Jan. 1966 coup: Let me be honest with you, Obasanjo was aware of the coup but he exonerated himself– Kanu

Senator Orji Kalu, a former Governor of Abia State, recently shed light on the events surrounding the military coup of January 15, 1966, particularly regarding Major Kaduna Nzeogwu and his background. In a video shared by Channels TV, Kalu delved into some lesser-known details of the coup and offered his perspective on its key players. One of the points Kalu raised was Nzeogwu's background, which he believed had an interesting influence on his role in the coup.

Kalu noted that despite Major Kaduna Nzeogwu being of Igbo descent, he did not speak the Igbo language, as he had been born and raised in Kaduna. This, Kalu pointed out, was an intriguing detail about Nzeogwu’s upbringing that might not be widely known. Nzeogwu's name itself, which carried the city of Kaduna, further emphasized the fact that his identity was shaped by his environment, rather than his ethnic origins.

The former governor also suggested that there was a level of knowledge about the coup plan among top-ranking military officers at the time. Kalu asserted that former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who would later become a prominent figure in Nigerian politics, was aware of the impending coup. This claim implies that the coup was not a complete surprise to everyone in the military, and many had forewarning about it.

Kalu further claimed that Obasanjo’s return from India just before the coup was significant, as it was improbable that he would not have been informed of the plot. He questioned how Obasanjo, having just come back from his studies abroad, could have been unaware of such an important development.

The former governor also mentioned that many military leaders at the time were likely aware of the coup and its preparations. Kalu’s assertion suggested that the coup, though shocking to the public, might not have been as covert within the military circles. This raises questions about the extent to which the plot was an open secret and whether key figures in the military were complicit in its execution.

He said, "Let me be honest with you, former President Obasanjo was aware of the coup but he exonerated himself. If you ask military leaders, most of those top military people knew about the coup. Obasanjo came from India, how would he have not known about the coup and he came back to Nigeria from his school. So most of them knew".