The 1966 counter-coup and the militarisation of ethnicity in Nigeria’s political system

Abstract

This paper explores the 1966 Counter-Coup in Nigeria and its long-lasting impact on the ethnicism of politics in the country. A major turning point in the post-independence history of Nigeria, the Counter-Coup which toppled General Aguiyi-Ironsi's regime again ignited ethnic rivalries in the country's southern, northern, and southeast provinces. This paper uses historical records to examine the impact of the Counter-Coup on the political atmosphere at the time and how it laid the ground for the ethnic war that ultimately culminated in the Nigerian Civil War. The article also delves into the question of how the political control of the military
following the coup instilled a leadership trend that gravitated towards serving ethnic and regional interests rather than national unity. The authors conclude the article by offering solutions for the pervasive ethnicism in Nigerian politics. Stress the need for inter-ethnic conversation, democratic reform, and national integration as mechanisms for creating a more welcoming political environment.