Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, said there is nowhere in former military Head of State Ibrahim Babangida’s book, A Journey in Service, where he stated that the coup of January 15, 1966, was not an Igbo coup.
Fani-Kayode insisted that those claiming it was not an Igbo coup are wrong, stating that they are either misguided and misinformed or being mischievous.
The ex-Minister stated in a post on his X handle that IBB was charitable to the Igbos in his book.
He, however, noted that this does not give anyone the license to misinterpret Babangida’s words and conclusions or use them in an attempt to revise history.
He wrote:
“I hate to burst your bubble, but there is NOWHERE in IBB’s book where he said that the coup of January 15, 1966, was NOT an Igbo coup.
“In fact, he alluded to the contrary when he said the coup had taken on an ‘unmistakable ethnic coloration.’
“That is what he wrote, and that is the reality. The coup was an ethnic one, and that ethnicity was Igbo!
“Those who have misinterpreted his words and claimed that he wrote the coup was not an Igbo coup are either misguided and misinformed or being mischievous.
“They have a poor understanding of the English language and, in most cases, have not even read the book. Instead, they rely on erroneous social media quotes and well-crafted disinformation.
“I suggest that they procure a copy of the book, read it from cover to cover, and stop attempting to revise history by misinterpreting the words of the esteemed author.
“IBB, in his characteristic manner, was charitable to the Igbos in his book, but that does not give anyone the license to misinterpret his words and conclusions or use them in an attempt to revise history.
“The facts are clear, and they are as follows: 99% of the officers who planned and executed the Jan. 15, 1966, coup and were involved in the mutiny were Igbo, and 99% of those murdered by them were non-Igbo military officers and political leaders, in some cases including their wives.
“We owe it to the memory of those who were so callously slaughtered not to sugarcoat the bitter truth, not to revise history, and not to tell lies.
“The coup was UNMISTAKABLY an Igbo one, and IBB made this very clear when he wrote about its ‘ethnic coloration.’
“I urge all those who have a poor understanding of the English language and cannot read more than three lines of any book or essay to stop using his words to establish their revisionist and patently dishonest narrative and their futile attempt to perpetuate an age-old lie.
“The truth is that the Jan. 15, 1966, coup WAS an Igbo one, and I am glad to say that IBB has confirmed it.
“This is a FACT, and as our journalist friends will tell you, ‘facts are sacred, and opinion is cheap.’”
