By
Emeka Ugwu-OjuÂ
On Thursday,15th January, 2026, I went with my dear wife, Nkechi, to the Agip Recital Hall, Muson Center, Onikan, Lagos to attend the Official Launch of a book, THE GUN HEGEMONY, written by Chief Ayo Opadokun, Secretary-General, National Democratic Coalition (NADECO). Both of us attended the event for different reasons. For Nkechi, the author was her classmate (Class of 1986) at the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, while for me it was an opportunity to show solidarity with a fellow member of NADECO.
Although mostly in the background, I was a very committed member of NADECO during the Abacha regime, up to the extent that I used to travel from Lagos to Owo, Ondo State, for NADECO secret meetings at the residence of Late Pa Michael Adekunle Ajasin,Leader, NADECO, despite the risks involved. I and Mr. Asue Ighodalo, the PDP Governorship candidate in Edo State in the last Gubernatorial election, were usually the only young men in the meetings. For some of my friends, who didn’t know that I am a member of NADECO, now you know that I fight for good causes that I believe in, but avoid partisan politicking, which is why I have never been a member of any political party in Nigeria or make myself available for political appointments.
Why the Rejoinder? The rejoinder has nothing to do with the content of the book which should normally be the reason for a rejoinder, but it had to do with the remarks made by the author at the Book Launch which I personally felt was out of place for such an occasion, as it was very divisive. I was hoping to hear the author’s views on military regimes in Nigeria, whether they were good or bad, and what needs to be done to prevent reoccurrence of military coups, rather the highlight of his remarks was to brand the military coup of January 15, 1966,supposedly led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, as an Igbo Coup, which implied that the Igbo Nation in Nigeria planned and supported the coup, and should be held responsible for that, rather than the individual Nigerian army soldiers involved in the coup who happened to be predominantly Igbos. It’s like calling the failed coup attempt by Major Gideon Orkar and his colleagues who were predominantly from the Middle Belt and South South region as a Middle Belt/South South coup, which is not the case, as it is rightly called, a Gideon Orkar led coup. It may not have been the intention of the author to use his remarks to publicly tell Nigerians that the Igbo Nation instead of individual Nigerian soldiers who happen to be Igbos executed the 1966 military coup, but that’s what he said, and that’s wrong.
I wouldn’t have bothered with this rejoinder if not that the author is associated with a very principled Pan Nigerian organisation,NADECO, which I happen to be a founding member, and which two of my Nigerian Democracy Heroes, now late, Pa Ayo Adebanjo and Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Godwin Kanu(Rtd) were recognized leaders. This is also a time when tensions are high in Nigeria because of insecurity, and some politicians are trying to divert attention from the current fragile state of the nation, through divisive politics targeting mostly the Igbos. A truly Pan Nigerian organization such as NADECO should not be associated with such divisiveness.
I will, God willing, attend the upcoming Official Launch of the Book, THE NADECO STORY, written by Chief Ayo Opadokun, and I hope that I wouldn’t have to write another Rejoinder after the Launch.
Long live a Nigeria that will be Safe, Peaceful, Just, Prosperous, and United.
EMEKA UGWU-OJU IS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF NADECO & COORDINATOR, SOUTHERN PROFESSIONALS.
