The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has lauded former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, for his recent statement debunking the long-standing claim that the January 1966 coup was an Igbo-led insurrection.
Ohanaeze described Babangida’s clarification as a historic and courageous acknowledgment that helps correct the narrative that has wrongly portrayed the Igbo people as antagonists in Nigeria’s political history. The group believes this revelation could mark the beginning of healing and the end of the hostility and discrimination that the Igbo Nation has faced for decades.
During the launch of his book, *A Journey in Service*, Babangida dismissed the notion that the 1966 coup was an Igbo conspiracy. Ohanaeze welcomed this assertion, stating that it absolves the Igbo from being unfairly labeled as “enemies of the North.” However, the organization noted that while the clarification is commendable, it comes late, considering the longstanding consequences of the mischaracterization.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its factional Deputy President-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Ohanaeze highlighted that the erroneous portrayal of the coup as an Igbo uprising led to the July 1966 counter-coup, which in turn triggered violent attacks on Igbo people in northern Nigeria. These events, according to the group, played a key role in fueling the Nigeria-Biafra War, during which an estimated three million Igbos—mostly women and children—lost their lives.
The statement further emphasized that despite the end of the war, the Igbo people continue to suffer systemic marginalization, citing the region’s underrepresentation in the number of states within the federation, the persistent denial of an Igbo presidency, and the absence of critical federal infrastructure in the Southeast. Ohanaeze also pointed to the closure of the Eastern Economic Corridor, the shutdown of the Calabar seaport, and the lack of functional international airports in the region as further evidence of exclusion.
Reiterating its long-standing demands, Ohanaeze called on the federal government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address historical injustices. The group urged the government to issue a formal apology for the actions of past military regimes, particularly that of General Yakubu Gowon, whose administration led the Nigeria-Biafra War. Additionally, the organization demanded reparations of ₦10 trillion for the suffering and losses endured by the Igbo people during and after the war.
Ohanaeze acknowledged that, ideally, Babangida’s statement should prompt accountability for those responsible for past injustices. However, reflecting the Igbo spirit of forgiveness, the group stated that it has chosen to extend pardon to Babangida and others involved in the war.
The organization urged President Tinubu to seize this opportunity to initiate genuine reconciliation and address historical grievances, paving the way for a united and inclusive Nigeria.
