Nigeria at 61, A country with History: Appraisal of Victor Banjo and others in Nigeria History.
The Nigeria civil war: popularly known as Nigeria-Biafran war(6 July 1967–15 January 1970) between the government of Nigeria and Republic of Biafra. Biafra declared secession from Nigeria which was opposed vehemently by the government of Nigeria. The war was perceived by many as a power tussle between General Yakubu Gown(The then Head of State) and Lt. Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu(The then Governor of Eastern region). The war broke out due to political ,economic ,ethnicity and religion tension in the country .
The political factor:was as a result of January 15,1966 Coup which was led by Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu ,Emmanuel Ifeajuna ,Don Okafor ,Adewale Ademoyega and others. They plotted coup that attacked and killed Abubakar Tafawa Balewa,the Prime Minister of Nigeria ,Sir Ahmadu Bello (Premier of the Northern Region),Samuel Ladoke Akintola,Festus Okotie-Eboh,Brigadier Ademulegun ,many senior politicians,senior Army Officers (including their wives) and sentinels on duty.
The Casualties of the coup are mainly the Northerners.The Northerners saw the coup as attack on the North, this led to the counter attack coup of July 1966 that saw the killing of Aguiyi Ironsi (The then Head of State) who was on a nationwide peace tour with Adekunle Fajuyi who was also killed at Ibadan. The counter-coup was led by Lt.Colonel Murtala Muhammed and other military Northern officers to revenge the January 15,1966 coup.
The economic factor was the booming oil production in the Niger Delta region , the ethnicity and religion tension was the persecution and killing of the Igbos living in the North and continue domination of the Military by the Northerners.
Nevertheless ,the History of Nigeria Civil War can not be complete without Victor Banjo and the battle of Benin -Ore.
Victor Adebukunola Banjo (1 April 1930–22 September 1967). A product of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and a graduate of mechanical engineer ,who was the first Nigerian Director of the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Corps of the Nigerian Army.He was a colonel in the Nigeria Army who was accused of being a coup plotter against Prime Minister of Nigeria,Tafawa Balewa by the government of Aguiyi Ironsi .
Another version said he was arrested by Lt.Colonel George Kurobo and Major P.A Anwuna and imprisoned for allegedly entering the office of former Head of State ,Major -General Aguiyi Ironsi with a pistol. Despite him proclaiming his innocence, he was denied trial and detained at Army Officers Mess ,then transferred to the Kirikiri Maximum Prison. Banjo felt he was unfairly imprisoned and petitioned Aguiyi Ironsi who ignored his petiion.
Lt. Colonel Yakubu Gowon became Nigeria Head of State on August 1,1966 and Banjo was happy with the development since Gowon was his friend and old mate. He was still denied freedom and also petitioned Gowon who ignored him. Then he was moved to a prison in the Eastern Nigeria.
The outbreak of the Nigerian civil war: Victor Banjo was released by Lt.Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu from Eastern prison and made him the General Officer Commanding a Biafran Army Division. It was assumed that Victor Banjo does not have a choice than joining the Biafran forces since the war met him on Biafran soil.
Ojukwu ordered Banjo and Major Albert Okonkwo to lead the forces that captured Mid-Western Region in less than 12 hours.Victor Banjo upon capturing of Benin-Ore was also ordered by Ojukwu to capture Ibadan and Lagos. Victor Banjo was a Yoruba man and a shocker to the Yoruba people that Banjo was given such order to attack his people who are not part of the War.
Also there was hostility between the native speaking Urhobo, soko ,Ijaws ,okpe, Ukwuani , and Itsekiri against Biafran occupying their land because their community was not part of Biafra land. The war was complex than the plans of both parties and a mastermind.
Ojukwu proclaiming the Republic of Benin for a group that is not under his ethnicity and appointing Albert Okonkwo as the Governor of the region was opposed by Victor Banjo because he felt that a soldier of Mid -Western origin should have been appointed instead of Albert Okonkwo , an igbo man.
Ojukwu ultimately placed Okonkwo as the governor of Mid-Western after the governor of the region, David Ejoor escaped capturing and flee to Lagos . Victor Banjo was also shocked that Ojukwu ordered the capturing Of Ejoor whether dead or alive.
The resistance from the Mid-Westerners :Banjo and Ojukwu argument on who to appoint as the governor for the Mid-Western region and also Banjo trying to raise additional battalion from the scratch gave the Nigeria government opportunity to invade and take over Mid-Western from the Biafran Army.
The Federal troops led by Colonel Murtala Muhammed led the Second Division to confront Biafran forces at Ore,Ondo State and joined by Colonel Olusegun Obasanjo ended the new Republic of Benin. The battle was considered a tactical victory for Nigerians but great loss of men for the Nigerians. This was considered a strategic Biafra/Benin victory.
During the invasion of Ore which was 140 miles from Lagos , Ojukwu said:
“our motive was not territorial ambition or the desire of conquest ,We went into the Mid-West(Republic of Benin) purely in an effort to seize the serpent by the head ;every other activity in that. Republic was subordinated to that single aim. We were going to Lagos to seize the villain Gowon and we took necessary military precautions”.
He also said:
“Now that we are on offensive ,we shall not relent. until every single enemy soldier on Biafran soil is destroyed ,more territories of Nigeria liberated and the enemy vanquished”.
What if Ojukwu was able to inavde Lagos then, Did he planned to declare himself as the Head of State of Nigeria and Forego Biafran Succession? Or are we to witness another colonialism? Especially from the fact he stated in his letter to Banjo.
Why did he planned to liberate Yoruba land that was not under invasion and he couldn’t secure Biafra that was invaded ?
Why did he planned to appoint a military administrator for Lagos despite Lagos is part of West ?
Why should military governor of his proposed. New Republic of Western Nigeria be subordinate to the Head of State of Biafra ?
Why should Banjo accept such conditions Ojukwu stated in his letter to him?;
My dear Victor,
- For some time now, you and I have been discussing the circumstances that have led to the current and inevitable disintegration of what was the Federation of Nigeria. We have been fully convinced that the aim of the Hausa/Fulani complex has ever been, and will ever remain, the total domination of every other part of what was known as the Federation of Nigeria. It is impossible to forget that the crisis which led to the army take over in January 1966, the coup of the Northern soldiers led by Gowon in July 1966, the wholesale and indiscriminate massacre of the people of what is now Biafra- and to a less degree, the people of the Mid-West and West, including the Yorubas, were all the direct result of Hausa/Fulani attempt to subjugate and use as tools, the gallant people of Western Nigeria namely the Yoruba’s. We do not need to remind ourselves of the heavy losses in life and property suffered by the Yoruba people in their fight for justice and freedom during 1965.
- Sharing our belief that the people of Yoruba land have a right to live a life of equality and self-respect and justice free of domination and dictatorship from any quarter, you have both identified with the cause of the Biafra struggle for survival and expressed your determination to see the people of Yoruba land freed from Hausa/Fulani domination. We, the people of Biafra, for our part are willing and have decided to give you and the people of Yoruba land every assistance to achieve your aim.
3. After clearing the whole question with my Executive Council, I, as the Commander in Chief of the Biafran Armed Forces, have decided to place at your disposal Biafran forces, for the liberation of Yoruba land on the following clear conditions:-
(i) You will have nothing to do with the Military Administrator in the Mid-West Territory during your sojourn there prior to your move to the West.
(ii) The willingness and preparedness of Biafra to assist any part of the former Federation of Nigeria wishing and willing to liberate itself from the Hausa/Fulani domination, does not in anyway whatever imply any inclination on her part to compromise her sovereignty or preserve what remains of the defunct Federation of Nigeria. In other words, our sovereignty and break with Nigeria is irrevocable. Nothing must, therefore be said or done by you or any member of the Liberation Army to give a contrary impression.
(iii) Biafra is determined to maintain and safeguard her sovereignty and
ensure that her integrity and safety are never again threatened.
(iv) Biafran troops will, after the liberation of the Yoruba land, remain in that territory only for as long as we in Biafra consider it necessary for the Yoruba’s to consolidate their position and sovereignty against any external threat.
(v) On the liberation of the Yoruba land, you will be appointed as the Military Governor of that territory.
(vi) The liberation of Western Nigeria will be a prelude to the liberation of all Yoruba’s up to the River Niger and the severance of all connections between the West and the North at Jebba.
(vii) During the period of Biafrans troops’ presence in your territory, all political measures, statements or decrees shall be subject to the approval, in writing by myself or on my authority.
(viii) Should our troops arrive and liberate Lagos, the government of the Republic of Biafra reserves the right to appoint a Military administrator for the territory. Such an Administrator will remain in office until a merger of that territory with Yoruba land is effected by Biafran troops.
(ix) As soon as possible after your appointment as the Military Governor of Western Nigeria and separation of that territory from Nigeria, you and I must meet to discuss:
(a) The duration of stay of Biafran troops in your territory;
(b) The areas and subjects of cooperation between the liberated sovereign states of Western Nigeria, or by what name it may call itself, and Biafra.
4. I do not need to remind you that Biafra regards all Yoruba as friends. As such everything should be done, to ensure the minimum force and loss of life are involved in achieving the objective of liberation.
5. It is essential, in order to avoid misunderstanding or confusion, that all subsequent requests for support be formally made to me by you in writing.
6. Will you please signify in writing, your acceptance of the above conditions so that you may leave for Western Nigeria and lead the army of liberation.
Yours very sincerely, signed Lt. Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu,
Military Governor and Commander in Chief of Biafran Armed Forces.
The invasion of the Mid-Western: It was seen as a military gamble by the Biafrans and not thoughtful. At a point during the war Ojukwu was fighting and giving orders on emotion rather than military intelligence. He indeed ordered the execution of Victor Banjo despite the first military judge stated that evidence was not enough to convict him of coup but he was found guilty by a second military tribunal. In inclusion of Victor Banjo, Ojukwu ordered the court-martial and subsequent execution of Emmanuel Ifeajuna ,Sam Agbamuche,Philip Alale for treason. He rationalized that they sabotaged the Mid -Western and the Western operation.
Major Adewale Ademoyega one of the January 15966 coup plotter said in his book “ Why we struck” said the January 1966 coup did not single out any ethnic elimination but for national interest. He said coup of January 1966 was as a result of corruption within the first republic.
I remember reading “there was a country” by Chinua Achebe,the Nigeria foremost literary writer who served as a roving cultural ambassador for the Republic of Biafra. He talked about an unpublished manuscript by Emmanuel Ifeajuna about the January 15th 1966 Coup which could have also shared more light about the coup.
Then the questions keeps coming up! Why did Ojukwu ordered the killing of Victor Banjo ,Emmanuel Ifeajuna,Phillip Alale and Sam Agbam?
An account reported that Victor Banjo had a secret contacts with the British Deputy High Commissioner in Benin (Mr.Bell) to arrange a cease-fire and peace talks between Nigeria and Biafra. He disobeyed orders to proceed further West with haste to Ibadan through Ore and invade Lagos through Ijebu-Ode his hometown and reportedly convinced other like-minded soldiers including Emmanuel Ifeajuna,Phillip Alale and Sam Agbam , who also appeared not to believe in the war. They planned to stage a coup against Ojukwu who refused to accept a ceasefire fire at the early stage of the war . The plotters intended to take Brigadier Hillary Njoku,the head of Biafran Army into custody and bring him to the state house under heavy armed guard ,ostensibly to demand Njoku be relieved on ground of incompetence .
Once they are inside state house ,Njoku guards would be used against Ojukwu.Upon the acceptance of the ceasefire,Ifeajuna would then declare himself as the Acting Governor of Eastern region ,Banjo would replace Brigadier Yinka Adebayo as the military governor of Western region. Gowon would be removed and Awolowo declared Prime Minister of the Reunited Federation.
Their trial for treason: Banjo,Alale,Ifeajuna and Agbam denied charges of treason and claimed that they were trying to save lives and their country by negotiating an early ceasefire fire with the government and reuniting Nigeria . They were all sentenced to death for treason by a Kangaroo tribunal and shot at dawn on September 22 1967 despite being acquitted by a first tribunal. Many people and authors categorized the tribunal as biased.
Another narrative stated that Ojukwu blamed Banjo,Alale,Ifeajuna and Agbam and others for sabotaging the Biafran efforts because his people are loosing faith in him and he needed to shift the blame on them especially for the looming fall of Enugu.
Many accounted like Lt.Col Fola Oyewole who was also jailed like Banjo for the alleged involvement in the January 15th ,1966 coup said the hostility towards them by the Nigeria governments towards him,Banjo,Adeleke and other Yoruba soldiers who fought on the side of Biafra , joined the Biafran because even Awolowo could not guarantee their safety within Nigeria.
The death of Major Kaduna Nzeogwu who was the leader of 1966 Coup .
It was accounted that Ojukwu felt threatened by Nzeogwu as a nationalist and sent him to death by falsely informed him that Nsukka was in Biafran hands. He entered Ubolo-Eke near Nsukka at nigh to conduct a night reconnaissance operation against federal troops and got killed.
However, it was also reported that he killed himself to avoid being humiliated by the federal troops . Nzeogwu corpse was transferred to Kaduna Military Cemetry and given full Military honours burial but before then Northern soldiers had plucked out his eyes so that he “would never see the North again”.
Obasanjo said in his book “My command” that one of Banjo’s contacts discussed with him as the rear commander based in Ibadan during the war. of Banjo’s request for him to grant Banjo access to Ibadan and Lagos at any price . The discussion was inside Obasanjo car for close to 2 hours! Why does the discussion lasted for close to 2 hours before Obasanjo could turn down the offer from Banjo ?
Ojukwu never revealed why he chose Victor Banjo to command forces to invade Western Nigeria.
Images of malnourished and starving children would have been saved, military casualties and Biafrans civilians who died of starvation could have lived if cease fire was accepted at early stage.
Why should Banjo,Alale,Agbam ,Ifeajuna(the firs Black African and. Nigerian to win a gold at British Empire and Commonwealth games) and and others suffered such tragic fate? While others who actively participated in the civil war and other coups are celebrated till date.
The war ended with “No Victor, No Vanquished ”.
The history of Nigeria Civil war and first military coup of January ,15 1966 which was the major remote causes of Nigerian Civil War still remains an unending discussions and argument. A tale of who can. fabricate stories. to suit their interest.
A war indeed happened and not a genocide!
Nigeria @ 61 , a celebration of lawlessness, bribery and corruption ,insecurity ,infringement of fundamental human right ,economic meltdown,political thuggery , lost of lives and property, unemployment, terrorism, anarchy ,underdevelopment and e.t.c.
Nigerian citizens are now fugitive in their country ,juggling from one country to another for safety and greener pastures because their leaders are killing and. failing them.
Nigeria citizens are resilient with high tolerance of dysfunction, they are making waves across the world despite the dysfunction in the country.
They keep speaking up against bad governance despite the threat.
The Flag remains Green White and Green.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Note: Images not Ours !
Reference:
“Nigerian Civil War” -Wikipedia.com
“ A Break in the Silence : Lt. Col. Victor Adebukunola Banjo, pp.66–68, by F. Adetowun Ogunsheye, Spectrum Books, Ibadan, 2001″. Provided by Prof. Olufemi Ojo.
“Banjo,the accidental Biafran” by Dare Babarinsa, 01,July 2021.
Ademoyega Adewale: “Why we Struck: story of the first Nigerian Coup”.
Victor Banjo’s daughter; Ojukwu betrayed my father by killing him by Dare Odufowokan (8 October,2017) The Nation.
“There was a country” by Chinua Achebe.
“My command” by Olusegun Obasanjo .
