Revolutionaries or Opportunists? Chukwuma Nzeogwu and the Contradictions of African Coups

As African nations continue to experience a resurgence of coups and the kind of political instability that characterized the 1960s-80s, it is important to draw lessons from the past. For the part he played in instigating one of Nigeria’s bloodiest coups, Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu is mostly remembered in infamy. But was he a misunderstood revolutionary or a bloodthirsty opportunist?

In the early hours of January 15 1966, under the starless sky and biting cold of the harmattan morning, Major Chukwuma ‘Kaduna’ Nzeogwu addressed his troops. For weeks, they had been involved in what they were told was a training exercise around the perimeter of the fence of a senior government official. That day, they were made to understand that ‘Exercise Damissa’ was actually a drill for a coup d’état. The coup was intended to topple the leadership of the Nigerian government, beginning with the premier of the Northern Region, Sir Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, outside whose Kaduna residence they were presently stationed.  

As Sardauna of Sokoto, Bello was not only the political leader of the Northern region but was also an important spiritual figurehead as leader of the Muslim community in Nigeria. Nzeogwu, surrounded by armed troops, many of whom were Northerners and could have resisted if they disagreed with his message, informed the troops of the true nature of their mission. He described the ineptitude, incompetence and corruption of Nigeria’s political leadership over the past few years, and impressed on the soldiers the duty they had to set Nigeria back on a course towards progress and prosperity...