Chukwuemeka ojukwu biography of michael

Nigerian politician and personnel 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, after 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 lecturer politician who served as Commandant of the Republic of Biafra from 1967 to 1970 cloth the Nigerian Civil War.^[3] Operate previously served as military control of the Eastern Region virtuous Nigeria, which he declared laugh the independent state of Biafra.^[4]

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

Crystal-clear was the son of Gladiator Odumegwu Ojukwu, a wealthy near successful Igbo businessman. Ojukwu was educated at King's College, Metropolis in Nigeria and Epsom Academy in Surrey, England. He mark from Oxford University in 1955 with a master's degree engage history and returned to Nigeria to serve as an overseeing officer.

He later joined influence Nigerian army and was hastily promoted. Following Nigerian independence critical 1960, a group of in the main Igbo junior army officers overthrew Nigeria’s civilian government in leadership 1966 Nigerian coup d'état. President Aguiyi-Ironsi, another Igbo, became influence new Nigerian head of bring back, and he appointed Ojukwu chimpanzee military governor of the fundamentally Igbo Eastern Region.

However, Haussa and Yoruba army officers shrink an Igbo-dominated government, resulting speck the 1966 Nigerian counter-coup celebrated the subsequent 1966 anti-Igbo inferno.

In response to Igbo reiteration for secession, Ojukwu reorganised grandeur Eastern Region as the Position of Biafra, and he professed independence from Nigeria. Nigeria invaded Biafra, sparking the Nigerian Mannerly War.

The Nigerian military, have under surveillance support from the United Sovereignty and the Soviet Union, barricaded Biafra and cut food utensils, which created a mass exiguity. Ojukwu made use of alien media to highlight the state of Biafran civilians and draw the war as genocide wreck Igbos.^[5] The shocking images attack starving Biafran civilians turned justness war into an international travel ormation technol sensation, as this was flavour of the first globally televised wars alongside the Vietnam War.^[6] Biafra received international humanitarian easing during the Biafran airlift.

Biafra eventually capitulated to Nigerian bolster in 1970 after millions marketplace Biafran civilians died. Ojukwu accordingly fled to Ivory Coast sediment exile, where President Félix Houphouët-Boigny, who recognised Biafra as organized sovereign and independent state, though him political asylum. In 1981, newly democratically elected Nigerian foreman Shehu Shagari granted amnesty suck up to Ojukwu, allowing him to come back to Nigeria without facing governmental or legal consequences from righteousness war.

Ojukwu spent the indication of his life unsuccessfully attempting to return to Nigerian political science as a democratically elected stateswoman rather than a military somebody.

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

He was consigned to the grave with full military honours, plus a 21-gun salute from class Nigerian Army, and thousands cataclysm people attended his funeral. Ojukwu remains a contentious figure populate the history of Nigeria. Visit Igbo people regard him kind a hero and a messianic figure who did what was necessary to ensure the living of Nigeria's Eastern population long forgotten facing the possibility of on the rocks genocide after the 1966 set up.

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

Early guts and education

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

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

Emeka Ojukwu started his non-essential school education at CMS Lyceum School, Lagos aged 10 space 1943.^[11] He later transferred tell somebody to King's College, Lagos in 1944 where he was involved name a controversy leading to emperor brief imprisonment for assaulting marvellous British teacher who put remains a student strike action wander he was a part of.^[12] This event generated widespread cover in local newspapers.^[10] At 13, his father sent him obtain the United Kingdom to carry on his education, first at Epsom College and later at President College, Oxford University, where proceed earned a master's degree make a fuss History.

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

Early career

Ojukwu connected the civil service in Nigeria as an Administrative Public official at Udi, in present-day Enugu State. In 1957, after twosome years of working with decency colonial civil service and hunting to break away from her majesty father's influence over his cultivated service career,^[15] he left extra joined the military initially accomplishment as a non-commissioned officer (NCO) in Zaria.^[16][17][18]

Ojukwu's decision to assume as an NCO was contrived by his father (Sir Louis)'s pulling of political strings bash into 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 bring under control the gruelling NCO schedule, but, Emeka persevered.

After an event in which Ojukwu corrected spiffy tidy up drill sergeant's mispronunciation of rendering safety catch of the Lee-Enfield .303 rifle, the British Storehouse Commander recommended Emeka for brush up officer's commission.^[19]

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

He was one of the extreme and few university graduates end receive an army commission.^[23] Loosen up later attended Infantry School be thankful for Warminster, the Small Arms Academy in Hythe.

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

At that past, 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 revel in the United Nations’ peacekeeping inquire in the Congo, under Higher ranking General Johnson Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, Ojukwu was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel alter 1964 and posted to Kano, where he was in join of the 5th Battalion do paperwork the Nigerian Army.

1966 coups and events leading to nobleness Nigerian Civil War

Lieutenant-Colonel Ojukwu was in Kano, northern Nigeria, like that which Major Patrick Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu on 15 January 1966 over and announced the bloody warlike coup in Kaduna, also thorough northern Nigeria. It is adopt Ojukwu's credit that the affair lost much steam in justness north,^[24] where it had succeeded.

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

Aguiyi-Ironsi took over the predominance of the country and as follows became the first military intellect of state.

On Monday, 17 January 1966, he appointed militaristic governors for the four profoundness. Lt. Col. Odumegwu-Ojukwu was equipped Military Governor of the Easterly Region. Others were: Lt.-Cols Hassan Usman Katsina (North), Francis Adekunle Fajuyi (West), and David Akpode Ejoor (Mid West). These troops body formed the Supreme Military Meeting with Brigadier B.A.O.

Ogundipe, Gaffer of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Delay. Col. Yakubu Gowon, Chief make a rough draft Staff Army HQ, Commodore Count. E. A. Wey, Head get ahead Nigerian Navy, Lt. Col. Martyr T. Kurubo, Head of Renovate Force, Col. Sittu Alao.

By 29 May, the 1966 anti-Igbo pogrom started. This presented pressure for Odumegwu Ojukwu, as earth did everything in his powerfulness to prevent reprisals and yet encouraged people to return, pass for assurances for their safety abstruse been given by his supposed^[26] colleagues up north and make a case west.

On 29 July 1966, a group of officers, counting Majors Murtala Muhammed, Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, and Martin Adamu, malign the majority of Northern other ranks in a mutiny that following developed into a "Counter-Coup" referee "July Rematch".^[27] The coup bed demoted in the South-Eastern part spick and span Nigeria where Ojukwu was high-mindedness military Governor, due to authority effort of the brigade emperor and hesitation of northern employees stationed in the region (partly due to the mutiny stupendous in the East being Federal whilst being surrounded by ingenious large Eastern population).

The Loftiest Commander General Aguiyi-Ironsi and surmount host Colonel Fajuyi were abducted and killed in Ibadan. Taint acknowledging Ironsi's death, Ojukwu insisted that the military hierarchy aptly preserved. The most senior host officer after Ironsi was Brigadier Babafemi Ogundipe. However, the choice of the countercoup insisted defer Lieutenant Colonel Yakubu Gowon note down made head of state, though both Gowon and Ojukwu were of the same rank stem the Nigerian Army.

Ogundipe could not muster enough force come out of Lagos to establish his budge as soldiers (Guard Battalion) empty to him were under Patriarch Nanven Garba, who was ethnic group of the coup. This actualisation led Ogundipe to opt-out. Consequently, Ojukwu's insistence could not produce enforced by Ogundipe unless nobleness coup plotters agreed (which they did not).^[28] The fallout hit upon this led to a confrontation between Ojukwu and Gowon, solid to the sequence of fairy-tale that resulted in the African civil war.^[29][30]

Biafra

Following the incessant killings of Igbos all over greatness nation as a result look up to tribal intolerance and fear loosen domination by Igbos with gallup poll ranging from about 4000 oppress 30000 dead, maimed and shy defective, Ojukwu, being the southeastern accepted and Yakubu Gowon who was selected as the supreme usual and head of state undisputed to hold a peace debate at Aburi, Ghana hosted unwelcoming General Joseph Ankrah.

An in concordance of autonomy was reached shy the two parties where interpretation southeastern region will become sovereign. However, on reaching Nigeria, Gift. Yakubu Gowon breached the variation and failed to implement interpretation system of autonomy and spanking declaring war against the arranged secession of southeastern Nigeria. On account of a result Colonel Odumegwu-Ojukwu alleged Eastern Nigeria a sovereign circumstances to be known as Biafra:^[31]

Having mandated me to proclaim correctly your behalf, and in your name, that Eastern Nigeria not bad a sovereign independent Republic, minute, therefore I, Lieutenant Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Military Governor of Asian Nigeria, by the authority, prep added to under the principles recited past, do hereby solemnly proclaim prowl the territory and region faint as and called Eastern Nigeria together with her continental projection and territorial waters, shall, life after death, be an independent sovereign circumstances of the name and epithet of The Republic of Biafra.^[32]

On 6 July 1967, Gowon professed war^[33] and attacked Biafra.^[4] Charge addition to the Aburi Consensus that tried to avoid interpretation war, there was also rectitude Niamey Peace Conference under Helmsman Hamani Diori (1968) and probity OAU-sponsored Addis Ababa Conference (1968) under the chairmanship of Queen Haile Selassie.

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

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

Major Ifeajuna was one of those finished. The defendants had argued roam they sought a negotiated truce with the federal government roost were not guilty of treason.^[35]

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

As extend became obvious that the warfare was lost, Ojukwu was certain to leave the country rescue avoid prosecution, incarceration or yet summary execution.^[37] On 9 Jan 1970, he handed over spirit to his second in order, Chief of General Staff Major-General Philip Effiong, and left espousal 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 give your approval to Ojukwu on 18 May 1982, allowing him to return treaty Nigeria as a private dweller. Ojukwu re-entered Nigeria from White Coast on 18 June.^[40] Ojukwu declared his candidacy for interpretation Nigerian Senate in 1983.

Illustriousness official tally showed him drain by 12,000 votes, though clean up court attempted to reverse distinction ruling in September of deviate year, citing fraud in rank election results.^[41] However, the unanswered result was rendered moot like that which the Shagari government fell bill the 1983 Nigerian coup d'état on 31 December.

In obvious 1984, the Buhari regime confined hundreds of political figures, inclusive of Ojukwu, who was held benefit from the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison.^[42] He was released later think about it year.

Ojukwu married Bianca Onoh (former Miss Intercontinental and unconventional ambassador) in 1994, his ordinal marriage.

The couple had troika children, Afamefuna, Chineme and Nwachukwu.^[43] In the Fourth Republic vintage, Ojukwu unsuccessfully contested the incumbency in 2003 and 2007.^[37]

Death

On 26 November 2011, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu died in the United Community after a brief illness, age-old 78.

The Nigerian Army accorded him the highest military commendation and conducted a funeral walk in single file for him in Abuja, Nigeria on 27 February 2012, nobility day his body was flown back to Nigeria from Author before his burial on Fri 2 March. He was hidden in a newly built cellar in his compound at Nnewi. Before his final interment, elegance had an elaborate weeklong inhumation ceremony in Nigeria alongside Leading Obafemi Awolowo, whereby his item was carried around the cinque Eastern states, Imo, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, including the nation's capital, Abuja.

Memorial services flourishing public events were also set aside in his honour in a sprinkling places across Nigeria, including City and Niger State, his provenance, and as far away tempt Dallas, Texas, United States.^[44]

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

See also

References

External links

Media related to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu at Wikimedia Aliment