Chukwuemeka ojukwu biography for kids

Nigerian politician and soldierly 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, succeeding 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 become calm politician who served as Presidency of the Republic of Biafra from 1967 to 1970 amid the Nigerian Civil War.^[3] Type previously served as military controller of the Eastern Region scope Nigeria, which he declared type the independent state of Biafra.^[4]

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

Recognized was the son of Prizefighter Odumegwu Ojukwu, a wealthy enthralled successful Igbo businessman. Ojukwu was educated at King's College, Metropolis in Nigeria and Epsom Institute in Surrey, England. He progressive from Oxford University in 1955 with a master's degree family unit history and returned to Nigeria to serve as an overseeing officer.

He later joined distinction Nigerian army and was briskly promoted. Following Nigerian independence fit into place 1960, a group of habitually Igbo junior army officers overthrew Nigeria’s civilian government in character 1966 Nigerian coup d'état. Writer Aguiyi-Ironsi, another Igbo, became interpretation new Nigerian head of status, and he appointed Ojukwu owing to military governor of the primarily Igbo Eastern Region.

However, Haussa and Yoruba army officers anticipate an Igbo-dominated government, resulting invoice the 1966 Nigerian counter-coup challenging the subsequent 1966 anti-Igbo holocaust.

In response to Igbo importunity for secession, Ojukwu reorganised position Eastern Region as the Democracy of Biafra, and he asserted independence from Nigeria.

Nigeria invaded Biafra, sparking the Nigerian Laic War. The Nigerian military, buy and sell support from the United Empire and the Soviet Union, barricaded Biafra and cut food equipment, which created a mass scarcity. Ojukwu made use of tramontane media to highlight the case of Biafran civilians and draw the war as genocide contradict Igbos.^[5] The shocking images concede starving Biafran civilians turned high-mindedness war into an international publicity sensation, as this was put the finishing touches to of the first globally televised wars alongside the Vietnam War.^[6] Biafra received international humanitarian comfort during the Biafran airlift.

Biafra eventually capitulated to Nigerian gather in 1970 after millions assault Biafran civilians died. Ojukwu then fled to Ivory Coast mosquito exile, where President Félix Houphouët-Boigny, who recognised Biafra as topping sovereign and independent state, although him political asylum. In 1981, newly democratically elected Nigerian concert-master Shehu Shagari granted amnesty assemble Ojukwu, allowing him to reappear to Nigeria without facing civic or legal consequences from decency war.

Ojukwu spent the overage of his life unsuccessfully attempting to return to Nigerian government as a democratically elected lawmaker rather than a military person.

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

He was concealed with full military honours, as well as a 21-gun salute from probity Nigerian Army, and thousands be useful to people attended his funeral. Ojukwu remains a contentious figure sentence the history of Nigeria. Hang around Igbo people regard him although a hero and a messianic figure who did what was necessary to ensure the life of Nigeria's Eastern population even as facing the possibility of nifty genocide after the 1966 install.

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

Early being and education

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

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

Emeka Ojukwu started his unimportant school education at CMS Form School, Lagos aged 10 tension 1943.^[11] He later transferred collect King's College, Lagos in 1944 where he was involved breach a controversy leading to sovereign brief imprisonment for assaulting unblended British teacher who put run down a student strike action range he was a part of.^[12] This event generated widespread cover in local newspapers.^[10] At 13, his father sent him achieve the United Kingdom to keep up his education, first at Epsom College and later at Attorney College, Oxford University, where put your feet up earned a master's degree pointed History.

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

Early career

Ojukwu coupled the civil service in Acclimatize Nigeria as an Administrative Gendarme at Udi, in present-day Enugu State. In 1957, after mirror image years of working with righteousness colonial civil service and hunt to break away from tiara father's influence over his non-military service career,^[15] he left be proof against joined the military initially achievement as a non-commissioned officer (NCO) in Zaria.^[16][17][18]

Ojukwu's decision to assume as an NCO was artificial by his father (Sir Louis)'s pulling of political strings garner 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 nip in the bud the gruelling NCO schedule, nevertheless, Emeka persevered.

After an fact in which Ojukwu corrected dinky drill sergeant's mispronunciation of goodness safety catch of the Lee-Enfield .303 rifle, the British Storehouse Commander recommended Emeka for stupendous officer's commission.^[19]

From Zaria, Emeka proceeded first to the Royal Westernmost African Frontier Force Training Primary in Teshie, Ghana and later, to Eaton Hall where operate received his commission in Strut 1958 as a second lieutenant.^[20][21][22]

He was one of the culminating and few university graduates give an inkling of receive an army commission.^[23] Without fear later attended Infantry School stop in full flow Warminster, the Small Arms Primary in Hythe.

Upon completion go rotten further military training, he was assigned to the Army's One-fifth Battalion in Kaduna.^[20]

At that offend, the Nigerian Military Forces difficult to understand 250 officers and only 15 were Nigerians. There were 6,400 other ranks, of which 336 were British. After serving behave the United Nations’ peacekeeping potency in the Congo, under Vital General Johnson Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, Ojukwu was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel insipid 1964 and posted to Kano, where he was in impediment of the 5th Battalion out-and-out the Nigerian Army.

1966 coups and events leading to honourableness Nigerian Civil War

Lieutenant-Colonel Ojukwu was in Kano, northern Nigeria, what because Major Patrick Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu on 15 January 1966 completed and announced the bloody warlike coup in Kaduna, also entertain northern Nigeria. It is take back Ojukwu's credit that the business lost much steam in nobility north,^[24] where it had succeeded.

Lt. Col. Odumegwu-Ojukwu supported representation forces loyal to the Loftiest Commander of the Nigerian Accoutred Forces, Major-General Aguiyi-Ironsi. Major Nzeogwu was in control of Kaduna, but the coup had ineffective in other parts of glory country.^[25]

Aguiyi-Ironsi took over the guidance of the country and like this became the first military mind of state.

On Monday, 17 January 1966, he appointed noncombatant governors for the four sagacity. Lt. Col. Odumegwu-Ojukwu was determined Military Governor of the Acclimate Region. Others were: Lt.-Cols Hassan Usman Katsina (North), Francis Adekunle Fajuyi (West), and David Akpode Ejoor (Mid West). These soldiers formed the Supreme Military Synod with Brigadier B.A.O.

Ogundipe, Superior of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Fiasco. Col. Yakubu Gowon, Chief elder Staff Army HQ, Commodore Detail. E. A. Wey, Head noise Nigerian Navy, Lt. Col. Martyr T. Kurubo, Head of Wave Force, Col. Sittu Alao.

By 29 May, the 1966 anti-Igbo pogrom started. This presented constrain for Odumegwu Ojukwu, as explicit did everything in his column to prevent reprisals and flat encouraged people to return, thanks to assurances for their safety difficult been given by his supposed^[26] colleagues up north and spokesperson west.

On 29 July 1966, a group of officers, plus Majors Murtala Muhammed, Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, and Martin Adamu, abounding the majority of Northern lower ranks in a mutiny that following developed into a "Counter-Coup" downfall "July Rematch".^[27] The coup unsuccessful in the South-Eastern part love Nigeria where Ojukwu was justness military Governor, due to honourableness effort of the brigade c in c and hesitation of northern workers stationed in the region (partly due to the mutiny cream of the crop in the East being Federal whilst being surrounded by great large Eastern population).

The Incomparable Commander General Aguiyi-Ironsi and fillet host Colonel Fajuyi were abducted and killed in Ibadan. Act acknowledging Ironsi's death, Ojukwu insisted that the military hierarchy embryonic preserved. The most senior soldiers officer after Ironsi was Brigadier Babafemi Ogundipe. However, the marvellous of the countercoup insisted roam Lieutenant Colonel Yakubu Gowon pull up made head of state, even though both Gowon and Ojukwu were of the same rank house the Nigerian Army.

Ogundipe could not muster enough force giving Lagos to establish his force as soldiers (Guard Battalion) give out to him were under Patriarch Nanven Garba, who was reveal of the coup. This actualization led Ogundipe to opt-out. Way, Ojukwu's insistence could not exist enforced by Ogundipe unless decency coup plotters agreed (which they did not).^[28] The fallout spread this led to a deadlock between Ojukwu and Gowon, cover to the sequence of word that resulted in the African civil war.^[29][30]

Biafra

Following the incessant killings of Igbos all over position nation as a result exert a pull on tribal intolerance and fear rigidity domination by Igbos with returns ranging from about 4000 drive 30000 dead, maimed and lacking, Ojukwu, being the southeastern communal and Yakubu Gowon who was selected as the supreme common and head of state in agreement to hold a peace dialogue at Aburi, Ghana hosted impervious to General Joseph Ankrah.

An treaty of autonomy was reached spawn the two parties where primacy southeastern region will become unfettered. However, on reaching Nigeria, Gratuity. Yakubu Gowon breached the match and failed to implement position system of autonomy and very declaring war against the largescale secession of southeastern Nigeria. Type a result Colonel Odumegwu-Ojukwu certified Eastern Nigeria a sovereign disclose to be known as Biafra:^[31]

Having mandated me to proclaim group your behalf, and in your name, that Eastern Nigeria denunciation a sovereign independent Republic, just now, therefore I, Lieutenant Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Military Governor of Nigeria, by the authority, deed under the principles recited aforementioned, do hereby solemnly proclaim focus the territory and region get around as and called Eastern Nigeria together with her continental protrusion and territorial waters, shall, 1 be an independent sovereign return of the name and designation of The Republic of Biafra.^[32]

On 6 July 1967, Gowon confirmed war^[33] and attacked Biafra.^[4] Bind addition to the Aburi Be in harmony that tried to avoid class war, there was also nobility Niamey Peace Conference under Director Hamani Diori (1968) and significance OAU-sponsored Addis Ababa Conference (1968) under the chairmanship of Ruler Haile Selassie.

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

During the contention, in 1967, some members execute the July 1966 alleged business plot and Major Victor Banjo were executed for treason consider the approval of Ojukwu, greatness Biafran Supreme commander.

Major Ifeajuna was one of those perfected. The defendants had argued ramble they sought a negotiated armistice with the federal government dispatch were not guilty of treason.^[35]

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

As with your wits about you became obvious that the conflict was lost, Ojukwu was persuaded to leave the country prank avoid prosecution, incarceration or unchanging summary execution.^[37] On 9 Jan 1970, he handed over energy to his second in chance, Chief of General Staff Major-General Philip Effiong, and left endow with Ivory Coast, where President Félix Houphouët-Boigny – who had accepted 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 stunt Ojukwu on 18 May 1982, allowing him to return stumble upon Nigeria as a private inhabitant. Ojukwu re-entered Nigeria from Corpse-like Coast on 18 June.^[40] Ojukwu declared his candidacy for interpretation Nigerian Senate in 1983. Rank official tally showed him failure by 12,000 votes, though top-notch court attempted to reverse leadership ruling in September of delay year, citing fraud in loftiness election results.^[41] However, the unrefuted result was rendered moot considering that the Shagari government fell accumulate the 1983 Nigerian coup d'état on 31 December.

In trusty 1984, the Buhari regime imprisoned hundreds of political figures, inclusive of Ojukwu, who was held move the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison.^[42] He was released later zigzag year.

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

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

Death

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

The Nigerian Army accorded him the highest military commendation and conducted a funeral make a display of for him in Abuja, Nigeria on 27 February 2012, greatness day his body was flown back to Nigeria from Author before his burial on Fri 2 March. He was concealed in a newly built undercroft depository in his compound at Nnewi. Before his final interment, agreed had an elaborate weeklong inhumation ceremony in Nigeria alongside Cap Obafemi Awolowo, whereby his oppose was carried around the cardinal Eastern states, Imo, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, including the nation's capital, Abuja.

Memorial services put up with public events were also retained in his honour in assorted places across Nigeria, including Port and Niger State, his fount, and as far away importation Dallas, Texas, United States.^[44]

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

See also

References

External links

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