Nigeria’s First Military Head of State, General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, today Sunday March 3 clocks 100 years posthumously.
Late General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi (GCFR,.MVO, MBE) was the first military Head of State of Nigeria.
An Igbo native from Umuahia, capital of the present Abia State, he joined the Nigerian Army in 1942 and received military training in England.
Aguiyi-Ironsi headed the Nigerian contingent during the post-independence conflicts in Congo (Kinshasa) in the 1960s, becoming (1963) commander of the United Nations forces there. He was made head of the Nigerian army in 1965.
He seized power during the ensuing chaos that trailed the 15 January 1966 military coup.
His ascension made him the second indigenous after ceremonial President Nnamdi Azikiwe and Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa.
As a consequence of that first coup that ended the First Republic, Aguiyi-Ironsi became military Head of State of Nigeria.
His government decreed a unitary government against the status quo – Federalism.
He was accused by his detractors for hedging on the January coup plotters, and for surrounding himself mostly by officers of his Igbo stock.
He served only six months.
He reigned from 16th January 1966 to 29th July 1966 when he was assassinated in a counter-coup and was succeeded by General Yakubu Gowon.
His assassination came through the hand of a group of mutinous Northern Nigerian officers and men who were led by Major Murtala Mohammed.
The rebelling officers included Captain Theophilus Danjuma, Lieutenant Muhammadu Buhari, Lieutenant Ibrahim Babangida and Lieutenant Sani Abacha in a revolt against his government in what was popularly called the July counter-coup.
His son, who was born in 1953, Thomas, is a career Diplomat and he was appointed Minister of State for Defence in 2006.