1966 Revisited: The Fault Lines Nigeria Has Yet To Fix
Sixty Years On, the Ghosts of January 1966 Still Linger
AS Nigeria marked the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day on January 15, the date carried deeper historical weight. It also marked 60 years since the country’s first military coup, an event that shattered the First Republic and set Nigeria on a path to civil war. For many analysts, the anniversary was not just a moment of remembrance, but a sobering reminder that the conditions that birthed the coup have not been fully addressed.
Fault Lines That Refuse to Heal
Barrister Olalekan Festus Ojo, a Lagos-based human rights lawyer, argues that while Nigeria has evolved institutionally since 1966, the nation remains trapped in familiar cycles of poor governance, injustice and mistrust. According to him, the coup was triggered by bad leadership, corruption, ethnic suspicion and weak institutions—problems that continue to strain national cohesion today.
He noted that economic inequality, youth unemployment, electoral distrust, ethnic and religious polarisation and selective application of the rule of law have replaced the overt political breakdowns of the past, but remain equally dangerous.
Stronger Institutions, Fragile Trust
Ojo acknowledged that Nigeria today benefits from a stronger constitutional framework, a more politically conscious citizenry and a vibrant media landscape. However, he warned that these safeguards are not guarantees against instability if citizens continue to lose faith in fairness and justice.
His message to the political class was clear: governance must be anchored on justice, equity and inclusion. He cautioned that perceived sectional dominance in a multi-ethnic society is combustible and that institutions must be strengthened above individuals to restore public trust.
Calls for Inclusion and Reform
Echoing similar sentiments, Barrister Emeka Iheonu stressed that the social and political tensions that led to the coups and civil war still exist. He called for equitable distribution of resources across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, credible elections, strengthened security architecture and properly funded national integration programmes like the NYSC and unity schools.
Iheonu also urged political leaders to avoid exploiting ethnic and religious sentiments and instead embrace inclusive power-sharing models that give all regions a stake in national leadership.
A Lesson Still Unlearned
Media executive Julius Adegunna argued that corruption, which the 1966 coupists cited as justification, has worsened over time. He said Nigeria’s political system remains deeply unequal, with power overly centralised and resistant to decentralisation.
For Ojo and others, the lesson of 1966 remains urgent: unity cannot be enforced by force or rhetoric. It must be earned through justice, fairness and responsible leadership—values Nigeria can no longer afford to ignore.
