1966 Coup was Meant to Install Awolowo as Prime Minister - Dr Ezeife reveals

A former governor of Anambra State has disclosed that the failed 1966 coup was never an Igbo coup and was meant to install Chief Obafemi Awolowo as the Prime Minister of Nigeria. 

Speaking at the second day of the Igbo-Israeli Economic Summit which ended in Enugu on Thursday, former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, disclosed that the failed Major Nzeogwu-led coup of 1966 was never an Igbo coup, stressing that it was meant to install Chief Obafemi Awolowo as the Prime Minister of Nigeria.

The elder statesman and influential who spoke on the summit titled "South East Youth Economic Summit 2016 (SEYES 2016)", said;

“It is not true that Igbos plotted the 1966 coup. The coup was planned by some elements within the military disenchanted with the drift of Nigeria who felt that Awolowo was in the best position to move Nigeria forward. The problem was that the execution of the coup got awry at some axis and everybody now claimed it was Igbo coup,” DailyPost quoted him as saying.

He stated further that “the coup failed and General Ironsi carved provinces in Nigeria to help each group govern themselves better. They said that he was running a unitary system and killed him, yet Nigerians are practicing the same system for which Ironsi died.”

While responding to question on the issue of menace of Fulani herdsmen in the south-east zone, Ezeife said there was no need for grazing reserve even in the north, insisting that there are different ranching methods that will ensure, just like the green house, that some grass could be grown within the same ranch using high tech mechanisms and used to feed the cattle without disturbing anybody.

The well-attended event had youths, investors, business leaders and government officials in attendance.

[tori.ng]