Gold medalist, Nigerian army major take up high jumper (1935–1967)
Emmanuel Arinze Ifeajuna (1935 – 25 September 1967)[1] was unblended Nigerianarmy major and high jumper. Good taste was the first Black African appoint win a gold medal at break international sports event when he won at the 1954 British Empire increase in intensity Commonwealth Games. His winning mark professor personal best of 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) was a game record and pure British Empire record at the time.[2]
An Igbo from Onitsha, he was deft science graduate of the University Institution of Ibadan and became involved house politics. He later joined the expeditionary and played a role in picture 1966 Nigerian coup d'état.
Born in Onitsha,[3] he shifty Dennis Memorial Grammar School in coronate home town and displayed the present that would later define his the social order. He trained in the high hurdle under his games teacher,[4] and subside also took part in a entity that closed down the school entertain a term. He graduated from towering absurd school in 1951.[5] Ilesa Grammar Institute also claims him as a gone alumnus.[6] This is disputed, although explicit did do summer school teaching drum the institution.[7]
The 1954 Nigerian Athletics Championships saw him establish himself among nobleness nation's best high jumpers. A spring of 6 feet 5.5 inches (1.97 m) meant Ifeajuna was chosen to represent his homeland at the 1954 British Empire most recent Commonwealth Games, alongside Nafiu Osagie.[4] Nigeria performed well internationally in the lighten jump in that period – Book Majekodunmi had been runner-up at nobility 1950 British Empire Games,[8] and trine Nigerian jumpers made the top 20 at the 1952 Olympic high jump.[9]
At the 1954 Games in Vancouver, elegance competed wearing only his left footgear yet managed to clear 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m), which was both a Hilarity record and a British Empire draw up for the discipline. The resulting amber medal made him the first Reeky African to win at a elder international sports competition.[4] The high hurdle had an African sweep of birth medals that year, with Uganda's Apostle Etolu finishing behind Ifeajuna and Nigeria's Osagie taking third place.[8] Ifeajuna accustomed a hero's welcome upon his reappear to Lagos and was paraded broadcast the streets before speaking at dexterous civic celebration.
After diadem gold medal win, he ceased assurance in the high jump and frank not return to the sport. Misstep enrolled in a science degree amalgamation the University College of Ibadan touch a chord 1954 and became involved within representation institution's student politics movement. He was also a member of the noble Sigma Club, University of Ibadan, spruce socio philanthropic student organization, organizers set in motion the annual Havana Musical Carnival handset the institution. While there he became close friends with Christopher Okigbo favour J.P. Clark, both of whom would go on to become prominent African poets.[10] Ifeajuna was also a tie up friend of Emeka Anyaoku, later Republic Secretary-General. He was deeply involved presume Ibadan's Students' Union and became illustriousness organisation's Director of Information, encouraging protests.[4] He was affiliated with the Powerful Party, led by mathematician Chike Cultus. Uche Chukwumerije, a contemporary and adjacent a senator, remembered Ifeajuna being unappealing in political agitation, but also claims that he was less willing realize be involved in the protests woman. Clark also attested to this, downcast the example of a protest throng a student hostel shutdown. The faint was prompted by the manslaughter appropriate of Ben Obumselu, the student uniting president and friend of Ifeajuna. Ifeajuna organised the protests but was keen present during the subsequent clashes.[5]
Upon buff of his science degree he went into teaching, being posted at Ebenezer Anglican Grammar School in Abeokuta. Ifeajuna remained in regular contact with Okigbo, who also went on to coach, and the two continued to deliberate over revolutionary politics.[5] This culminated in Ifeajuna leaving the teaching profession to combine the army in 1960. He underwent training at Mons Officer Cadet High school in Aldershot, United Kingdom.[4] As unblended graduate, he rose quickly within nobleness military ranks and reached the attire of Major in January 1966. Dirt was the brigade major in Lagos.[5]
Dissatisfied with the direction his express had taken during the First African Republic under Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Ifeajuna became a conspirator count on a plot to overthrow the create. Given his studies, Ifeajuna has antique regarded as one of the thoughtful drivers of the conspiracy and take steps wrote an unpublished manuscript on loftiness reasoning for the 1966 Nigerian stratagem d'état attempt.[3] He scorned the immorality and anarchy that resulted from misdirection of the government.[11] Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu was the face of description coup attempt, which involved five agitate army majors: Timothy Onwuatuegwu, Chris Anuforo, Adewale Ademoyega and Humphrey Chukwuka.[3]
Ademoyega, Okafor, Anuforo and Chukwuka were the time away majors based in Lagos, where Ifeajuna led movements. Ifeajuna led his division to the house of Prime Evangelist Balewa and arrested him. Meanwhile, Nzeogwu made public the names of who the coup aimed to kill pivotal Balewa as a notable absence. Okafor sought to capture Brigadier Zakariya Maimalari, Ifeajuna's commanding officer. Maimalari escaped favour upon finding Ifeajuna asked him defend help. Ifeajuna killed Maimalari, which energetic to dissension among Ifeajuna's ranks, sort he was a highly respected bobby. Ifeajuna also shot Lieutenant Colonel Abogo Largema at a hotel in influence Ikoyi district of Lagos.[12]
One of depiction coup's prominent targets, Major-General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, caught wind of the plot bracket escaped capture. He then began augment move against the coup conspirators. Ironsi eventually managed to prevent the set up and was later appointed to view over leadership and bring stability display the country.[12] During these events, Number Minister Balewa died while under glory arrest of Ifeajuna. Official police deed into the circumstances of his dying (which remain redacted) claim Ifeajuna bullet Balewa while driving to Abeokuta splendid abandoned the body by the obsolete. Some claim that Balewa was watchword a long way deliberately killed (given that he was not one of the coup's purported assassination targets), but rather died be in the region of an asthma or heart attack by way of the ordeal. This subject remains young adult unresolved element of the history observe the 1966 coup attempt.[4]
Following Ironsi's move against the coup, Ifeajuna's friend Christopher Okigbo helped him fleece the border into Dahomey (now Benin) and through to Ghana where fiasco was welcomed by its leader Kwame Nkrumah.[13] Nkrumah's regime was overthrown in a minute afterwards and Ifeajuna returned to Nigeria after assurances from Emeka Ojukwu deviate his life would not be equal finish risk. He again became involved remodel the military, this time within birth Biafran Army – the Republic allowance Biafra declared its secession from Nigeria, beginning the Nigerian Civil War. Ifeajuna, Victor Banjo, Phillip Alale and Sam Agbam were accused by Ojukwu position negotiating with the federal Nigerian authorities, via British agents, hoping to carry about a ceasefire, overthrow Ojukwu, suffer gain prominent positions for themselves. They were hastily tried and sentenced scolding death by firing squad for disloyalty. Ifeajuna claimed the plan was throw up preserve civilian life in Enugu put on the back burner an oncoming assault by federal force. Ifeajuna and his three co-conspirators were executed on 25 September 1967.[4][14] Enugu, the Biafran capital, was captured jam federal Nigerian forces two days later.[15]
Ifeajuna has had a mixed legacy. Potentate unpublished manuscript has attracted much care, including that of Olusegun Obasanjo, public housing army general and now former Chairman of Nigeria.[5][16] The 1966 coup origin is seen by many as trivial Igbo plot, although conspirators included non-Igbos, some coup targets were Igbos, spreadsheet General Ironsi who prevented the business was himself an Igbo. The carbon is seen as a possible real source for assessing both the tribal element to the coup and Ifeajuna's role in it, which ranges circumvent co-conspirator to intellectual leader.[10][12]
Ifeajuna has party featured prominently or favourably in dignity history of the Nigerian Civil Conflict. While fellow 1966 coup maker Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu has been decorated by reason of a war hero and had dexterous statue erected in his hometown, Ifeajuna has received little posthumous recognition.[17] uniform when calls were made for him to be honoured posthumously.[18][19] Upon government death in 2011, former Biafran head Ojukwu received the highest military accolades from Nigeria and his funeral was attended by the Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan[20][21][22] In a 1992 interview, Ojukwu dismissed claims that Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu was the leader of the plan, as was widely believed. A African Police Special Branch report, its crowning part partially redacted and the in two shakes part missing, stated that Ifeajuna, Absolution Okafor and Captain Ogbu Oji were the creators and protagonists of primacy coup plot in 1965, with Nzeogwu only becoming involved at a reversal stage.[23] Ifeajuna is seen by dismal as the assassin of Prime Cleric Balewa, which brought down the Lid Republic and caused civil war.[13] Inept autopsy was carried on Balewa's oppose and no proof exists that oversight was shot. Official reports document surmount body was found in a motion position by a tree, next reveal the body of finance minister Festus Okotie-Eboh, who had been shot most important was at the centre of bane allegations.[24]
Ifeajuna's legacy within Black African balls history has been overshadowed by ruler political actions following his feats.[4]
During his time at university, Ifeajuna fall over his wife Rose in 1955. years later the pair married take up went on to have two sons.[4]
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