By Eric Teniola

IT was agreed that the statement would be typed and Dipcharima would sign it on our behalf. We were then asked to return home and await further instructions. I only got to break my Ramadan fast around 9.30pm”.

In taking over power on January 16, 1966, the then Head of State, General Ironsi made the following broadcast to the country: ” The Military Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria wishes to state that it has taken over the interim administration of the Federal Republic of Nigeria following the invitation of the Council of Ministers of the last Government for the Army to do so.

For some time now there have been escalating political disturbances in parts of Nigeria with increasing loss of faith between political parties, and between political leaders themselves. This crisis of confidence reached a head during the elections in the Western Region in October last year. There were charges by the opposition parties rigging of the elections and general abuse of power by the regional government in the conduct of the elections. Riots, arson, murder and looting became widespread in Western Nigeria since October. The situation deteriorated and certain army officers attempted to seize power.

In the early hours of the morning of 15 January 1966, these officers kidnapped the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance and took them to an unknown destination. The revolt was widespread throughout the country and two Regional Premiers and some high-ranking army officers were killed. The whereabouts of the Prime Minister is still unknown. The vast majority of the Nigerian Army under the command of the General Officer Commanding the Nigeria Army remained completely loyal to the Federal Government and immediately took steps to control the situation.

The Council of Ministers of the Federal Government met and appraised the problems confronting the government. They appreciated the immediate need to control the serious situation which threatened the Federation. They also saw quite clearly a possible deterioration of the situation in the light of developments on Saturday, 15 January 1966. On Sunday, 16 January, the Council of Ministers unanimously decided to hand over voluntarily the administration of the country, with immediate effect, to the Nigerian Army. This was formally done the same day by the Acting President of the Federation. The Government of the Federation of Nigeria having ceased to function, the Nigeria Armed Forces have been invited to form an interim Military Government for the purpose of maintaining law and order and of maintaining essential services.

The invitation has been accepted and I, GENERAL JOHNSON THOMAS UMUNAKWE AGUIYI-IRONSI, the General Officer Commanding the Nigerian Army, have been formally invested with authority as Head of the Federal Military Government and Supreme Commander of the Nigerian Armed Forces”.

In his own words, Chief Richard Akinjide said the Ministers did not hand over to Ironsi. In 2000, he said” under the law, that is, the interpretation Act, as acting President, Nwazor Orizu had all the powers of the President. The GOC said he wanted to see all the cabinet ministers. And so we assembled at the cabinet office. Well, I have read in many books saying that we handed over to the military. We did not hand-over.
Ironsi told us that” you either hand over as gentlemen or you hand-over by force”. Those were his words. Is that voluntary hand-over? So we did not hand over. We wanted an Acting Prime Minister to be in place but Ironsi forced us, and I use the word advisedly, to hand over to him. He was controlling the soldiers. The acting President, Nwafor Orizu, who did not cooperate with us, cooperated with the GOC. Dr. Orizu and the GOC prepared speeches which Nwafor Orizu broadcast handing over the government of the country to the army. I here state again categorically as a member of that cabinet that we did not hand-over voluntarily. It was a coup”.

A lot has happened to our country since then and a lot will still happen. As we enter the New Year, it is my hope and prayer that the best years of Nigeria, are still to come.

•Mr. Teniola, a former director at the presidency, wrote from Lagos.