The Burial of Major General Aguiyi Ironsi

Major General Aguiyi Ironsi, the first military Head of State in Nigeria, underwent three burials following his assassination on July 29, 1966, during a military coup known as the Counter Coup of 1966. Initially, he was buried in a shallow grave after his death at the hands of Theophilus Danjuma’s soldiers. His body was later moved to a cemetery in Ibadan, but Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu insisted on a proper state burial. Consequently, Ironsi received a state funeral with full military honors on January 27, 1967, in his hometown of Ibeku-Umuahia, Eastern Nigeria.

During the state funeral, numerous dignitaries attended, including Ironsi’s wife, Mrs. Victoria Ironsi (seen in black behind the children), and the Eastern Nigeria Military Governor, Lieutenant Colonel Ojukwu. The solemn event is captured in a poignant photograph featuring mourners gathered around the coffin.

On the night of his assassination, Major General Ironsi stayed at the Government House in Ibadan as part of a nationwide tour. His host, Lieutenant Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi, the military governor of Western Nigeria, warned him of a potential army mutiny. Ironsi attempted to contact his Army Chief of Staff, Yakubu Gowon, but was unable to reach him. In the early hours of July 29, the Government House was surrounded by soldiers led by Danjuma, who arrested Ironsi and interrogated him regarding his alleged involvement in the coup that resulted in the death of Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto. The circumstances surrounding Ironsi’s death remain controversial in Nigeria, and his body, along with that of Fajuyi, was later discovered in a nearby forest.

A notable aspect of Ironsi’s persona was his swagger stick, adorned with a stuffed crocodile mascot named “Charlie.” Legend has it that this mascot conferred invulnerability, allowing him to dodge bullets during his missions in the Congo. Interestingly, the name “Aguiyi” translates to “crocodile” in Igbo, which may explain the connection to the mascot.

Before his untimely demise, Major General Aguiyi Ironsi achieved several notable firsts, including:

1. First Nigerian Military Head of State.
2. First Aide-de-Camp to the Governor-General of Nigeria.
3. First Equerry to the Queen of England.
4. First Military Attaché to a Nigerian Diplomatic Mission.
5. First Nigerian Commander of a UN Battalion.
6. First Major-General of the Nigerian Army.
7. First Battalion Commander of the Nigerian Army.
8. First Brigadier of the Nigerian Army.
9. First Captain of the Nigerian Army.
10. First Major of the Nigerian Army.
11. First Lieutenant Colonel of the Nigerian Army.