Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, The Putsch Of January 1966, And The Nigeria– Biafra War, 1967 – 1970: An Interpretive Essay
Uchechukwu Ndubuisi
School of General Studies, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike
Ejitu Nnechi Ota
Department of History and International Relations, Abia State University, Uturu
Keywords: Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, Nigeria-Biafra War, Coup d’état, Democracy
Abstract
Prior to January 15, 1966, the Nigerian military would appear to have been a truly pan-Nigeria institution. It remained largely apolitical and confined to the barracks. But a combination of factors compelled the military to intervene in national politics, first in 1966 and subsequently, in 1975-1979, 1985-1993, and 1993-1999. Of all these, however, it was the coup d’état of January 1966 and what followed, namely, the Nigeria-Biafra war of 1967-1970, that have had the most profound impact on contemporary Nigerian politics. Adopting basically the historical-descriptive approach of content analysis, this essay observed that the military’s intervention in Nigerian politics consequent upon the event of January 15, 1966 was as a result of the need to stem the pervasive corruption and leadership ineptitude of the political elite. These had created tensions and heated up the polity. However, the aims of the coupists and their intensions have elicited a variety of interpretations which have further complicated efforts to objectively and dispassionately assess the issues involved in both the January coup and the Nigeria-Biafra war. The findings and conclusion of this paper is that they were both remote and immediate causes of the coup d’état and the war.