ABSTRACT
This research work examined Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu on the utility of the Nigerian civil war as a Nigerian personality in history. It interrogated the contributions of Nzeogwu to nation building in Nigeria. It found that contrary to general view of the military as a threat to democracy and nation building, Nzeogwu as a military personality proved himself otherwise. He was a Nigerian in the true sense if the word on developmentally committed to its nation building project. Across board, there are generally accepted and water fight view of what the war stood for. Hence, this study sought to bridge the god by depicting the war and one of its veteran as a nation building imperative and incentive in Nigeria.
This work examined his genealogy, birth, education and his military career he pursued in a bid to attain greatness. This work enjoins the youth of this generation to toe the line of hard work as was seen in the life of Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, rather than living in with the ‘if you cannot beat them, join them’ mentality eating deep in Nigeria. The controversies surrounding Major Nzeogwu from his birth, family background, education, military experience and his view on the January 15, 1966 coup, including why it failed will be widely discussed in this work.
This work also tells us how Major Nzeogwu was seen by his friends and enemies, his principles, his rules and his life style and how his presence changed the army either positively or negatively. The use of oral interviews and text books will be used to attain accuracy. Finally, the soul of this work is to critically examine the life of one of Nigerian’s most controversial military officer. We will be able to know if he was a hero to the people or a failure. The qualitative methodology has been injected into this work for a more detailed and accurate analysis.
Although Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu was not by nature a violent man, he did not deviate from the fact that he was a revolutionary. He was a born revolutionary, and he showed this singular quality at the early stage in his life.[1] Nzeogwu’s ability to take up responsibility at any time was also a major character of his life and the times he pondered on a balanced country in which equity was obtainable. His education, which played out in his involvement in the 1966 coup, his early military postings which opened his eyes and mind to the events happening in Nigeria and the world, reshaped his ideology. Nzeogwu’s personality was shaped by his ideology; his motivation was based on books he read.
Nzeogwu read revolutionary books, he read about warfare more than diplomacy.[1] As a little boy, Nzeogwu organized and carried out successful riots. Although he had to pay the price for each riot, this young mind never stopped the fight for justice, knowing full well he would always get caught in the end. His involvement in the 1966 coup was not by accident. This was who he was. His early life and education formed his ideas, and he built his personality on the foundation of his ideology. The life and times of Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu portrays a man who began the fight for freedom at a young age. He wanted to be free so he had to endure life’s pain to achieve his goal. Nzeogwu had a distinguishing character. He took responsibility for his actions and he loved exercising power. He loved control. This thirst for power was shown in his secondary school where he carried out riots against the school authorities, Teshi where he was formed to love power and Sandhurst where he was trained to use power.
Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu has been the light of the first republic. He is a role model to the youth. We can see a man who lived his life fighting against corruption and injustice. Nzeogwu was surrounded by friends and enemies alike, but he possessed that charm that draws everyone closer to himself. It is certain that the 1966 coup failed to achieve some of its goals, although it left a big impact in the lives of Nigerians. The state of the country remained the same after the coup which means, ‘Coups Don’t Wipe Corruption Out’ rather they result in more coups.[1]
One thing was certain in 1966, there existed political and social unrest that affected the country, even the army. Even the citizens wanted the death of their leaders, but had no power to do so. The coup plotters, in their defence for the actualization of the coup, wanted to restore equity and peace to their country by targeting the top important, corrupt citizens of the country. The setting of the coup was outside the eastern geographical area, although the plotters were Mid-Ibos and Ibos alike. The actual people that carried out the coup were the northerners, who did not know their mission but at the end were happy the coup took place.
Finally, propaganda is a disease. Propaganda was used by the elites to brain wash the citizens of Nigeria into believing that the coup was Igbo origin and was channelled towards terminating the northerners and promoting the domination of the Igbo race.[1] It also portrayed Nzeogwu as the enemy. I can firmly tell everyone that Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu was that man who was misunderstood by the world.
