Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has ignited fresh debate on the 1966 coup, dismantling the long-held belief that it was an “Igbo coup” and making a startling claim about former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s involvement. Reacting to former Head of State Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida’s new book, Journey in Service, Kalu asserted that the narrative Nigerians have embraced for decades is incomplete.
Speaking on Channels Television, Kalu insisted that Babangida’s revelations only scratch the surface. He argued that Nigerians have unfairly blamed the Igbo for a coup that had broader military participation. Highlighting Major Kaduna Nzeogwu’s background, he emphasized that Nzeogwu neither spoke Igbo nor saw himself as an ethnic champion but was driven by a vision for a better Nigeria. He further suggested that key military figures, including Obasanjo, had foreknowledge of the coup but maneuvered to distance themselves.
Kalu urged Nigerians to revisit history with fresh eyes, giving Babangida credit for setting the record straight. He argued that if certain officers had acted as planned, the coup’s outcome—and Nigeria’s history—might have been entirely different. His remarks have sparked renewed discussions on one of the nation’s most defining political events.