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Slogans, Nicknames and Operational Names Associated with the Nigerian Civil War

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5 months ago

July 2, 2024

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It is common for every war/conflict to have its peculiar nickname and unique vocabulary used during its course. For example, a 16-year-long war fought in the 19th century in Yorubaland was nicknamed “Kiriji” which is an onomatopoeic word for the thunderous sounds of cannons used during the war. Likewise, the “Mugbamugba” war got its name from the only food available (Igba/garden egg) during the Yoruba’s second attempt to regain Ilorin in 1824…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>The same goes for the Nigerian civil war and the crises that preceded it. Below is a list of such nicknames, slogans and operational code names. This article is absolutely educational, no offence is intended in any way.

Nickname, Slogan, Local Name or Operational Name	Definition/Meaning
A
Agbekoya	Yoruba term for “old peasant farmer.” The tax revolt of the “old farmers” proved to be a serious internal security issue during the war.
“Ahiara” Declaration	Modelled after Tanzania’s Arusha declaration, Ojukwu issued this ‘Biafran revolutionary’ declaration on June 1^st, 1969 ostensibly to address nepotism and corruption within the Biafran military and society.
“Air Raid”	Nickname for Biafran Colonel Joe Achuzia, acquired during the attempt to retake Okigwe in late 1968.
Ojuku soja	Nickname for Biafran troops among illiterate and semi-illiterate Nigerian soldiers. It stands for “Ojukwu’s soldier.” The term “soja” has entered mainstream use in Nigeria.
Alalaba tactics	Alalaba means “sneaking” in Hausa. Designed by then Major MJ Vatsa, it was an infantry method of tactically gaining ground on a Biafran armoured vehicle before destroying it at close quarters.
Annabelle	Operational code-name for Biafra’s Uli-Ihiala airstrip
Apollo Battalion	This was the nickname given to a 3^rd Marine Commando self-contained independent Divisional reserve battalion created by Colonel Obasanjo after the landing of Apollo 11 on the moon in July 1969. It was used in a “fire brigade” role as a “special forces” raiding unit. It was, therefore, similar to Ojukwu’s “Umuahia Brigade” and may well have been inspired by it.
Araba	Araba in Hausa means to separate. The term first appeared on placards carried by rioters in Bauchi in May 1966 after the promulgation of the ill-advised Unification decree #34. That is why the May riots, which quickly spread to other towns in the north, are sometimes called the araba riots.
Atomati	Nickname for “automatic weapon” among illiterate Nigerian soldiers.
B
“Baba”	Used fondly, this was the nickname for Lt. Col. David Ogunewe, the last Commander of the 1^st battalion in Enugu before the outbreak of the war. He played a critical role in containing tension between northern and eastern soldiers during the July 29 northern counter-coup.
“Basha”	Federal Nigerian nickname for temporary makeshift billets (tents) constructed for troops using zinc sheets or tarpaulin. The term survived the war and is still in use.
“Biafra Gin”	Homemade Biafran Incendiary weapon produced by the Chemicals and Materials Workshop subsequently subsumed under the Research and Production (RAP) Organization. Used against federal personnel, defensive positions and armoured vehicles.
‘Black Eagle’	Nickname for Colonel Hubert Julian (Biafran mercenary)
‘Black Jack’	Nickname for Col. Jean Schramone (Biafran mercenary)
‘Black Scorpion’	Nickname conferred by foreign correspondents on Colonel Benjamin Adekunle, Commander of the Federal 3^rd Marine Commando Division
“BOFF”	Acronym for Biafran Organization of Freedom Fighters. Colonel Aghanya led it.
‘Boozy Bonzo Bond’	Nickname for a South African mercenary who flew jets for the Federal Nigerian AirForce, drank whiskey while flying and liked to fly his aircraft back riddled with bullet holes – as evidence.
“Bottoms”	Residue of Biafran fuel refining process which was then used as fuel oil
The “Brave”	Nickname for Armand Iaranelli, a Corsican mercenary fighting for Biafra
C
Corporal Nwafor	Named after the Biafran soldier that captured it, the nickname ‘Corporal Nwafor’ was bequeathed to a federal Nigerian Army Saladin armoured vehicle captured from the federal 2DIV during one of several Biafran attempts to retake Onitsha. ‘Corporal Nwafor’ was recaptured by federal troops of the 3MCDO during the unsuccessful Biafran attempt to retake Ohoba in July 1969.
D
Exercise Damisa	Damisa is the Hausa word for “Leopard”. Code-name for the Kaduna component of the January 15, 1966 mutiny
Delfin	Czech L-29 armed fighter jet/trainer used by Federal Nigerian Air Force
“Doctor Wise”	The nickname of a Biafran spiritualist who wielded great (and controversial) influence over military operations, particularly in the latter stages of the war. He was a kind of Rasputin for many elements of the Biafran political and military leadership. The use of juju men and spiritualists was common to both sides during the war and remains a common practice in modern Nigeria.
E
F
“Final Offensive”	Nigeria launched many unsuccessful “final offensives” during the war until the real final offensive of December 1969/January 1970. The term became an object of scorn on Biafra radio.
“FOB”	Acronym for ‘Forward Operating Base’. This was a term used by the Federal Nigerian Air Force for bases located in Makurdi, Benin, Calabar and Lagos.
‘Foot cutter’	A type of homemade Biafran mine
G
Operation “Giwa”	Giwa is the Hausa word for elephant. This so-called operation was alleged as the final act in the complete Igbo take-over of the country in 1966 after the execution of Operations Damisa, Kura, and Zaki. The existence of such an operation has never been independently confirmed. Nevertheless, such propaganda was widely disseminated in certain northern circles and may well have been believed.
“Genocide”	Call-sign/code-name for a South African mercenary who flew for Biafra Also the nickname for a homemade Biafran armoured vehicle used during the battles for Ikem and Obollo Eke in 1967. Federal forces destroyed it.
“Genocide Squadron”	Biafran nickname for Federal Nigerian Air Force IL-28 Bombers, converted DC-3s and DC-4s at the Benin City Forward Air Base in the Midwest.
“Go on with One Nigeria”	Federal Nigerian wartime slogan created from the alphabets in GOWON.
‘Good morning’ artillery barrage	Biafran nickname for highly predictable Federal Nigerian Army harassing artillery fire aimed at nobody in particular, usually the trees and bushes, but occurring at exactly the same times every morning. Used as an “alarm clock” by Biafran units.
‘Gowon’s Boots’	Biafran nickname for swelling of both feet caused by Kwashiorkor – resulting from wartime protein malnutrition.
‘Guitar Boy’	Nigerian nickname for the Soviet AK-47 automatic rifle. Likely related to the curved shape of its ammunition magazine and the unique sound it makes when switched from full automatic mode to semi-automatic grouped shots of three rounds each.
Gwodo-Gwodo	Biafran nickname for very huge “Nigerian” soldiers suspected (but never confirmed) to be of Chadian origin
H
‘Hannibal’	Nickname for Biafran Colonel Joe Achuzia, acquired after the Federal Nigerian Army Abagana disaster. Inspired by Carthaginian General Hannibal who defeated Roman troops at Cannae.
Lord “Haw-Haw”	Federal nickname for Okokon Ndem, a minority easterner who nevertheless, worked as a highly effective Biafran radio propagandist. Biafran radio also used the same nickname for Mr. Ukpabi Asika, a pro-federal Igbo intellectual who was appointed on October 27, 1967 by General Gowon as Administrator of the East-Central State. The term dates back to the Second World War. ‘Lord Haw-Haw’ was the name British radio fans called William Joyce, an American born British man with an English mother and Irish-American father. He had nazi sympathies and worked for Goebbels as a German weekly radio broadcaster. The British hanged him for treason in 1946.
I
‘Intruder’	Biafran nickname for a specific Federal Nigerian Airforce Ilyushin IL-28 Russian bomber based at the Benin City Forward Air Base in the Midwest. By flying at altitudes above 10,000 feet, usually at night, it avoided Biafran ack-ack and homemade ground to air rockets. It was part of the so-called “Genocide Squadron.” The Intruder was destroyed on the ground in May 1969 during Count Von Rosen’s Operation Biafra Baby
“Ironside”	British nickname for Major General JTU Aguiyi-Ironsi, first GOC Nigerian Army and first military Head of State of Nigeria. Killed during the northern counter-coup of July 1966.
J
“Jack”	British nickname for General Yakubu Gowon. Derived from *YAK*UBU.
“Jet” 22	Federal nickname for the 22 Battalion under Major Abdullai Shelleng in the Nsukka sector of the 1^st Infantry Division. The name was acquired on the basis of a sitrep Shelleng sent back to 1DIV HQ stating that he had advanced with “jet speed” after successfully catching up with his fellow 21 and 5 battalions during the drive towards Opi junction. Both sister battalions had originally left him behind in Nsukka while he was awaiting weapons, ammo and support units.
“Jet 77”	Biafran propaganda company attached to the “S” Division when it was under command of Lt. Col. Onwatuegwu.
K
“Kaduna”	One of the middle names of Major Patrick Chukwuma “Kaduna” Nzeogwu, leader of northern operations during the January 15, 1966 mutiny.
‘Kamikaze Brown’	Nickname for a Czech mercenary pilot called Brown who piloted Biafra’s B-26 bomber until it was destroyed on the ground at Enugu airport.
Operation “Kura”	Kura is the Hausa word for Hyena. This was the alleged Igbo operation to eliminate northern traditional rulers at Ibadan on July 28, 1966, as a follow-up to “Damisa.” The existence of such an operation has never been independently confirmed. Nevertheless, such propaganda was widely disseminated in certain northern circles and may well have been believed.
L
“Land Army”	A subgroup of the Biafran “Science Group” dedicated to the production of food under economic blockade.
M
“Mad Mike”	Nickname for Col. Mike Hoare (Biafran mercenary)
“Marshals”	Extra-large, homemade, Biafran multiple mine throwers
“Monty of the Midwest”	Drawing inspiration from Britain’s Field Marshall Montgomery of Alamein, this was a nickname for Federal Nigerian Lt. Col. Murtala Mohammed, Commander of the 2^nd Infantry Division on account of his successful campaign to contain and evict Biafran forces from that region in 1967.
N
“Na Cinema”	Nickname for Colonel Benjamin Adekunle, mainly used among his people, the Yoruba.
“Ndidi”	Biafran nickname meaning “patience.” It was given to a captured Federal Nigerian Army Armored Personnel Carrier at Uzuakoli.
“No Victors; No Vanquished”	Federal Nigerian Wartime slogan, particularly after the war
O
Ogbunigwe	Very deadly homemade Biafran multipurpose bomb produced by the Weapons and Equipment Workshop subsequently subsumed under the Research and Production (RAP) Organization. Ogbunigwe was based on the physics of the “Monroe” effect. It killed and maimed by wave effect percussion and dispersal of shrapnel. It was shaped either as a cone or cylinder and could be used as a land mine, a ground to ground projectile against troop concentrations or ground to air anti-personnel “air burst” cluster bomb.
“Oguta Boy”	Biafran nickname for a Nigerian Panhard armoured vehicle captured at Oguta in September 1968. The vehicle was later destroyed using “Alalaba” by elements of the Federal Army 21 Battalion under Major Vatsa during the battle for Uzuakoli in April 1969
Operation ‘Aure’	Aure is the Hausa word for “marriage”. When planning for the northern counter-coup of July 1966, conspirators in southern Nigeria made coded reference to it by talking about “Paiko’s wedding”, Paiko being the nickname for (and hometown in Niger Province of) Lt. Garba Dada, a northern subaltern at the 4^th battalion who was to be the spearhead.
Operation Biafra Baby (Babies)	Biafran mercenary Count Von Rosen’s Minicon air raids against Federal Nigerian AirForce aircraft at Port Harcourt, Enugu and Benin airports on May 24 and 25, 1969. Later on, raids were carried out against oil and shipping facilities at Port Harcourt, Sapele, Warri and Forcados.
Operation Do or Die	Biafran offensive in late October 1969 to reopen the route to the Otuocha food-producing area between Onitsha and Abagana. This was a direct response to the Federal Operation ‘Finishing Touch’
Operation ‘Finishing Touch’	Federal Nigerian Army HQ offensive launched in October 1969 to break the stalemate of ‘trench warfare’ that characterized the preceding months.
Operation Hiroshima	Unsuccessful Biafran offensive to retake Onitsha in November 1968
Operation ‘Kinshasha Special’	Alleged coup attempt uncovered on September 21, 1967 against Biafran leader Emeka Ojukwu by Colonel [Brigadier] Banjo, [Major] Alale, Major [Lt. Col.] Ifeajuna and [Major] Sam Agbamuche. All four men were executed within four days after a court-martial. Ojukwu claimed in his diary that Ifeajuna was seen coming out the premises of the British High Commissioner and that Banjo had thousands of pounds given to him by the British, and that British-paid saboteurs were indoctrinating Biafran troops in the trenches. He later accused Banjo of deliberately withdrawing from Benin in the wake of Lt. Col. Mohammed’s 2DIV offensive.
Operation Leopard	Federal Nigerian Army 1^st Infantry Division military offensive to take Umuahia in March and April 1969. Umuahia was then the capital of Biafra.
Operation Mabel	French Secret Service airlift operation directed by Jacques Foccart to supply Biafra with weapons (It began in September 1968, after an earlier public declaration on August 1^st that France was in support of Biafran “self-determination”)
Operation OAU	Federal Nigerian Army Offensive of September 1968 launched by 3MCDO Commander, Colonel Benjamin Adekunle. Originally announced by Adekunle on July 30 at an international press conference. It was aimed at the near simultaneous capture of Owerri, Aba and Umuahia by Independence day October 1^st 1968. Intended as a “present” for Nigeria’s Head of State, it ended in disaster.
Operation Tailwind	Final Federal Nigerian Offensive of the war, launched in December 1969 by 3 Marine Commando Division under Colonel Olusegun Obasanjo.
Operation Tallman	“Final” Federal Nigerian AHQ Offensive of August 1968
Operation Tiger-Claw	Federal Nigerian 3MCDO Offensive led by Colonel Adekunle to take Calabar in October 1967.
Operation Torch	Biafran invasion of the Midwest, August 9, 1967. Colonel Victor Banjo led the 101 Division. The same code-name appears to have been used for the unsuccessful Biafran offensive in September 1967 to retake Nsukka.
Operation Unicord	Code name for federal strategic effort to keep Nigeria united. The term was originally used in an operational order by 1 Area Command dated July 2, 1967.
Ore	Better known as a rest and recreation stop for road travellers, this small junction town inside then Western State (now Ondo State) was the site of a decisive battle on August 23, 1967. There are historians who consider that battle (“The Battle of Ore”) the turning point in the Nigerian Civil War.
P
“Paddy”	Nickname for an Irish mercenary fighting for Biafra
“Paiko”	Paiko is a name of a town in Niger State. However, it was often used to refer to Lt. Garba Dada, adjutant of the 4^th battalion Ibadan in July 1966. He was one of the stormtroopers during the northern counter-coup.
“Papa”	Nickname for then Commodore J. E. Akinwale Wey, Federal Nigerian Chief of Naval Staff during the war.
“Police action”	Initial public description of “Operation Unicord”, the 1 Area Command federal offensive launched at 5am on July 6, 1967 by Colonel Mohammed Shuwa, then ‘Northern Front’ Commander, Major Martin Adamu, then ‘Ogoja Sector’ Commander, and Lt. Col. Sule Apollo, ‘Nsukka Sector’ Commander. OP UNICORD was supported by ‘southern front’ operations led by Lt. Col. Benjamin Adekunle. Major General Gowon first publicly used the term “Police action” in a Press Conference on July 13, 1967, in which he said inter-alia, “I must emphasize that this is not a civil war. It is not an attempt to crush the Ibos. It is a police action* restricted to the purpose of bringing down the Ojukwu regime…”* The phrase was, however, discarded when, on August 11, 1967, in reaction to the Biafran invasion of the Midwest, Gowon declared “total war.”
Q
“Quisling”	Another Biafran radio nickname for Ukpabi Asika. [Derived from the name of the Norwegian Minister who served the Nazis during the Second World War].
R
RAP	Acronym for Biafran “Research and Production” Organization. This organization brought together and coordinated the efforts of different science groups focusing on Airports and roads, chemicals and materials, Heavy equipment and industrial materials, weapons production, biological processes, fuel refining, rocketry, explosives, electronics and essential foods.
Rebels	Name frequently used by federalists to describe Biafran troops and the Biafran leadership.
“Red Devil”	Biafran homemade Armored vehicle adapted from tractors and other earth-moving equipment or captured or old vehicles. Produced by the Heavy Equipment and Industrial Materials Group.
“ROB”	Biafran pneumonic for “Republic of Benin”, the republic declared in the Midwest State on September 20, 1967 by Major Albert Okonkwo, acting on behalf of Ojukwu. It was a last ditch effort to win support from the minority ethnic groups in that State by purporting to change its “status” as Biafran “Occupied Territory” to one of an independent nation. Less than 24 hours later the “ROB” collapsed when federal troops took Benin City, its capital. The 101 Division, which originally invaded the State under Colonel Banjo on August 9, 1967, was later renamed the “ROB” Division. Under Colonel Achuzia, it carried out numerous raids into the Midwest in 1968 and 1969 from across the River Niger.
S
“Sabo”	Nickname for “saboteur”, a common Biafran tendency, encouraged by the Ojukwu regime, to refer to any Biafran commander who lost a battle to federal forces irrespective of the odds. Virtually all senior Biafran commanders (except General Odumegwu Ojukwu) were branded saboteurs at one point or another. The custom began after the disastrous withdrawal of the Biafran 101 Division from its ill-fated Midwest campaign of 1967.
“S” Brigade	“S” stood for “Special”. It was a Brigade originally conceived as a personal protection force for Biafran leader Ojukwu, with direct reporting relationship to him, outside Biafran Army control. This created a lot of envy and operational problems.
“S” Division	When the Biafran “S” Brigade was expanded to Division size it became known as the “S” Division.
“Shettima”	Nigerian nickname for the Spanish CETME automatic rifle – a variant of the Gewehr 3 (G3) German rifle. [Shettima is a real northern name, particularly in the northeast among the Kanuri. It appears its phonologic similarity to CETME led to its adoption as the local name of that rifle].
‘Shore Battery’	Biafran homemade weapon system. It was a combination of many different weapons including Ogbunigwe, conventional bombs, rockets etc. set up together for mass effect, electronically connected in series along coastlines and detonated in predetermined sequences. The idea was to make casualty evacuation, retreat and tactical dispersal extremely hazardous from secondary detonations.
“Show Boy”	Nickname shared by Federal Lt. Cols. Abdul D.S. Wya and Sotomi. It is not entirely clear why they were called “Show Boys”
T
“Taffie” or “Taffy”	Nickname for a South African mercenary (Major Williams) fighting for Biafra along with Steiner. Some say he was of Welsh origin.
“Tel”	An important chemical used in petroleum blending by the Biafran Refinery and Fuel Group
“Thunder Division”	Name given (by Ojukwu) to detachment of the “S” Division that took part in the siege of Owerri
‘Tiger’ Battalion	Interestingly, both Nigerian and Biafran units used this nickname. The Nigerian 82 Battalion under Major Ibrahim Bako at Uzuakoli was nicknamed the “Tigers.” Similarly, there was a “Tiger” Battalion in the 66 Brigade under Major Osuagwu during Biafra’s Operation Do or Die.
“To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done”	Federal Nigerian wartime slogan
“Tortoise Division”	Federal Nigerian Army HQ nickname for its 2^nd Infantry Division – which made very little progress after March 1968.
“Twiggy”	Nickname for Jack Mulloch
U
Umuahia Brigade	Nickname for Colonel Ojukwu’s special reserve force based at Umuahia under Major Njoku.
Uzuakoli Boy	Biafran nickname for a recommissioned Federal Army Ferret armoured vehicle captured at Uzuakoli
V
Vandals	Name frequently used on Biafra radio to describe federal forces.
W
X
Y
“Yellow Bar”	Nickname for a Federal Nigerian Air Force mercenary Pilot
“You are keeping Unity between us”	Federal Nigerian wartime slogan derived from YAKUBU, Major General Gowon’s first name.
Z
Operation “Zaki”	Zaki is the Hausa word for Lion. This was the alleged Igbo inspired ethnic cleansing operation against the North to follow-up ‘Operation Kura’ in 1966. The existence of such an operation has never been independently confirmed. Nevertheless, such propaganda was widely disseminated in certain northern circles and may well have been believed.

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I Just Met This Guy, He Took Me To a Hotel When We Got There, What He Did Left Me Outraged

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1 hour ago

November 24, 2024

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I walked into an eatery one afternoon to order takeout. While I waited for my food I kept busy with my phone. A man walked up to me with determination on his face. He smiled and said “Hello my name is Victor. I have been trying to get your attention from my table over there (he points to a far-off table). READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

You didn’t even blink in my direction.” I looked at him and said “Sorry I’ve been engrossed with my phone.” He said “I can see that. I suppose that’s how to get your attention, through your phone. Can you give me your number then?” I didn’t mind giving…Read Full Story Here……..

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1999 Toronto Saga: How Former Speaker, Salisu Buhari, Declared False Age and Forged University Certificate

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1 hour ago

November 24, 2024

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On the 3rd of June, 1999, Salisu Buhari, a 29-year-old Nigerian businessman who made his fortune dealing in computers, was elected as the speaker of the House of Representatives in Nigeria, a position which constitutionally made him the fourth most important person in Nigeria.

Unknowing to his colleagues, the government and the whole of Nigeria, Salisu Buhari was not qualified for the office he occupied. Few weeks after he was elected, findings revealed that Salisu Buhari, the sixth Speaker of the House of Rep. forged his way to power…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>

The News Magazine released an article on the 19th of July, 1999 claiming that Salisu Buhari is seven years younger than the 36 years he claimed to be and that he didn’t attend the University of Toronto in Canada not to talk of graduating from the institution. The News Magazine had more than enough proofs to back their claims thus suppressing all threats made by Salisu Buhari and his lawyers to sue them for libel.

It was made known to the world that Salisu Buhari, the self-acclaimed Toronto University graduate, was actually born in 1970 and not in 1963 which he claimed. This rendered him unqualified to be the Speaker as section 65 subsection 1 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria disqualified anybody under 30 years from contesting membership of the House of Representatives.

Also, it was made known that Salisu Buhari didn’t attend the University of Toronto in Canada not to talk of graduating with a degree in Business Administration in 1990. The University of Toronto, when asked, denied knowing Salisu Buhari. The management said they couldn’t find any record relating to the his name. Carlo Villanueva, an official of the Institution said,

“Regarding your request for confirmation of degree for Mr. Ibrahim Salisu Buhari. We have searched our records and could not find anybody with the name you are inquiring with”.

Also, Salisu claimed that he did his national youth service at Standard Construction in Kano. This was proven false as records at the NYSC secretariat in Abuja could not produce his name among the 1991 corps members who served in the scheme. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

Blocked in every way, he had no means of escape. After several open denial of the allegations and threats to sue The News Magazine, Salisu Buhari, on Thursday, July 23, 1999, eventually faced Nigerians and admitted declaring false age and forging certificate. In tears, he said,

“I apologize to you. I apologize to the nation. I apologize to my family and friends for all the distress I have caused them. I was misled in error by the zeal to serve the nation, I hope the nation will forgive me and give me the opportunity to serve again.”

He then resigned and walked into the shadows. In 2013, he made his return to the news and the public space when he was appointed as a member of the governing council of the University of Nigeria by President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

Normally, the move garnered a lot of criticism. In a feeble attempt to justify the appointment, the Nigerian government explained that Buhari’s apology had earned him a presidential pardon from President Olusegun Obasanjo.

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The Man Called Adegoke Adelabu ‘Penkelemesi’

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1 hour ago

November 24, 2024

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Joseph Gbadamosi Adegoke Adelabu alias Adelabu Penkelemesi was a colossal in the political arena of Ibadan and the then Western Region before the independence of Nigeria in 1960.

He was born in Oke-Oluokun, Ibadan, on September 3, 1915 to Mr. Sanusi Ashiyanbi Adelabu and Mrs. Awujola Adelabu. At the tender age of five, Adegoke Adelabu lost his mother and then lived with his paternal aunt. Adegoke Adelabu attended St. David’s C.M.S School in Kudeti, Ibadan from 1925 to 1929; CMS Central School, Mapo, Ibadan in 1930 and Government College, where he was a head boy, from 1931 to 1936…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>

In 1936, Adegoke won a U.A.C scholarship to study commerce in Yaba Higher College but eventually left the college six months later to work as an assistant to the UAC Ibadan district manager. After working with UAC for sometime, he was promoted to an Assistant Manager due to his hard and clever work. However, he left UAC in 1937 to start a business of his own which was unsuccessful. He later took up a civil service job, then returned to UAC in 1945 only to leave after a short period to start a textile trading business which was successful.

After acquiring little wealth from his textile business, Adegoke Adelabu got involved in politics. The starting point of his political career was traced to the period when Ibadan lineage chiefs (Mogajis) rose against Salami Agbaje, the then Otun Balogun of Ibadan, from becoming the Olubadan of Ibadan. In 1951, during the local elections, Adelabu and some other political elements formed a new party called the Ibadan People’s Party to challenge the already established Ibadan Progressive Union and fortunately for Adelabu, the new party won all six seats to the Western Regional Assembly. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

However, the Ibadan People’s Party broke apart after an informal alliance with NCNC was proposed by Adelabu. Adegoke Adelabu stayed with NCNC and became the secretary of the party’s Western Province Working Committee. In 1954, Adelabu became the chairman of Ibadan District Council. Also, in the Federal elections of 1954, Adegoke Adelabu won a seat to the House of Representatives and later became the First National Vice President of NCNC and appointed Minister of Social Services. He held this post along with his chairmanship of the Ibadan district council.

He later resigned from both positions after allegations of corruption by the opposition party, Action Group.
In 1956, Adelabu ran for a seat in the regional assembly as the leader of NCNC in the Western Region but his party lost majority seats to Action Group thus making Adelabu the leader of opposition in the Western House of Assembly.
Adegoke Adelabu alias Adelabu Penkelemesi was a strong politician, leader and had his ground, a firm ground, in Ibadan. He was found of using the phrase “Peculiar mess” whenever he address the public. The non-literate segment of his followers who had never heard of the words peculiar and mess and never knew its meaning Yorubanized the phrase into “Penkelemesi” and then added it to his name- Adegoke Adelabu Penkelemesi. The people so much loved Adelabu. He was indeed a ‘man of the people’. OldNaija gathered that when he became the Minister of Labour, he was given an official limousine car which he drove to Ibadan to show his friends and followers and declared that the car belonged to them, not him. Also, when Adelabu was given an official residence in Ikoyi, the most exquisite part of Lagos inhabited mostly by the British and French, he called drummers from his hometown to celebrate the success which the British and French residents found disturbing. Adegoke Adelabu simply said, “If they do not like noise and drumming, they are free to go back to their own country.” Adegoke Adelabu admitted being an egoist in a book he wrote in 1952 titled ‘Africa In Ebullition: Being a handbook of freedom for Nigerian nationalists’.

On March 25, 1958, at the age of 43, Adegoke Adelabu met his untimely death in a fatal car accident on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. His death sparked protest and chaos in Ibadan as many of his supporters claimed he was assassinated by his opponents with juju. Several properties were destroyed and people also lost their lives. The police arrested over 500 persons of whom 102 was charged with murder and others discharged and some, jailed. It was indeed a big loss, a “peculiar miss” for the people of Ibadan.

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