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IBB Exposes Ethnic Tensions Behind 1966 Coup – Fani-Kayode Reacts
Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has dismissed claims that former military ruler Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) denied the January 15, 1966, coup was an Igbo-led plot in his newly released book, A Journey in Service.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
In a post on his handle, Fani-Kayode insisted that those making such assertions are either misinformed, misguided, or deliberately distorting facts.
According to him, Babangida acknowledged in his book that the coup had an “unmistakable ethnic coloration,” which he believes clearly indicates Igbo involvement.
He stated, “Nowhere in IBB’s book does he say that the January 15, 1966, coup was NOT an Igbo coup. In fact, he implied the opposite when he described it as having an ‘unmistakable ethnic coloration.’ The ethnicity was Igbo.”
Fani-Kayode accused those misinterpreting Babangida’s words of either lacking comprehension of the English language or intentionally misleading the public.
Coup Plotters and Victims: A Sensitive Historical Debate
The former minister emphasized that 99% of the coup plotters were Igbo, while most of the victims were non-Igbo military officers and political leaders.
He asserted, “We owe it to the memory of those brutally murdered not to rewrite history or sugarcoat the truth. The coup was clearly an Igbo one, and IBB confirmed this when he spoke about its ‘ethnic coloration.’”
Fani-Kayode urged Nigerians to read Babangida’s book in full before drawing conclusions, condemning the reliance on social media snippets and misinformation.
He added, “I advise people to get a copy of the book, read it thoroughly, and stop distorting history by misrepresenting the words of its distinguished author.”
