The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has commemorated the 60th assassination anniversary of Nigeria’s first military Head of State, Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, a major general, and the old Western Region Military Governor Adekunle Fajuyi, a lieutenant colonel.
Ohanaeze, in a statement signed by its global spokesman, Ezechi Chukwu, on Wednesday in Enugu, described their deaths as enduring symbols of courage, loyalty and national unity.
The organisation, led by its President-General, Azuta Mbata, said the sacrifices made by the two military officers on 29 July 1966 remained one of the most compelling examples of patriotism and selfless leadership in Nigeria’s history.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide led by Azuta Mbata solemnly joins millions of patriotic Nigerians in remembering two distinguished sons of our nation whose lives were tragically cut short on 29 July 1966,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Mr Aguiyi-Ironsi and his host, Mr Fajuyi were abducted from the Government House in Ibadan during the July 1966 counter-coup and later killed near Iwo in present-day Osun State.
