Francis adekunle fajuyi, shortly after the man died. Originally a clerk, fajuyi of ado ekiti joined the army in 1943 and as a sergeant in the nigeria signal squadron, royal west african frontier force. The handbook of yoruba religious concepts by baba ifa karade, olodumare. When the nigerian civil war erupted in july 1967, adekunle was tasked to lead elements which included two new battalions 7th and 8th to conduct the historic sea borne assault on bonny in the bight of benin on 26 july 1968 carried out by major isaac adaka boro s unit. When the plotters were arguing with ironsi about his inactions after the january coup, fajuyi was still a mediator.
Since 1987, i had promised myself that i was going to write two tributes, one for colonel francis adekunle fajuyi, the first military governor of western nigeria and the other for captain thomas. Immortalization of aguiyi ironsi and adekunle fajuyi in. Usa africa dialogue series naming a dog and buharis. Col adekunle fajuyi were killed in the ibadan 1966 retaliatory coup. See chris okigbo, emma okocha awo, the nine majors and the death of the prime minister, gomslam books.
Long essay candidates chapter chief obafemi awolowo contributed. They were taken away in a land rover and a mini bus and driven to an. No doubt, fajuyi s place in authentic history is assured. The late military governor of old western region was remembered with.
The historical revisionism continued, when soldiers under his command sacked the first republic, ironsi rallied the troops and ended the coup. Col adekunle fajuyi, the eminent subject of this lecture, is a prime victim of this malaise. Adekunle fajuyi, was killed in nigerias second coup, the yoruba thinktank. Exactly 50 years ago, adekunle fajuyi gave up his life for aguiyiironsi. By hope orukevbe eghagha no doubt, fajuyi s place in authentic history is assured.
When the true history of bravery, heroism, and patriotism is written about nigeria, fajuyis name will be right there on top in the future, when school children read about fajuyi, they will cry just. January 15, fajuyi and the northern christians news. According to danjuma, fajuyi extracted a promise from danjuma not to harm ironsi. He is largely viewed as the gallant officer who, in the midst of an episode of bloodletting among nigerias soldiers. So, what i have decided to do is oral history tell the story to a writer wholl record, transcribe and so on and the book will bear his name and mine.
Fajuyi joined the nigerian army despite of objections from his parents. When col francis adekunle fajuyis immediate elder sister went to meet him fajuyi in ibadan, the headquarters of the western region, she took the opportunity to register a company so she. Francis adekunle fajuyi mc bem 26 june 1926 29 july 1966 was a nigerian soldier of. The horrendous torture and killing of ironsi and fajuyi make for heartrending reading, but danjuma claims he lost command only for the. Lagos was ceded to the territory of britain, which becomes a. Adekunle fajuyi did not commit any crime than the fact that he was playing host to ironsi on july 29,1966 when northern officers who staged a revenge coup following the kaduna nzeogwuled. The fajuyi remembrance for example, is a local thing. The unforgotten yoruba adekunle fajuyi, assassinated. Colonel francis adekunle fajuyi, military governor of nigerias. Fajuyi and the failure of artistic imagination the guardian nigeria.
Conspicuously missing is the quartet of major babafemi olatunde ogundipe, captains kuru mohammed, francis adekunle fajuyi and victor adebukonola banjo. No doubt, fajuyis place in authentic history is assured. Adekunle fajuyi,the play captures the early vision of a young man vowed to live the life of a soldier, as part of his personal conviction and. Adekunle fajuyi occupies a unique, almost mythical place in nigerian history. Nigerias finest soldier and military cross recipient who was. Nigeria history, west african history, books barnes. The essence of this information is mainly to expose the. Fortytwo years after his assassination, the memory of lt.
He was killed exactly 50 years ago today, on the 29th of july 1966, in ibadan the present day oyo state capital together with. He is largely viewed as the gallant officer who, in the midst of an episode of bloodletting among nigerias soldiers, refused to stand aside as his commanderinchief was being led to the slaughter, and, instead, opted to share the fate of a brutal death at the hands of renegade soldiers. Such an iconic character ought to be national property, a national. The unforgotten yoruba adekunle fajuyi, assassinated 50years ago today. Adekunle fajuyi, on 29 july, ten days after the aburi meeting the gowon government issued a booklet, entitled nigeria 1parts of which attacked and libelled the military. Adekunle fajuyi and the politics of remembrance by niyi osundare talking points show me your hero and i will tell you who you are. Adekunle fajuyi was a soldier and hero of the nigerian 1966 retaliatory military coup. Beginning with the book fajuyi the great, an official publication of the. There are two books on fajuyi by akin onigbinde and a.
The ancient city of ibadan comes alive on friday july 29, 2016 as dignitaries from all walks of life converge to remember that gallant,brave and outstanding soldier,col adekunle. He is elevated to the pantheon of men who have stood for principle and will never be forgotten any time events of 1966 are recalled. Colonel francis adekunle fajuyis story is both interesting and sad as he was killed in 1966 at just 40 years old for his participation in politics and. The gallant soldier went down with his commanderinchief. And was also the first major general in west africa. My personal recollections of the war by benjamin adekunle. But adekunle fajuyi, quintessential omoluabi, refused either to surrender or abandon his guest. Aguiyiironsi and lt col francis adekunle fajuyi were arrested and the rest became history. I was born in kaduna on the 26th of june i936, the fifth in a line of six children born by amina theodora to a. Danjuma told fajuyi that they were there to arrest ironsi. Francis adekunle fajuyi mc bem 26 june 1926 29 july 1966 was a nigerian soldier of yoruba origin. He is a fellow of the historical society of nigeria and of the nigerian academy of letters. Tuesday, july 26, 2016 adekunle fajuyi the ancient city of ibadan comes alive on. Lieutenant colonel adekunle fajuyi, the military governor of the western.
It was my late father who first stimulated my interest in the character and fate of lt. Adekunle fajuyi agoiwoye ajayi akarigbo of ijebu akarigbo stool akarigbos palace alaiyeluwa oba awujale b. Fajuyi was not arrested after he talked with danjuma the first time. Adekunle fajuyi and the politics of remembrance by niyi. Fajuyis death was used in constructing ethnonational memory and history in the.
Adekunle fajuyi, the play captures the early vision of a young man vowed to live the life of a soldier, as part of his personal conviction and in full knowledge of being a descendant of a war hero. Death, national memory and the social construction of heroism jstor. Eunice, the wife of the first military governor of the former western region, adekunle fajuyi, is dead the 85yearold died in her sleep at about. Departing from fajuyis death wish obi nwakanma now says fajuyi committed suicide by not abandoning ironsi even when the end result was to pay with his life. The naming of streets, gardens, parks, buildings, schools, and public places after these great men is not just the objectification of history but a source of inspiration to the. And history tells us that two factors could have triggered the reprisal killing in ibadan that took the lives of the 42 yearold ironsi and 40 yearold fajuyi. Colonel adekunle fajuyi came alive in ado ekiti last weekend. History of yoruba land download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. In other words, nigeria pays no attention when a worthy deed is done. Click download or read online button to get history of yoruba land book. If the coup plotters had not struck, we would never have known that adekunle fajuyi was a solid gold of a man, and a man for the. Prayer zone for a better, empowering, inspiring, promoting, prospering, progressing and more successful life through christ jesus posts tagged adekunle fajuyi why.
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