The Man On IT Is Emmanuel Ifeajuna
From Africa’s First Commonwealth Gold medalist To Facing A Firing Squad On 25 September In 1967.
Emmanuel Arinze Ifeajuna (1935-1967) was a Nigerian military officer and one of the key figures in the January 1966 military coup in Nigeria. He was born on December 1, 1935 in Onitsha, Eastern Region, Nigeria (now Anambra State). Ifeajuna attended the Government College, Umuahia and later the University College, Ibadan, where he was a member of the distinguished Ibadan University College (IUC) Drama Group. He was also an accomplished athlete and represented Nigeria in the high jump event at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.
After completing his studies in Nigeria, Ifeajuna joined the Nigerian Army in 1959 and underwent military training in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. He received further training at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, England, and was commissioned as an officer in the Nigerian Army. Ifeajuna quickly rose through the ranks and became a major in the Nigerian Army.
In January 1966, a group of young military officers, including Emmanuel Ifeajuna, staged a coup d’état in Nigeria. The coup was organized by a faction of the Nigerian military that was dissatisfied with the government’s perceived corruption and the regional tensions within the country. The coup resulted in the overthrow and assassination of Nigeria’s Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, and several other political leaders.
However, the coup did not achieve its intended goals and led to a series of events that plunged Nigeria into a period of political instability. Later in 1966, a counter-coup took place, and Ifeajuna found himself on the opposing side. He was arrested and tried for his involvement in the January coup.
During his trial, Ifeajuna showed remorse for his actions and expressed regret for the bloodshed caused by the coup. However, he was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. The exact circumstances of his execution are still a matter of debate and controversy.
According to official accounts, Ifeajuna and other coup plotters, including Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, were executed by firing squad on September 25, 1967. However, there are alternative claims suggesting that Ifeajuna may have been killed in a different manner or that he may have survived and lived in hiding for some time after the coup.
Emmanuel Ifeajuna’s role in Nigeria’s history remains a subject of discussion and interpretation. While some view him as a revolutionary who sought to address the country’s challenges, others criticize his actions as contributing to the political turmoil that followed the coup.