On the night of January 15, 1966, Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, was abducted from his Lagos residence during the country’s first military coup.…….CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
The coup, led by a group of young army majors, claimed the lives of several prominent leaders, including Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Premier of the Northern Region, and Chief Samuel Akintola, Premier of the Western Region.
Balewa, known for his calm demeanor and devout Muslim faith, was taken by the mutineers and later killed under unclear circumstances. His body was discovered days later along the Lagos-Abeokuta road. Reports from the time suggested that he may have been shot, though the exact details remain disputed.
Historians continue to debate the motives of the coup plotters. Some argue that their goal was to end widespread corruption and mismanagement in the First Republic, while others point out that the ethnic composition of those targeted—mainly northern and western leaders—fueled suspicion and set the stage for ethnic and regional tensions that later escalated into the Nigerian Civil War.
Although conspiracy theories and unverified quotes about Balewa’s final moments continue to circulate, what remains undisputed is that his death marked a turning point in Nigerian history. It ended the First Republic, ushered in years of military rule, and left a legacy of mistrust that shaped Nigeria’s politics for decades.…….CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
