don't doubt the possibility. Who did the Germans plan to make Feurer if the coup against Hitler succeeded? War coup mostly have one objective: to end the war. Banjo and co may have been set up by the British to weaken Biafra. After all, Ojukwy didn't even know that Frederick Forsyth he made a confidante was a British spy. In any case, we can only speculate since the trial was military tribunal known for not being always fair.

On the flip side. Why were Banjo and Ifeajuna always linked to coup? I understand Ifeajuna's case since he never denied his involvement, T least in the first one. But Banjo... For a man to lose his first wife to death within a couple of months is pitiful, but losing his second wife in a couple of months is remarkable if not suspicious.

Having said that, what I found intriguing in the article is that the Yoruba also wanted separation from the north, but quickly ed up with them when it became obvious that there were spoils of war to enjoy enjoy in Biafra's defeat.

Yorubas have more sense actually. They think deeply before they act. No brainless nzogbu nzogbu moves. When all military personnel were ordered to go back to their regions of origin, all Eastern personnel went to the east, all western personnel went to the west, the northern personnel in the west didn't leave the west, because Lagos was the capital, and the HOS was a northerner. That was what Awo was campaigning against, and the reason they gave was that they would not trust Gowon in the hands of Yoruba soldiers. And Northern soldiers way outnumbered Yoruba soldiers. So, you think Awo would be stvpid as Ojucrook and declare for war. Lolz. That's what "Yoruba ronu" does (you guys hate that expression, as it doesn't allow you to manipulate Yorubas the way you want). You think before you act, a concept very alien to you developers.

Fynx:
The Yoruba man is so wicked with history. All that was bad was always by the Igbo and all that was good was by the Yoruba.

Real history. Banjo was given Biafran soldiers on his request to go liberate Yoruba land. He stopped at Benin and removed the . The time wasted in Benin meant Lagos already knew he was on his way as Alabi Isama reported that he radios to inform Lagos. On getting to Ore later he set up communication between him and other Yoruba with wooe soyinka as his messenger. Soyinka wrote about this in his his You must set forth at dawn. The book confirmed that Banjo planned a two way coup that would remove Ojukwu in Enugu and Gowon in Lagos. When Yoruba rewrite history like this it is because they believe Ojukwu should have allowed Banjo to kill him since he was a Yoruba. Ndi nzuzu

Alex Madiebo that wrote the book has become Yoruba overnight? Are you guys this dense? Is it the long duration under the sun while hawking gala, or you guys were just born with this legendary lack of capacity to reason? It's actually hilarious, by the way.

Brenbentondiaz:


The guy you're replying is talking out of pain. You know his ancestors accuse Yorubas of being cowards to cover their own well known cowardice. So, when he reads something that exposes his ancestors as the frauds and liars they truly were, it makes him feel distraught. So, he reacts with bitterness.

Absolutely — you're so right!

chrisxxx:
Hitler would have been a weak leader comparatively if Ojukwu had succeeded with his illusionary Biafra.

The igbos are terrible people.
Yet you don't want Nigeria to break becos you can't exist without them.

The igbos on their own will thrive, that's why they want to leave.

samstradam:
^^You are wasting your time with someone like him....even if his grandfather was an eyewitness to it, he would spit in his face and call him a liar seeing as the narrative doesn't fit the hate he grew up in and obviously he's struggling to think for himself.

One thing I don't get about this Biafran coup is who was meant to take over from Ojukwu?

Surely after the recent events of the first coup (in Nigeria) no normal human being would plan a coup without being sure who they wanted to take over and install. No soldier (particularly Ifeajuna) would be stupid enough to make the same mistake twice. So definitely if they had someone that was to replace Ojukwu I would imagine it would be someone senior who they respect.....which leaves only Banjo.

So now I ask, does it make sense that Banjo, would plan a coup to put himself in power in Biafra? Could his brain have been so fried that he would think Igbo and other Easterners would listen to him and instruct their kith and kin to follow him to war/surrender?!

Someone should please educate me on who was meant to take over, because unless Banjo was planning a coup for his junior (which is also madness and totally unheard of in the military) I must say it really looks unbelievable that he would have been involved, that's if their was even a coup in the first place.

They killed Banjo for no reason. Today they're crying that they want to rule Lagos. That Tinubu's legacy is bad. They wanted to replace Sanwoolu with another fraud. Sanwoolu that is performing. They want to replace him with another typical fraud. They should come and rule the Lagos first. Igb0s must not vote in Lagos.

Tunde835:
They killed Banjo for no reason. Today they're crying that they want to rule Lagos. That Tinubu's legacy is bad. They wanted to replace Sanwoolu with another fraud. Sanwoolu that is performing. They want to replace him with another typical fraud. They should come and rule the Lagos first. Igb0s must not vote in Lagos.

But if they say they want to go their way as Biafra, it will be people like you that will be ready to fight war

samstradam:
^^You are wasting your time with someone like him....even if his grandfather was an eyewitness to it, he would spit in his face and call him a liar seeing as the narrative doesn't fit the hate he grew up in and obviously he's struggling to think for himself.

One thing I don't get about this Biafran coup is who was meant to take over from Ojukwu?

Surely after the recent events of the first coup (in Nigeria) no normal human being would plan a coup without being sure who they wanted to take over and install. No soldier (particularly Ifeajuna) would be stupid enough to make the same mistake twice. So definitely if they had someone that was to replace Ojukwu I would imagine it would be someone senior who they respect.....which leaves only Banjo.

So now I ask, does it make sense that Banjo, would plan a coup to put himself in power in Biafra? Could his brain have been so fried that he would think Igbo and other Easterners would listen to him and instruct their kith and kin to follow him to war/surrender?!

Someone should please educate me on who was meant to take over, because unless Banjo was planning a coup for his junior (which is also madness and totally unheard of in the military) I must say it really looks unbelievable that he would have been involved, that's if their was even a coup in the first place.

Objectives of such a coup is the main issue. Taking out Ojukwu was enough to collapse the Biafran struggle. That was all the Yaribean snake needed to achieve.

Nawa4nl:

The igbos are terrible people.
Yet you don't want Nigeria to break becos you can't exist without them.

The igbos on their own will thrive, that's why they want to leave.

Leave na! Seeif anyone will stop you. Just make sure, you don't tress on your neighbours land for whatever reason.

Ojukwu wants to leave(Nigeria) but he had to take over other peoples' land before he does that. But somehow, this makes sense to you guys.

gidgiddy:


But if they say they want to go their way as Biafra, it will be people like you that will be ready to fight war

Igb0s must not vote in Lagos.

The British foreign service is at the center of the whole thing. They initiated a secret negotiation with Ifeajuna and Banjo. If you are a leader in a tensed military situation and you find out your subordinates are secretly negotiating with your enemies, what will you do ? I have researched widely and consulted many declassified files and evidence abounds that the British foreign service secretly initiated negotiation with them but what was discussed remains hidden in history.

Igbophobia:


Personally, I'm neither convinced nor in doubt there was a coup. What was obvious is that Maduebo hinted that someone mooted the idea of a coup to him. I don't doubt the possibility. Who did the Germans plan to make Feurer if the coup against Hitler succeeded? War coup mostly have one objective: to end the war. Banjo and co may have been set up by the British to weaken Biafra. After all, Ojukwy didn't even know that Frederick Forsyth he made a confidante was a British spy. In any case, we can only speculate since the trial was military tribunal known for not being always fair.

T9ksy:




Leave na! Seeif anyone will stop you. Just make sure, you don't tress on your neighbours land for whatever reason.

Ojukwu wants to leave(Nigeria) but he had to take over other peoples' land before he does that. But somehow, this makes sense to you guys.

Look at this one that is scared to be on his own.
Let's break up and see how you will fair
You seem to forget it's the resources of my region was used to build Lagos.

Let's break and see how you will survive as agberos or area boys 😆

Tunde835:
Igb0s must not vote in Lagos.

They must not vote in Lagos, then why fight to keep them?

They want to leave but fear no gree una let them leave.
Let's break and see how the igbos in SE & SS will do.

The nice thing is that many of us in the Niger Delta have learnt our lessons

We are all retracing our igbo roots.

Just days ago igbos in Edo spoke to recognise their Igbo roots.

Fynx:
The Yoruba man is so wicked with history. All that was bad was always by the Igbo and all that was good was by the Yoruba.

Real history. Banjo was given Biafran soldiers on his request to go liberate Yoruba land. He stopped at Benin and removed the . The time wasted in Benin meant Lagos already knew he was on his way as Alabi Isama reported that he radios to inform Lagos. On getting to Ore later he set up communication between him and other Yoruba with wooe soyinka as his messenger. Soyinka wrote about this in his his You must set forth at dawn. The book confirmed that Banjo planned a two way coup that would remove Ojukwu in Enugu and Gowon in Lagos. When Yoruba rewrite history like this it is because they believe Ojukwu should have allowed Banjo to kill him since he was a Yoruba. Ndi nzuzu

I agree with the bolded
They're a cunning tribe who actually BELIEVE their own lies. 97% of Nigeria's problem is traceable to them. Lies such as Fadeyi died for Ironsi and Igbo coup comes to mind. The Igbo coup mantra invented by the British wouldn't have lasted that long if they didn't fan its embers with their propaganda machine. If not that Igbo nationalists consistently bust their lies, they already believed the cowardly Fadeyi who was marked for death and who actually tried selling out Ironsi actually elected to die with him.

By the way, thanks for the source that shows Banjo was duplicitous.

Fynx:
The Yoruba man is so wicked with history. All that was bad was always by the Igbo and all that was good was by the Yoruba.

Real history. Banjo was given Biafran soldiers on his request to go liberate Yoruba land. He stopped at Benin and removed the . The time wasted in Benin meant Lagos already knew he was on his way as Alabi Isama reported that he radios to inform Lagos. On getting to Ore later he set up communication between him and other Yoruba with wooe soyinka as his messenger. Soyinka wrote about this in his his You must set forth at dawn. The book confirmed that Banjo planned a two way coup that would remove Ojukwu in Enugu and Gowon in Lagos. When Yoruba rewrite history like this it is because they believe Ojukwu should have allowed Banjo to kill him since he was a Yoruba. Ndi nzuzu

Liar! The truth of the matter is this: Ojukwu, just like Azikiwe, had his greedy eyes on Lagos and the Western Region. Did you even read Madiebo's book? Ojukwu’s timing of the declaration of Biafra was not only wrong but highly suspicious—he had ulterior motives, one of which was to annex the Western Region through Lagos.

Attached is an extract from the letter Ojukwu sent to Banjo. Pay attention to the highlighted parts—it reveals Ojukwu’s real intentions. How is this any different from Nnamdi Azikiwe’s evil intent—to make himself the Premier of the Western Region, the Yoruba land?! And who are the same people shouting “Lagos is no man’s land” even to this day?

The fact is that Ojukwu knew there was no way the Western Region could engage Nigeria in a military confrontation and win, given the strategic status of Lagos as the capital of Nigeria, with its overwhelming number of non-Yoruba soldiers and the bulk of Nigeria’s military arsenal. He wanted to take advantage of that situation by pushing his so-called “liberation proposal.” The Yoruba people were at a grave disadvantage, and that’s exactly what Chief Awolowo discussed with Ojukwu—though Ojukwu pretended not to understand because he had his own hidden agenda.

The Yoruba are not cowards but battle-hardened and tested warriors. They do not need the Igbo to fight their battles for them. This is evident from history—they fought and won wars not only within Nigeria but across much of West Africa. Yoruba land isn’t limited to Nigeria; it extends into Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, etc. How do you think the Yoruba reached all those regions? They fought brutal wars and never lost a single one!

For your information, Accra—the capital city of Ghana—is Yoruba land. It belongs to the Ga people, Yoruba warriors from Ile-Ife and Oyo-Ile. The Yoruba do not engage in wars they’re not certain of winning. That was the message Awolowo and Banjo tried to to Ojukwu, but he was too naive to understand it.

Do you think it was a coincidence that the Biafran army only started winning battles after Banjo took command? It’s never about noise or drama—it’s about proper planning, logic, and common sense.

The Israeli military is called “The IDF” for a reason—no land-grabbing ambitions. How could you declare a state of Biafra while having your greedy eyes on someone else’s land? Like Azikiwe, like Ojukwu, like the rest of you chanting “Lagos is no man’s land”!

gidgiddy:


But if they say they want to go their way as Biafra, it will be people like you that will be ready to fight war

Did Ironsi and Ojukwu when they were in control of the country allow Adaka Boro to leave Nigeria in 1966?

Igbophobia:


I agree with the bolded
They're a cunning tribe who actually BELIEVE their own lies. 97% of Nigeria's problem is traceable to them. Lies such as Fadeyi died for Ironsi and Igbo coup comes to mind. [b]The Igbo coup mantra invented by the British wouldn't have lasted that long if they didn't fan its embers with their propaganda machine. [/b]If not that Igbo nationalists consistently bust their lies, they already believed the cowardly Fadeyi who was marked for death and who actually tried selling out Ironsi actually elected to die with him.

By the way, thanks for the source that shows Banjo was duplicitous.

I actually thought you were sane and rational after your initial reply to me, only for you, like your brothers, have your DNA overpower your "intellect" and reveal itself.

So the first coup in Nigeria that included 95% of the participants being Igbo and that installed an Igbo leader ensuring no Igbo political leader received a scratch while killing Northern politicians, Western politicians and South South Politicians wasn't an Igbo coup?

What do you people actually define as bravery self....clearly taking responsibility for your actions isn't included in your definition and understanding of courage

In my life I have never heard a single Northerner, no matter how feeble and weak intellectually he may be, refer to the 2nd coup as not being a Northern Coup. Not for one day were they so deluded and dishonest to say we killed all the Southerners we did to "save Nigeria". It was revenge and a power grab and they made it clear from day one, no pretentiousness. Till today their children hold their heads high and accept what their fathers did without trying to rewrite history and crying everywhere.

Well you can try to deceive others, and even try to think you can deceive yourselves; however God knows the truth and so does every other unbiased person who chooses just to use a miniscule fraction of their brain cells without succumbing to victim mentality/paralysis.

Imagine, men that cannot take responsibility for their actions after almost 60 years!

No wonder it's your women like Bianca that actually have the reputation for bravery and outspokenness that people actually notice, clearly someone had to step up and fill the vacuum, as your soft spoken duplicitous males are yet to do so!!

seanfer:


Did Ironsi and Ojukwu when they were in control of the country allow Adaka Boro to leave Nigeria in 1966?

The truth is almost no properly trained Nigerian officer of that era believed in secession. Most of them were trained overseas, with other tribes and due to the military, had lived in other areas of Nigeria and were properly exposed. They were more "Nigerian" than any set of people to walk this earth.

They all became secessionist later because of power grabs and selfishness, and just like the Northerner officers proved when their coup was successful and they could have seceeded like they claimed they wanted to, the allure of lording it over the rest of Nigeria is to difficult to resist.

Nigeria has always been a state by "capture" and we all know who has popularised that saying.

Truly it is unfortunate that we are doomed to keep repeating the mistakes of history.

What did Alex Madiebo write, mpama? Was he with Banjo? Soyinka who was there with him wrote what they planned and you are mentioning Madiebo that wasn't there. By the way tell us what Madiebo wrote. Common return your Fadeyi Bus Stop.

Brenbentondiaz:


Alex Madiebo that wrote the book has become Yoruba overnight? Are you guys this dense? Is it the long duration under the sun while hawking gala, or you guys were just born with this legendary lack of capacity to reason? It's actually hilarious, by the way.

What is the purpose for this? Are you trying to divide us?