Those who say that Lt. Colonel Emeka Ojukwu, the Military Governor of the Eastern Region, rather than Lt. Colonel Yakubu Gowon, the Head of State and Commander – in – Chief of the Armed Forces, released Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the Leader of the Yoruba, from the Calabar prison in 1966 do so because they are ignorant of two facts. These were the day he was set free and that at the time the soldiers of Western, Midwestern and Northern origin were by far more than their colleagues from the Eastern Region in the First Battalion in Enugu, the only army barracks in that part of the country. Those who say that Ojukwu released Awo give the impression they believe that this was after he had declared the ill – fated Republic of Biafra when the incident took place nine months before he did so.
As at Wednesday, August 3, 1966 when Awo was freed and returned to Lagos, Gowon was in full control over the soldiers and police in the Eastern Region, most of who were from the West, Midwest and the North, particularly from the latter region. Thanks to Bonny Rivers State-born Mr. Chapp – Jumbo MFR, ifs, who had brothers in the army in 1966 and who carried out research on the Nigerian Army, I now know the strength of the soldiers and the ethnic composition of most of the officers in the Eastern Region, as at the time Awo regained this freedom.
There were 26 officers and 843 non – commissioned officers. The Commanding Officer was Lt. Colonel David Ogunewe, an Igbo from today’s Imo State, who took over when Lt. Colonel David Ejoor an Urhobo, was appointed the Military Governor of the Midwestern Region by General Thomas Aguiyi – Ironsi in January, that year. The battalion in Enugu had three company commanders in the persons of Major Benjamin Maja Adekunle, a Yoruba from the Western Region, Captain Gibson Jalo from Adamawa province in the Northern Region and Captain D.O. Agbogu, an Igbo from the Eastern Region.
Apart from these four commanders, I have the names of 13 of the 26 officers in the Enugu barracks. Twelve of them were from the Northern Region. These were Majors Mohammed Shunwa and I. Bissala, Captain Abubakar, Lieutenant Shehu Yar’Adua (the Adjutant, i.e. Administrative Officer), Lt. Oguchi, Lt. Mohammed Jega, Lt. Dauda Suleiman, Lt. Sale Mahmoud, Lt. A.T.G. Hamman, Lt. Y.Y. Kure and the Yoruba – born twain of Captain Emmanuel Abisoye and Lt. David Jemibewon, both from present – day Kogi State, which was then in the Northern Region. The 13th officer and the third from the Eastern Region was Major Chude Sokei.
The other nine officers whose names are not available are said to have been from the Western, Midwestern, Northern and Eastern Regions.
Ojukwu took control of the soldiers in the East as from August 16 when the officers and men from the Western, Midwestern and Northern Regions were withdrawn from the Eastern Region and when most of the officers from the territory had returned to Enugu from the barracks in the other regions in the country. And this was thirteen days after Awo was released.
Since the overwhelming majority of the officers and men in the army in Enugu were non – easterners, but mostly northerners, it goes without saying that Gowon as the Commander – in – Chief would just have told either Adekunle or Jalo who were company commanders to effect the release of Awo. Even if he had given the order to either of Igbo – born Lt. Col. Ogunewe or Captain Agbogu they could not have disobeyed him because the Federal Government was paying their salaries and most of the soldiers in their barracks were non – easterners who could have killed them.
If Ojukwu had used either Ogunewe or Agbogu to release Awo when Gowon did not give the order, it is sure that they would have been dismissed after the war in January 1970. Instead of being retired and paid their entitlements in full.
I understand a son of Ogunewe is today a serving Major – General in the Nigerian Army.
Another thing those who say Ojukwu released Awo do not know or realise is that the Yoruba leader regained his freedom five days after the Friday, July 29 revenge coup of northern officers.
Next week: The successor to President Barrack Obama and the continuation of the four major tribes.