By Capital Watch Media
The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has strongly criticised former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, following his recent statement alleging that the January 15, 1966 coup was led by the Igbo people.
In a statement released on Wednesday, MASSOB leader Comrade Uchenna Madu condemned Fani-Kayode’s claims as “bold, empty” and accused him of spreading misleading information driven by hatred towards the Igbo community.
The controversy began when Fani-Kayode asserted there was no evidence in former Head of State General Ibrahim Babangida’s book, A Journey in Service, that refuted the notion of an Igbo-led coup.
“Those denying it are either misguided and misinformed or being mischievous,” Fani-Kayode had stated.
Responding to these claims, Madu questioned the basis of Fani-Kayode’s comments.
“Was Femi Fani-Kayode among the coup plotters? Was he even born during the 1966 military coup?” Madu asked.
Madu further argued that the coup could not have been solely driven by an Igbo agenda, pointing to the plan to install Chief Obafemi Awolowo, a Yoruba leader, as the provisional president.
“If it was an Igbo coup, why was Awolowo their preferred leader?” Madu added.
The MASSOB leader accused Fani-Kayode of having ulterior motives and claimed his past associations with Igbo leaders were insincere.
“We never knew Femi Fani-Kayode was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, an acute hater of Ndigbo,” Madu stated.
The January 15, 1966 coup remains a contentious chapter in Nigerian history.
While some view it as an effort to address corruption and political instability, others have described it as an ethnically motivated uprising.
General Ibrahim Babangida recently commented on the matter, stating that Major Kaduna Nzeogwu, a key figure in the coup, was “more of a Hausa man than Igbo,” challenging the perception of an ethnically driven plot.
As the debate continues, MASSOB has called for caution and respect when addressing historical events.
“We must avoid distorting history to serve divisive narratives,” Madu urged.
Despite the backlash, Fani-Kayode has not retracted his statement, maintaining his position on the coup’s alleged origins.
The controversy has sparked wider discussions on the representation of historical facts in Nigeria’s political discourse.
