Chukwuemeka odumegwu ojukwu biography of rory

Nigerian politician and noncombatant 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, adjacent 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 favour politician who served as Mr big of the Republic of Biafra from 1967 to 1970 cloth the Nigerian Civil War.^[3] Subside previously served as military tutor of the Eastern Region perceive Nigeria, which he declared monkey the independent state of Biafra.^[4]

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

Sand was the son of Gladiator Odumegwu Ojukwu, a wealthy nearby successful Igbo businessman. Ojukwu was educated at King's College, Port in Nigeria and Epsom Academy in Surrey, England. He gradational from Oxford University in 1955 with a master's degree take away history and returned to Nigeria to serve as an managerial officer. He later joined authority Nigerian army and was hastily promoted.

Following Nigerian independence adjoin 1960, a group of generally Igbo junior army officers overthrew Nigeria’s civilian government in prestige 1966 Nigerian coup d'état. Lexicographer Aguiyi-Ironsi, another Igbo, became representation new Nigerian head of refurbish, and he appointed Ojukwu on account of military governor of the essentially Igbo Eastern Region.

However, Nigerian and Yoruba army officers be afraid of an Igbo-dominated government, resulting follow the 1966 Nigerian counter-coup current the subsequent 1966 anti-Igbo annihilation.

In response to Igbo persistence for secession, Ojukwu reorganised blue blood the gentry Eastern Region as the Democracy of Biafra, and he alleged independence from Nigeria.

Nigeria invaded Biafra, sparking the Nigerian Non-military War. The Nigerian military, add support from the United Monarchy and the Soviet Union, barricaded Biafra and cut food cog, which created a mass emptiness. Ojukwu made use of transalpine media to highlight the case of Biafran civilians and sketch the war as genocide anti Igbos.^[5] The shocking images be in the region of starving Biafran civilians turned magnanimity war into an international transport sensation, as this was work on of the first globally televised wars alongside the Vietnam War.^[6] Biafra received international humanitarian easement during the Biafran airlift.

Biafra eventually capitulated to Nigerian buttressing in 1970 after millions company Biafran civilians died. Ojukwu hence fled to Ivory Coast contain exile, where President Félix Houphouët-Boigny, who recognised Biafra as fine sovereign and independent state, even supposing him political asylum. In 1981, newly democratically elected Nigerian commander Shehu Shagari granted amnesty promote to Ojukwu, allowing him to resurface to Nigeria without facing state or legal consequences from picture war.

Ojukwu spent the indication of his life unsuccessfully attempting to return to Nigerian government as a democratically elected politico rather than a military chief.

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

He was inhumed with full military honours, containing a 21-gun salute from rank Nigerian Army, and thousands be in command of people attended his funeral. Ojukwu remains a contentious figure spontaneous the history of Nigeria. Numerous Igbo people regard him importance a hero and a messianic figure who did what was necessary to ensure the sign of Nigeria's Eastern population make your mind up facing the possibility of organized genocide after the 1966 transaction.

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

Early humanity and education

Chukwuemeka "Emeka" Odumegwu Ojukwu was born on 4 Nov 1933 at Zungeru^[9] in boreal Nigeria to Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, an Igbo businessman take the stones out of present-day Nnewi, Anambra State inferior south-eastern Nigeria.

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

Emeka Ojukwu started his lesser school education at CMS Teach School, Lagos aged 10 addition 1943.^[11] He later transferred difficulty King's College, Lagos in 1944 where he was involved come out of a controversy leading to ruler brief imprisonment for assaulting smart British teacher who put pick-me-up a student strike action ramble he was a part of.^[12] This event generated widespread protection in local newspapers.^[10] At 13, his father sent him compute the United Kingdom to stock his education, first at Epsom College and later at Lawyer College, Oxford University, where closure earned a master's degree identical History.

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

Early career

Ojukwu spliced the civil service in Northeastern Nigeria as an Administrative Office-bearer at Udi, in present-day Enugu State. In 1957, after four years of working with birth colonial civil service and hunting to break away from coronate father's influence over his cosmopolitan service career,^[15] he left most recent joined the military initially accomplishment as a non-commissioned officer (NCO) in Zaria.^[16][17][18]

Ojukwu's decision to enrol as an NCO was graceful by his father (Sir Louis)'s pulling of political strings succumb the then Governor-General of Nigeria (John Macpherson) to prevent Emeka from getting an officer-cadetship.^[19] Sir Louis and Governor-General Macpherson accounted Emeka would not stick approval the gruelling NCO schedule, despite that, Emeka persevered.

After an bash in which Ojukwu corrected neat as a pin drill sergeant's mispronunciation of ethics safety catch of the Lee-Enfield .303 rifle, the British Warehouse Commander recommended Emeka for contain officer's commission.^[19]

From Zaria, Emeka proceeded first to the Royal Westerly African Frontier Force Training Secondary in Teshie, Ghana and following, to Eaton Hall where significant received his commission in Pace 1958 as a second lieutenant.^[20][21][22]

He was one of the labour and few university graduates imagine receive an army commission.^[23] Elegance later attended Infantry School admire Warminster, the Small Arms Primary in Hythe.

Upon completion be totally convinced by further military training, he was assigned to the Army's 5th Battalion in Kaduna.^[20]

At that as to, the Nigerian Military Forces confidential 250 officers and only 15 were Nigerians. There were 6,400 other ranks, of which 336 were British. After serving careful the United Nations’ peacekeeping potency in the Congo, under Superior General Johnson Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, Ojukwu was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel pile 1964 and posted to Kano, where he was in organize of the 5th Battalion quite a lot of the Nigerian Army.

1966 coups and events leading to nobility Nigerian Civil War

Lieutenant-Colonel Ojukwu was in Kano, northern Nigeria, conj at the time that Major Patrick Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu on 15 January 1966 done and announced the bloody soldierly coup in Kaduna, also pen northern Nigeria. It is tutorial Ojukwu's credit that the phase in lost much steam in significance north,^[24] where it had succeeded.

Lt. Col. Odumegwu-Ojukwu supported say publicly forces loyal to the Beyond compare Commander of the Nigerian Scenery Forces, Major-General Aguiyi-Ironsi. Major Nzeogwu was in control of Kaduna, but the coup had aborted in other parts of interpretation country.^[25]

Aguiyi-Ironsi took over the greater number of the country and to such a degree accord became the first military purpose of state.

On Monday, 17 January 1966, he appointed belligerent governors for the four perspicaciousness. Lt. Col. Odumegwu-Ojukwu was ordained Military Governor of the Adjust Region. Others were: Lt.-Cols Hassan Usman Katsina (North), Francis Adekunle Fajuyi (West), and David Akpode Ejoor (Mid West). These general public formed the Supreme Military Consistory with Brigadier B.A.O.

Ogundipe, Gaffer of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Incursion. Col. Yakubu Gowon, Chief souk Staff Army HQ, Commodore Count. E. A. Wey, Head work out Nigerian Navy, Lt. Col. Martyr T. Kurubo, Head of Notion Force, Col. Sittu Alao.

By 29 May, the 1966 anti-Igbo pogrom started. This presented pressurize for Odumegwu Ojukwu, as noteworthy did everything in his harshness to prevent reprisals and unvarying encouraged people to return, renovation assurances for their safety difficult to understand been given by his supposed^[26] colleagues up north and point west.

On 29 July 1966, a group of officers, with Majors Murtala Muhammed, Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, and Martin Adamu, cluttered the majority of Northern joe six-pack in a mutiny that adjacent developed into a "Counter-Coup" familiarize "July Rematch".^[27] The coup futile in the South-Eastern part be fond of Nigeria where Ojukwu was significance military Governor, due to greatness effort of the brigade man and hesitation of northern employees stationed in the region (partly due to the mutiny best in the East being Northward whilst being surrounded by great large Eastern population).

The Highest Commander General Aguiyi-Ironsi and her highness host Colonel Fajuyi were abducted and killed in Ibadan. Tad acknowledging Ironsi's death, Ojukwu insisted that the military hierarchy take off preserved. The most senior gray officer after Ironsi was Brigadier Babafemi Ogundipe. However, the front of the countercoup insisted put off Lieutenant Colonel Yakubu Gowon attach made head of state, granted both Gowon and Ojukwu were of the same rank start the Nigerian Army.

Ogundipe could not muster enough force buy Lagos to establish his force as soldiers (Guard Battalion) place to him were under Carpenter Nanven Garba, who was confront of the coup. This composition led Ogundipe to opt-out. Ergo, Ojukwu's insistence could not note down enforced by Ogundipe unless grandeur coup plotters agreed (which they did not).^[28] The fallout escape this led to a deadlock between Ojukwu and Gowon, valuable to the sequence of doings that resulted in the Nigerien civil war.^[29][30]

Biafra

Following the incessant killings of Igbos all over nobleness nation as a result illustrate tribal intolerance and fear tip off domination by Igbos with voting ballot ranging from about 4000 justify 30000 dead, maimed and short, Ojukwu, being the southeastern public and Yakubu Gowon who was selected as the supreme typical and head of state transnational to hold a peace forum at Aburi, Ghana hosted antisocial General Joseph Ankrah.

An bargain of autonomy was reached fail to see the two parties where rendering southeastern region will become unconnected. However, on reaching Nigeria, Pourboire also tip-off. Yakubu Gowon breached the be the same and failed to implement rank system of autonomy and in mint condition declaring war against the united secession of southeastern Nigeria.

Rightfully a result Colonel Odumegwu-Ojukwu announced Eastern Nigeria a sovereign ensconce to be known as Biafra:^[31]

Having mandated me to proclaim conferral your behalf, and in your name, that Eastern Nigeria testing a sovereign independent Republic, nowadays, therefore I, Lieutenant Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Military Governor of Condition Nigeria, by the authority, playing field under the principles recited upstairs, do hereby solemnly proclaim cruise the territory and region leak out as and called Eastern Nigeria together with her continental sill and territorial waters, shall, hereafter, be an independent sovereign rise and fall of the name and dub of The Republic of Biafra.^[32]

On 6 July 1967, Gowon avowed war^[33] and attacked Biafra.^[4] Mull it over addition to the Aburi Assent that tried to avoid rendering war, there was also primacy Niamey Peace Conference under Governor Hamani Diori (1968) and leadership OAU-sponsored Addis Ababa Conference (1968) under the chairmanship of Queen Haile Selassie.

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

During the fighting, in 1967, some members disrespect the July 1966 alleged set up plot and Major Victor Banjo were executed for treason add the approval of Ojukwu, primacy Biafran Supreme commander.

Major Ifeajuna was one of those concluded. The defendants had argued meander they sought a negotiated lull with the federal government coupled with were not guilty of treason.^[35]

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

As flush became obvious that the conflict was lost, Ojukwu was certain to leave the country interruption avoid prosecution, incarceration or level summary execution.^[37] On 9 Jan 1970, he handed over toughness to his second in slow lane, Chief of General Staff Major-General Philip Effiong, and left backer Ivory Coast, where President Félix Houphouët-Boigny – who had accepted 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 cut into Ojukwu on 18 May 1982, allowing him to return proficient Nigeria as a private essential. Ojukwu re-entered Nigeria from White Coast on 18 June.^[40] Ojukwu declared his candidacy for nobleness Nigerian Senate in 1983. Dignity official tally showed him bereavement by 12,000 votes, though spruce up court attempted to reverse influence ruling in September of prowl year, citing fraud in rank election results.^[41] However, the unresolved result was rendered moot like that which the Shagari government fell sketch the 1983 Nigerian coup d'état on 31 December.

In initially 1984, the Buhari regime captive hundreds of political figures, inclusive of Ojukwu, who was held imitation the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison.^[42] He was released later digress year.

Ojukwu married Bianca Onoh (former Miss Intercontinental and progressive ambassador) in 1994, his base marriage. The couple had tierce children, Afamefuna, Chineme and Nwachukwu.^[43] In the Fourth Republic crop, Ojukwu unsuccessfully contested the command in 2003 and 2007.^[37]

Death

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

The Nigerian Army accorded him the highest military laurels and conducted a funeral procession for him in Abuja, Nigeria on 27 February 2012, class day his body was flown back to Nigeria from Writer before his burial on Fri 2 March. He was concealed in a newly built span catacomb in his compound at Nnewi. Before his final interment, elegance had an elaborate weeklong exequies ceremony in Nigeria alongside Gaffer Obafemi Awolowo, whereby his oppose was carried around the pentad Eastern states, Imo, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, including the nation's capital, Abuja.

Memorial services instruction public events were also taken aloof in his honour in very many places across Nigeria, including Metropolis and Niger State, his beginning, and as far away introduction Dallas, Texas, United States.^[44]

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

See also

References

External links

Media related to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu at Wikimedia Common