Adekunle Fajuyi
Encyclopedia
Francis Adekunle Fajuyi, BEM
(26 June 1926 – 29 July 1966) was the first military governor
of the former Western Region, Nigeria
. Originally a clerk, the late Lt. Colonel Francis Adekunle Fajuyi of Ado Ekiti
joined the Army in 1943 as a Non Commissioned Officer, and he was awarded the British Empire Medal
in 1951 for helping to contain a mutiny
in his unit over food rations. He was trained at the now defunct Eaton Hall OCS
in the UK
from July 1954 until November 1954 when he was short service commissioned Lieutenant
, backdated to March 1952. In 1961, as the ‘C’ Company Commander with the 4QONR under Lt. Col. Price, Major
Fajuyi was awarded the M.C. for actions in North Katanga
and extricating his unit from an ambush
. On completion of Congo operations Fajuyi became the first indigenous Battalion
Commander
of the 1st battalion in Enugu
, a position he held until just before the first coup of January 1966 when he was posted to Abeokuta
as Garrison Commander. When Major General
Ironsi emerged as the new C-in-C on January 17, 1966, he appointed Fajuyi the first military governor of the Western Region
.
He was assassinated by the revenge seeking counter-coupists led by Major T. Y Danjuma on July 29, 1966 at Ibadan
, along with General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi
, the Head of State
and Supreme Commander
of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
; who had arrived in Ibadan on July 28, 1966 to address a conference of natural rulers of Western Nigeria. By dusk, he was through with the assignment and was prepared to head back to Lagos
, but his host, Lt. Colonel Fajuyi, convinced him to spend the night at the Government House, Ibadan.
The bloody overthrow of the civilian regime of Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa’s government had taken place six months earlier in which the Prime Minister
and other top government functionaries especially of Northern Nigerian extraction were killed.
The coup (seen then as a revolution) was successful in the North but failed in the South. Ironically, Aguiyi-Ironsi who did not participate in the violent bloodletting inherited the pieces of a shattered Republic
by virtue of his seniority in the armed forces
. Yet, he was a victim of the counter-coup that claimed his life alongside his courageous host, Fajuyi. Fajuyi did all he could to persuade Danjuma not to kill Ironsi but when he saw that Danjuma insisted, he told him that he could not allow him unless he (Fajuyi) was killed first. This Danjuma did before going after Ironsi himself.
British Empire Medal
The Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service, usually known as the British Empire Medal , is a British medal awarded for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown...
(26 June 1926 – 29 July 1966) was the first military governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of the former Western Region, Nigeria
Western Region, Nigeria
The Western Region was a subdivision of the federation of Nigeria until 1967. Its capital was at Ibadan.It was established in the 1930s under British rule as a subdivision of the Southern Nigeria colony...
. Originally a clerk, the late Lt. Colonel Francis Adekunle Fajuyi of Ado Ekiti
Ado Ekiti
Ado Ekiti is a city in southwest Nigeria, in the state of Ekiti. It is also known as Ado. The population in 2004 was 446,749. The people of Ado Ekiti are mainly of the Yoruba ethnic group...
joined the Army in 1943 as a Non Commissioned Officer, and he was awarded the British Empire Medal
British Empire Medal
The Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service, usually known as the British Empire Medal , is a British medal awarded for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown...
in 1951 for helping to contain a mutiny
Mutiny
Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
in his unit over food rations. He was trained at the now defunct Eaton Hall OCS
Officer Candidate School
Officer Candidate School or Officer Cadet School are institutions which train civilians and enlisted personnel in order for them to gain a commission as officers in the armed forces of a country....
in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
from July 1954 until November 1954 when he was short service commissioned Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, backdated to March 1952. In 1961, as the ‘C’ Company Commander with the 4QONR under Lt. Col. Price, Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Fajuyi was awarded the M.C. for actions in North Katanga
Katanga Province
Katanga Province is one of the provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Between 1971 and 1997, its official name was Shaba Province. Under the new constitution, the province was to be replaced by four smaller provinces by February 2009; this did not actually take place.Katanga's regional...
and extricating his unit from an ambush
Ambush
An ambush is a long-established military tactic, in which the aggressors take advantage of concealment and the element of surprise to attack an unsuspecting enemy from concealed positions, such as among dense underbrush or behind hilltops...
. On completion of Congo operations Fajuyi became the first indigenous Battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of the 1st battalion in Enugu
Enugu
Enugu is the capital of Enugu State in Nigeria. It is located in the southeastern area of Nigeria and is largely populated by members of the Igbo ethnic group. The city has a population of 722,664 according to the 2006 Nigerian census. The name Enugu is derived from the two Igbo words Enu Ugwu...
, a position he held until just before the first coup of January 1966 when he was posted to Abeokuta
Abeokuta
Abeokuta is the largest city and capital of Ogun State in southwest Nigeria and is situated at , on the Ogun River; 64 miles north of Lagos by railway, or 81 miles by water. As of 2005, Abeokuta and the surrounding area had a population of 593,140....
as Garrison Commander. When Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Ironsi emerged as the new C-in-C on January 17, 1966, he appointed Fajuyi the first military governor of the Western Region
Western Region, Nigeria
The Western Region was a subdivision of the federation of Nigeria until 1967. Its capital was at Ibadan.It was established in the 1930s under British rule as a subdivision of the Southern Nigeria colony...
.
He was assassinated by the revenge seeking counter-coupists led by Major T. Y Danjuma on July 29, 1966 at Ibadan
Ibadan
Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 1,338,659 according to the 2006 census. Ibadan is also the largest metropolitan geographical area...
, along with General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi
Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi was a Nigerian soldier. He served as the Head of State of Nigeria from January 16, 1966 until he was overthrown and killed on July 29, 1966 by a group of northern army officers who revolted against the government.- Early life :Thomas Umunnakwe...
, the Head of State
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
and Supreme Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
; who had arrived in Ibadan on July 28, 1966 to address a conference of natural rulers of Western Nigeria. By dusk, he was through with the assignment and was prepared to head back to Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
, but his host, Lt. Colonel Fajuyi, convinced him to spend the night at the Government House, Ibadan.
The bloody overthrow of the civilian regime of Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa’s government had taken place six months earlier in which the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
and other top government functionaries especially of Northern Nigerian extraction were killed.
The coup (seen then as a revolution) was successful in the North but failed in the South. Ironically, Aguiyi-Ironsi who did not participate in the violent bloodletting inherited the pieces of a shattered Republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
by virtue of his seniority in the armed forces
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
. Yet, he was a victim of the counter-coup that claimed his life alongside his courageous host, Fajuyi. Fajuyi did all he could to persuade Danjuma not to kill Ironsi but when he saw that Danjuma insisted, he told him that he could not allow him unless he (Fajuyi) was killed first. This Danjuma did before going after Ironsi himself.