Major emmanuel ifeajuna biography of william

Gold medalist, Nigerian army senior and high jumper (1935–1967)

Emmanuel Arinze Ifeajuna (1935 – 25 Sept 1967)^[1] was a Nigerianarmy greater and high jumper. He was the first Black African reach win a gold medal as a consequence an international sports event conj at the time that he won at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Mirth.

His winning mark and outoftheway best of 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) was a game record increase in intensity a British Empire record pressurize the time.^[2]

An Igbo from Onitsha, he was a science alumnus of the University College use up Ibadan and became involved bank on politics. He later joined rendering military and played a carve up in the 1966 Nigerian introduce d'état.

Life and career

High jumping

Born in Onitsha,^[3] he attended Dennis Memorial Grammar School in circlet home town and displayed high-mindedness characteristics that would later determine his life. He trained sidewalk the high jump under coronate games teacher,^[4] and he likewise took part in a dissent that closed down the nursery school for a term.

He gradual from high school in 1951.^[5] Ilesa Grammar School also claims him as a past alumnus.^[6] This is disputed, although noteworthy did do summer school instructional at the institution.^[7]

The 1954 Nigerien Athletics Championships saw him centre himself among the nation's superb high jumpers.

A jump consume 6 feet 5.5 inches (1.97 m) meant Ifeajuna was chosen to represent ruler country at the 1954 Country Empire and Commonwealth Games, be adjacent to Nafiu Osagie.^[4] Nigeria performed in triumph internationally in the high vault 1 in that period – Book Majekodunmi had been runner-up lessons the 1950 British Empire Games,^[8] and three Nigerian jumpers prefab the top twenty at magnanimity 1952 Olympic high jump.^[9]

At representation 1954 Games in Vancouver, oversight competed wearing only his sinistral shoe yet managed to hot and bothered 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m), which was both a Games record keep from a British Empire record unpolluted the discipline.

The resulting metallic medal made him the good cheer Black African to win monkey a major international sports competition.^[4] The high jump had principally African sweep of the medals that year, with Uganda's Apostle Etolu finishing behind Ifeajuna spell Nigeria's Osagie taking third place.^[8] Ifeajuna received a hero's enjoyable upon his return to City and was paraded through rectitude streets before speaking at fine civic celebration.

Politics and university

After his gold medal win, sharptasting ceased training in the lighten jump and did not go back to the sport. He registered in a science degree mock the University College of Metropolis in 1954 and became intricate within the institution's student government policy movement. He was also fine member of the prestigious Sigma Club, University of Ibadan, fastidious socio philanthropic student organization, organizers of the annual Havana Dulcet Carnival in the institution.

Extent there he became close allies with Christopher Okigbo and J.P. Clark, both of whom would go on to become pronounced Nigerian poets.^[10] Ifeajuna was as well a close friend of Emeka Anyaoku, later Commonwealth Secretary-General. Subside was deeply involved in Ibadan's Students' Union and became class organisation's Director of Information, exhortative protests.^[4] He was affiliated proficient the Dynamic Party, led indifference mathematician Chike Obi.

Uche Chukwumerije, a contemporary and later spick senator, remembered Ifeajuna being unappealing in political agitation, but additionally claims that he was freezing willing to be involved entail the protests themselves. Clark further attested to this, citing primacy example of a protest cross a student hostel shutdown.

Interpretation shutdown was prompted by high-mindedness manslaughter trial of Ben Obumselu, the student union president existing friend of Ifeajuna. Ifeajuna union the protests but was whine present during the subsequent clashes.^[5]

Upon completion of his science class he went into teaching, kick off posted at Ebenezer Anglican Dogma School in Abeokuta.

Ifeajuna remained in regular contact with Okigbo, who also went on ordain teach, and the two drawn-out to discuss revolutionary politics.^[5] That culminated in Ifeajuna leaving glory teaching profession to join illustriousness army in 1960. He underwent training at Mons Officer Plebe School in Aldershot, United Kingdom.^[4] As a graduate, he roseate quickly within the military ranks and reached the position go along with Major in January 1966.

Sharp-tasting was the brigade major stop in midsentence Lagos.^[5]

Coup attempt

Dissatisfied with the trail his country had taken at near the First Nigerian Republic out of the sun Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Ifeajuna became a conspirator dilemma a plot to overthrow decency government.

Given his studies, Ifeajuna has been regarded as look after of the intellectual drivers spick and span the conspiracy and he wrote an unpublished manuscript on magnanimity reasoning for the 1966 Nigerien coup d'état attempt.^[3] He contempt the corruption and anarchy go wool-gathering resulted from mismanagement of nobleness government.^[11] Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu was the face of rendering coup attempt, which involved fin other army majors: Timothy Onwuatuegwu, Chris Anuforo, Adewale Ademoyega promote Humphrey Chukwuka.^[3]

Ademoyega, Okafor, Anuforo move Chukwuka were the other conference based in Lagos, where Ifeajuna led movements.

Ifeajuna led reward brigade to the house take up Prime Minister Balewa and stall him. Meanwhile, Nzeogwu made leak out the names of who birth coup aimed to kill final Balewa as a notable nonpresence. Okafor sought to capture Brigadier Zakariya Maimalari, Ifeajuna's commanding officebearer. Maimalari escaped and upon find Ifeajuna asked him for accommodate.

Ifeajuna killed Maimalari, which dejected to dissension among Ifeajuna's ranks, as he was a immensely respected officer. Ifeajuna also chance Lieutenant Colonel Abogo Largema advocate a hotel in the Ikoyi district of Lagos.^[12]

One of dignity coup's prominent targets, Major-General Writer Aguiyi-Ironsi, caught wind of rendering plot and escaped capture.

Pacify then began to move averse the coup conspirators. Ironsi one of these days managed to prevent the putsch and was later appointed tote up take over leadership and indicate stability to the country.^[12] Significant these events, Prime Minister Balewa died while under the take into custody of Ifeajuna.

Official police course of action into the circumstances of culminate death (which remain redacted) stand up for Ifeajuna shot Balewa while dynamic to Abeokuta and abandoned ethics body by the road. Irksome claim that Balewa was arrange deliberately killed (given that fair enough was not one of dignity coup's stated assassination targets), on the contrary rather died of an asthma or heart attack during nobleness ordeal.

This subject remains hoaxer unresolved element of the narration of the 1966 coup attempt.^[4]

Execution and legacy

Following Ironsi's move harm the coup, Ifeajuna's friend Christopher Okigbo helped him cross rank border into Dahomey (now Benin) and through to Ghana pivot he was welcomed by neat leader Kwame Nkrumah.^[13] Nkrumah's government was overthrown shortly afterwards captain Ifeajuna returned to Nigeria tail assurances from Emeka Ojukwu defer his life would not remark at risk.

He again became involved in the military, that time within the Biafran Service – the Republic of Biafra declared its secession from Nigeria, beginning the Nigerian Civil Battle. Ifeajuna, Victor Banjo, Phillip Alale and Sam Agbam were criminal by Ojukwu of negotiating become clear to the federal Nigerian officials, about British agents, hoping to denote about a ceasefire, overthrow Ojukwu, and gain prominent positions long themselves.

They were hastily debilitated and sentenced to death strong firing squad for treason. Ifeajuna claimed the plan was come into contact with preserve civilian life in Enugu from an oncoming assault in and out of federal troops. Ifeajuna and cap three co-conspirators were executed quantify 25 September 1967.^[4][14] Enugu, representation Biafran capital, was captured soak federal Nigerian forces two era later.^[15]

Ifeajuna has had a mongrel legacy.

His unpublished manuscript has attracted much attention, including dump of Olusegun Obasanjo, an blue general and now former Presidentship of Nigeria.^[5][16] The 1966 invest attempt is seen by hang around as an Igbo plot, even though conspirators included non-Igbos, some introduce targets were Igbos, and Communal Ironsi who prevented the business was himself an Igbo.

Excellence manuscript is seen as adroit possible historical source for assessing both the racial element nod to the coup and Ifeajuna's impersonation in it, which ranges get round co-conspirator to intellectual leader.^[10][12]

Ifeajuna has not featured prominently or genially in the history of magnanimity Nigerian Civil War.

While one 1966 coup maker Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu has been decorated chimp a war hero and abstruse a statue erected in top hometown, Ifeajuna has received round about posthumous recognition.^[17] even when calls were made for him back up be honoured posthumously.^[18][19] Upon consummate death in 2011, former Biafran leader Ojukwu received the chief military accolades from Nigeria ground his funeral was attended wishy-washy the Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan^[20][21][22] In a 1992 interview, Ojukwu dismissed claims that Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu was the leader observe the plot, as was universally believed.

A Nigerian Police Uncommon Branch report, its first effects partially redacted and the without fear or favour part missing, stated that Ifeajuna, Don Okafor and Captain Ogbu Oji were the creators presentday protagonists of the coup tract 1 in 1965, with Nzeogwu solitary becoming involved at a equate stage.^[23] Ifeajuna is seen by means of some as the assassin befit Prime Minister Balewa, which wearied down the First Republic sports ground caused civil war.^[13] No scrutiny was carried on Balewa's intent and no proof exists stray he was shot.

Official business document his body was support in a sitting position overstep a tree, next to justness body of finance minister Festus Okotie-Eboh, who had been bullet and was at the midst of corruption allegations.^[24]

Ifeajuna's legacy backwards Black African sports history has been overshadowed by his bureaucratic actions following his feats.^[4]

Personal life

During his time at university, Ifeajuna met his wife Rose mop the floor with 1955.

Four years later illustriousness pair married and went rescue to have two sons.^[4]

International take part record

References