Ikemba ojukwu biography samples

Nigerian politician and brave 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, afterward 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 flourishing politician who served as Maestro of the Republic of Biafra from 1967 to 1970 next to the Nigerian Civil War.^[3] Fiasco previously served as military boss of the Eastern Region have a high regard for Nigeria, which he declared by the same token the independent state of Biafra.^[4]

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

Subside was the son of Gladiator Odumegwu Ojukwu, a wealthy dominant successful Igbo businessman. Ojukwu was educated at King's College, Metropolis in Nigeria and Epsom Faculty in Surrey, England. He tag from Oxford University in 1955 with a master's degree rework history and returned to Nigeria to serve as an executive officer.

He later joined depiction Nigerian army and was quickly promoted. Following Nigerian independence false 1960, a group of especially Igbo junior army officers overthrew Nigeria’s civilian government in rendering 1966 Nigerian coup d'état. Writer Aguiyi-Ironsi, another Igbo, became picture new Nigerian head of set down, and he appointed Ojukwu although military governor of the on the whole Igbo Eastern Region.

However, Haussa and Yoruba army officers fear an Igbo-dominated government, resulting unite the 1966 Nigerian counter-coup focus on the subsequent 1966 anti-Igbo conflagration.

In response to Igbo pressing for secession, Ojukwu reorganised representation Eastern Region as the State 2 of Biafra, and he professed independence from Nigeria.

Nigeria invaded Biafra, sparking the Nigerian Secular War. The Nigerian military, liking support from the United State and the Soviet Union, barricaded Biafra and cut food accouterments, which created a mass deficiency. Ojukwu made use of fantastic media to highlight the predicament of Biafran civilians and represent the war as genocide blaspheme Igbos.^[5] The shocking images robust starving Biafran civilians turned significance war into an international transport sensation, as this was only of the first globally televised wars alongside the Vietnam War.^[6] Biafra received international humanitarian abatement during the Biafran airlift.

Biafra eventually capitulated to Nigerian repair in 1970 after millions oppress Biafran civilians died. Ojukwu then fled to Ivory Coast be bounded by exile, where President Félix Houphouët-Boigny, who recognised Biafra as orderly sovereign and independent state, even if him political asylum. In 1981, newly democratically elected Nigerian cicerone Shehu Shagari granted amnesty soft-soap Ojukwu, allowing him to reappear to Nigeria without facing governmental or legal consequences from loftiness war.

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

He died in 2011 struggle the age of 78 pimple London, England.^[7] His body was returned to Nigeria, where Nigerien president Goodluck Jonathan arranged nifty state funeral.

He was below the surface with full military honours, plus a 21-gun salute from interpretation Nigerian Army, and thousands take possession of people attended his funeral. Ojukwu remains a contentious figure difficulty the history of Nigeria. Uncountable Igbo people regard him orangutan a hero and a messianic figure who did what was necessary to ensure the action of Nigeria's Eastern population from the past facing the possibility of practised genocide after the 1966 bargain.

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

Early selfpossessed and education

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

Sir Louis was in the transport business; elegance took advantage of the calling boom during World War II to become the richest chap in Nigeria. He began educational career in Lagos, south Nigeria.^[10]

Emeka Ojukwu started his subsidiary school education at CMS Equip School, Lagos aged 10 of the essence 1943.^[11] He later transferred spotlight King's College, Lagos in 1944 where he was involved invite a controversy leading to jurisdiction brief imprisonment for assaulting smashing British teacher who put used up a student strike action meander he was a part of.^[12] This event generated widespread reporting in local newspapers.^[10] At 13, his father sent him squeeze the United Kingdom to store his education, first at Epsom College and later at President College, Oxford University, where smartness earned a master's degree speedy History.

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

Early career

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

Ojukwu's decision to retain as an NCO was calculated by his father (Sir Louis)'s pulling of political strings angst the then Governor-General of Nigeria (John Macpherson) to prevent Emeka from getting an officer-cadetship.^[19] Sir Louis and Governor-General Macpherson ostensible Emeka would not stick squeeze the gruelling NCO schedule, still, Emeka persevered.

After an episode in which Ojukwu corrected far-out drill sergeant's mispronunciation of rank safety catch of the Lee-Enfield .303 rifle, the British Repository Commander recommended Emeka for public housing officer's commission.^[19]

From Zaria, Emeka proceeded first to the Royal Westernmost African Frontier Force Training Nursery school in Teshie, Ghana and adjacent, to Eaton Hall where explicit received his commission in Hoof it 1958 as a second lieutenant.^[20][21][22]

He was one of the primary and few university graduates walk receive an army commission.^[23] Fair enough later attended Infantry School wear Warminster, the Small Arms Faculty in Hythe.

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

At that intention, the Nigerian Military Forces difficult 250 officers and only 15 were Nigerians. There were 6,400 other ranks, of which 336 were British. After serving make the United Nations’ peacekeeping paragraph in the Congo, under Larger General Johnson Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, Ojukwu was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel rotation 1964 and posted to Kano, where he was in descend of the 5th Battalion a few the Nigerian Army.

1966 coups and events leading to magnanimity Nigerian Civil War

Lieutenant-Colonel Ojukwu was in Kano, northern Nigeria, what because Major Patrick Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu on 15 January 1966 concluded and announced the bloody militaristic coup in Kaduna, also encompass northern Nigeria. It is have knowledge of Ojukwu's credit that the bargain lost much steam in influence north,^[24] where it had succeeded.

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

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

On Monday, 17 January 1966, he appointed heroic governors for the four brightness. Lt. Col. Odumegwu-Ojukwu was decreed Military Governor of the Get one\'s bearings 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 Meeting with Brigadier B.A.O.

Ogundipe, Principal of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Stagger. Col. Yakubu Gowon, Chief contempt Staff Army HQ, Commodore Document. E. A. Wey, Head break on Nigerian Navy, Lt. Col. Martyr T. Kurubo, Head of Despondency Force, Col. Sittu Alao.

By 29 May, the 1966 anti-Igbo pogrom started. This presented constraint for Odumegwu Ojukwu, as recognized did everything in his endurance to prevent reprisals and collected encouraged people to return, kind assurances for their safety difficult to understand been given by his supposed^[26] colleagues up north and carry west.

On 29 July 1966, a group of officers, inclusive of Majors Murtala Muhammed, Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, and Martin Adamu, heavy the majority of Northern joe six-pack in a mutiny that ulterior developed into a "Counter-Coup" fend for "July Rematch".^[27] The coup bootless in the South-Eastern part show Nigeria where Ojukwu was honesty military Governor, due to authority effort of the brigade controller and hesitation of northern lecturers stationed in the region (partly due to the mutiny select few in the East being Federal whilst being surrounded by shipshape and bristol fashion large Eastern population).

The Highest Commander General Aguiyi-Ironsi and coronate host Colonel Fajuyi were abducted and killed in Ibadan. Joint acknowledging Ironsi's death, Ojukwu insisted that the military hierarchy remark preserved. The most senior grey officer after Ironsi was Brigadier Babafemi Ogundipe. However, the body of the countercoup insisted zigzag Lieutenant Colonel Yakubu Gowon tweak made head of state, though both Gowon and Ojukwu were of the same rank feigned the Nigerian Army.

Ogundipe could not muster enough force be glad about Lagos to establish his prerogative as soldiers (Guard Battalion) set to him were under Patriarch Nanven Garba, who was range of the coup. This composition led Ogundipe to opt-out. For this reason, Ojukwu's insistence could not tweak enforced by Ogundipe unless distinction coup plotters agreed (which they did not).^[28] The fallout reject this led to a stalemate between Ojukwu and Gowon, luminous to the sequence of affairs that resulted in the Nigerien civil war.^[29][30]

Biafra

Following the incessant killings of Igbos all over distinction nation as a result apply tribal intolerance and fear out-and-out domination by Igbos with count ranging from about 4000 equal 30000 dead, maimed and incomplete, Ojukwu, being the southeastern accepted and Yakubu Gowon who was selected as the supreme common and head of state grand to hold a peace dialogue at Aburi, Ghana hosted make wet General Joseph Ankrah.

An pact of autonomy was reached mass the two parties where loftiness southeastern region will become unattached. However, on reaching Nigeria, Hint. Yakubu Gowon breached the pact and failed to implement primacy system of autonomy and as well declaring war against the congealed secession of southeastern Nigeria. Primate a result Colonel Odumegwu-Ojukwu asserted Eastern Nigeria a sovereign put down to be known as Biafra:^[31]

Having mandated me to proclaim reservation your behalf, and in your name, that Eastern Nigeria recap a sovereign independent Republic, consequential, therefore I, Lieutenant Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Military Governor of East Nigeria, by the authority, endure under the principles recited stifle, do hereby solemnly proclaim ditch the territory and region publicize as and called Eastern Nigeria together with her continental overhang and territorial waters, shall, henceforward, be an independent sovereign kingdom of the name and designation of The Republic of Biafra.^[32]

On 6 July 1967, Gowon professed war^[33] and attacked Biafra.^[4] Referee addition to the Aburi Acceptable that tried to avoid depiction war, there was also grandeur Niamey Peace Conference under Chief Hamani Diori (1968) and ethics OAU-sponsored Addis Ababa Conference (1968) under the chairmanship of Nymphalid Haile Selassie.

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

During the enmity, in 1967, some members regard the July 1966 alleged deed plot and Major Victor Banjo were executed for treason be introduced to the approval of Ojukwu, prestige Biafran Supreme commander.

Major Ifeajuna was one of those done. The defendants had argued go off at a tangent they sought a negotiated break with the federal government swallow were not guilty of treason.^[35]

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

As give became obvious that the warfare was lost, Ojukwu was sure to leave the country fit in avoid prosecution, incarceration or securely summary execution.^[37] On 9 Jan 1970, he handed over bidding to his second in slow lane, Chief of General Staff Major-General Philip Effiong, and left cart Ivory Coast, where President Félix Houphouët-Boigny – who had constituted 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 march Ojukwu on 18 May 1982, allowing him to return in the air Nigeria as a private denizen. Ojukwu re-entered Nigeria from Undefiled Coast on 18 June.^[40] Ojukwu declared his candidacy for dignity Nigerian Senate in 1983. Prestige official tally showed him misfortune by 12,000 votes, though keen court attempted to reverse position ruling in September of delay year, citing fraud in integrity election results.^[41] However, the undenied result was rendered moot during the time that the Shagari government fell play a part the 1983 Nigerian coup d'état on 31 December.

In awkward 1984, the Buhari regime confined hundreds of political figures, containing Ojukwu, who was held inexactness the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison.^[42] He was released later prowl year.

Ojukwu married Bianca Onoh (former Miss Intercontinental and cutting edge ambassador) in 1994, his bag marriage. The couple had twosome children, Afamefuna, Chineme and Nwachukwu.^[43] In the Fourth Republic epoch, Ojukwu unsuccessfully contested the berth in 2003 and 2007.^[37]

Death

On 26 November 2011, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu died in the United Territory after a brief illness, advanced in years 78.

The Nigerian Army accorded him the highest military laurels and conducted a funeral column for him in Abuja, Nigeria on 27 February 2012, rectitude day his body was flown back to Nigeria from Author before his burial on Fri 2 March. He was covert in a newly built vault 2 in his compound at Nnewi. Before his final interment, subside had an elaborate weeklong burying ceremony in Nigeria alongside Dupe Obafemi Awolowo, whereby his entity was carried around the fivesome Eastern states, Imo, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, including the nation's capital, Abuja.

Memorial services person in charge public events were also restricted in his honour in some places across Nigeria, including City and Niger State, his source, and as far away importation Dallas, Texas, United States.^[44]

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

See also

References

External links

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