The issue at stake here goes beyond mere inclusion of General Aguiyi Ironsi’s name in the list of those to be honoured at Nigeria’s centenary celebrations. The question is: under which category of honorees is he listed? Is he simply being honoured as a pioneer military professional just like Chief F R A Williams in the legal profession? Was Ironsi not a Head of State just like Gowon, Mutarla Muhammed, Obasanjo, etc? Why was this fact omitted? Was it an oversight or was it deliberate?

I humbly submit that the name of General Aguiyi Ironsi was wrongly classified in the list of those to be honoured at Nigeria’s centenary celebrations. Yes, I agree that he is a pioneer in his profession but I insist and maintain that he should be honoured not only as a pioneer in his profession as mentioned in number 21 of the list of honourees but should rightly be included in the list of OUTSTANDING PROMOTERS OF UNITY, PATRIOTISM AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. Anything short of that is an insult on his memory and a deliberate or inadvertent attempt to stand history on its head.

No doubt, General Aguiyi Ironsi was a pioneer in his profession. But the question is: did he simply stop there? What service did he render to the Nigerian nation by virtue of his status as a pioneer soldier? The answer is that he moved from just being a pioneer soldier to being the Nigerian Head of State and an outstanding promoter of unity and patriotism.

Therefore, it is an insult on the memory of General J. T. U. Aguiyi Ironsi for the Nigerian centenary organisers to simply remember him or honour him or simply categorise him as a pioneer in his Military profession. General Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi Ironsi represents much more than that in the history of Nigeria. He should be honoured not only as a pioneer in his profession but should be given his due honour as one of the OUTSTANDING PROMOTERS OF UNITY, PATRIOTISM AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT listed thus by the Presidential Committee on Nigeria’s Centenary Celebrations:

87. General Yakubu Gowon, GCFR

88. General Murtala Ramat Mohammed

89. General Olusegun Mathew Okikiola Aremu Obasanjo, GCFR

90. General Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR

91. General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, GCFR

92. Chief Ernest Shonekan, GCFR

93. General Sani Abacha, GCFR

94. Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’adua, GCFR

95. General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, GCON, fss

My argument is that anything short of including General Aguiyi Ironsi in the category of outstanding promoters of unity, patriotism and national development is either an oversight or a deliberate attempt to stand history on its head and deny present and future generations the benefit of TRUTH. If all the past Heads of State are listed in this category, why should General Ironsi’s name be omitted? It is an insult on his memory and it is as good as not including his name at all. It is an affront on the sensibilities of his family, Ndigbo and every Nigerian who wants to know the true history of their country.

The issue being debated here is not whether the centenary celebration is desirable especially at this time of political, economic and security uncertainties or whether those listed deserve the honour. Rather, as my friend, Ogbonnaya Oko Agwu wrote: “It is in the wrong category . . . There’s rightly no way anyone can talk about unity in Nigeria without starting with Ironsi. When he introduced the unitary system, the other parts of the country kicked against it, but after the counter coup of July 1966, the North strengthened it and it has remained with us till this day. This is why it amounts to standing justice on its head not to include Ironsi as one of those that fought for and promoted Unity, Patriotism and National development.”

Some people may argue that we should leave this matter alone since his name is already there on the list. I do not subscribe to this passive school of thought because the decision to omit General Aguiyi Ironsi’s name in the list of outstanding promoters of Nigerian unity and patriotism, may perhaps not be a simple oversight but an indication of a much more deep-rooted satanic agenda carried over from the Biafra-Nigeria war against Ndigbo.

I appeal to those in charge of the centenary celebrations to please correct this mistake and give the right honour to whom it is due.

•Chief Onwuka Kalu, OFR (Okpu-uzu of Abiriba), writes from England. He can be reached via e-mail at chiefonwukakalu@yahoo.com

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