Femi Fani-Kayode Denies Claims About the January 15, 1966 Coup, Insists it Was an Igbo Coup

Babatunji Wusu –

• Fani-Kayode’s Statement: Femi Fani-Kayode refutes claims that Ibrahim Babangida’s book, A Journey in Service, denies that the January 15, 1966 coup was an Igbo coup.
• Misinterpretation of IBB’s Words: He accuses those who claim otherwise of being either misinformed, misguided, or deliberately spreading disinformation.
• IBB’s Reference to Ethnicity: Fani-Kayode highlights that IBB himself described the coup as having an “unmistakable ethnic coloration,” implying it was an ethnic coup with strong Igbo involvement.
• Facts of the Coup: He reiterates that 99% of the officers involved in the coup and mutiny were Igbo, and the majority of the victims were non-Igbo military officers and political leaders.

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has strongly refuted claims that former military Head of State Ibrahim Babangida (IBB) stated in his book, A Journey in Service, that the January 15, 1966 coup was not an Igbo coup. Fani-Kayode, in a post on his social media handle, asserted that those suggesting otherwise are either misinformed, misguided, or purposefully spreading false narratives.

Fani-Kayode emphasized that in IBB’s book, the former military leader himself referred to the coup as having an “unmistakable ethnic coloration,” pointing directly to the ethnic nature of the coup. According to Fani-Kayode, this confirms that the coup was indeed an Igbo-led operation.

He also expressed frustration with individuals who have misinterpreted or misrepresented IBB’s words, accusing them of relying on inaccurate social media quotes and disinformation rather than properly reading the book. He called for a thorough reading of IBB’s book to understand its true content.

Fani-Kayode further stressed that the facts of the coup are indisputable: 99% of the officers involved in the planning and execution of the coup were Igbo, and the majority of those killed in the process were non-Igbo military officers and political figures.

He ended his statement by urging people not to revise history, but to face the bitter truths of the past and recognize the ethnic dynamics of the 1966 coup.