On Friday, February 13, 1976, Nigeria was shaken by a tragic and violent coup d’état led by Lieutenant Colonel Bukar Suka Dimka. The most devastating outcome of this failed coup was the assassination of the nation’s then Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed. He was gunned down in Ikoyi, Lagos, as he traveled unescorted to his office at the Dodan Barracks. His death sent shockwaves across the country and marked a dark chapter in Nigeria’s post-independence political history.

General Murtala Muhammed had only been in office for approximately 200 days, yet he was deeply admired for his bold reforms, anti-corruption stance, and efforts to return Nigeria to civilian rule. His untimely death sparked outrage, mourning, and swift retribution by the military establishment.

The coup, though partially successful in its initial hours, quickly collapsed. Loyalist forces, particularly those under the command of then Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Lieutenant General Olusegun Obasanjo, and General Theophilus Danjuma, regained control of strategic institutions. Dimka had temporarily seized the state radio to broadcast his justification for the coup, accusing the Muhammed regime of corruption and maladministration. However, his broadcast was cut short, and he fled Lagos.

Olusegun Obasanjo, after initial hesitation, accepted the call to leadership and succeeded Muhammed as Head of State. His new regime was determined to punish the conspirators severely and deter future insurrections. What followed was one of the most publicized military trials and mass executions in Nigerian history.

The Court-Martial and Executions

Over 100 military personnel and civilians were arrested in connection to the failed coup. Following military investigations and tribunals, dozens were convicted of plotting, aiding, or executing the coup attempt. The convicted officers were sentenced to death by firing squad, and the executions were carried out in two major rounds.

The first set of executions took place on March 11, 1976, at Bar Beach, Lagos, a location known at the time for public executions. Under the supervision of General Obasanjo’s military government, 31 individuals were executed, including senior officers, junior ranks, and one civilian. These included:

1. Major General I. D. Bisalla (former Commissioner for Defence)

2. Warrant Officer II Monday Monchon

3. Staff Sergeant Richard Dungdang

4. Sergeant Sale Pankshin

5. Lieutenant Colonel A. R. Aliyu

6. Captain M. Parvwong

7. Captain J. F. Idi

8. Captain S. Wakins

9. Lieutenant Mohammed

10. Lieutenant E. L. K. Shelleng

11. Lieutenant Colonel Ayuba Tense

12. Colonel A. D. S. Way

13. Lieutenant Colonel T. K. Adamu

14. Lieutenant Colonel A. B. Umaru

15. Captain A. A. Aliyu

16. Captain Augustine Dawurang

17. Major M. M. Mshelia

18. Lieutenant William Seri

19. Major I. B. Ribo

20. Major K. K. Gagra

21. Captain M. R. Gelip

22. Mr. Abdulkarim Zakari (a civilian who assisted in the radio broadcast)

23. Lieutenant Peter Ggani

24. Major Ola Ogunmekan

25. Lieutenant O. Zagmi

26. Lieutenant S. Wayah

27. Sergeant Ahmadu Rege

28. Sergeant Bala Javan

29. Warrant Officer II Sambo Dankshin

30. Warrant Officer II Emmanuel Dakup Seri

31. Major J. W. Kasai

A second round of executions took place between May 15 and 17, 1976, following the capture and trial of the coup leader and his key accomplices. This final round included:

32. Lieutenant Colonel Bukar Suka Dimka (leader of the coup)

33. Joseph D. Gomwalk (former Military Governor of Benue-Plateau State)

34. Lieutenant S. Kwale

35. Warrant Officer H. E. Bawa

36. Colonel I. Buka

37. Major J. K. Afolabi

38. H. Shaiyen

Dimka was captured after a nationwide manhunt and interrogation. During his trial, he remained defiant and refused to express remorse. His execution, along with the others, was carried out in secrecy, though public knowledge of it spread quickly.

These executions were meant to send a clear signal that treason and political instability would not be tolerated. While controversial, especially due to the scale and speed of the trials, the actions taken by the Obasanjo-led government reinforced military discipline and temporarily stabilized Nigeria’s political environment.

General Olusegun Obasanjo would go on to continue the reform agenda of the late Murtala Muhammed and, in 1979, became the first military leader in Nigeria to voluntarily hand over power to a democratically elected civilian government. This marked the beginning of Nigeria’s Second Republic.

The 1976 coup attempt remains one of Nigeria’s most defining political crises, remembered not only for the tragic loss of a visionary leader but also for the massive response it provoked from the military and the Nigerian public.

In April 1964, a quiet but historic milestone was recorded in the educational and social history of both Nigeria and Britain. On the 29th of that month, the family of Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola—then Premier of the Western Region of Nigeria—stood proudly at Eton College in England as his son, Tokunbo Akintola, was formally admitted as the first Black African student in the school’s centuries-long history. At just thirteen years old, Tokunbo stepped into one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world, a boarding school that had shaped the minds of British royals, aristocrats, intellectuals, and nineteen British Prime Ministers.

The photograph taken that day captures not merely a familial moment but a symbol of cultural diplomacy and evolving global relations. The Akintola family appears in a dignified blend of traditional Nigerian attire and modest Western clothing—a visual representation of their deep Yoruba roots and their engagement with the global stage. Standing at the centre is young Tokunbo, clad in his new school uniform, poised to begin an educational journey many could only dream of. Around him, his family offers a visible aura of pride, hope, and expectation.

Chief Ladoke Akintola, Tokunbo’s father, was by then one of the most influential political figures in Nigeria. A trained lawyer, seasoned journalist, and an orator known for his eloquence, he had risen to become Premier of the Western Region during a turbulent but significant period in Nigeria’s post-independence political evolution. His son’s admission into Eton represented both personal achievement and national symbolism—proof that African families could now step confidently onto platforms historically reserved for the British elite.

Eton College itself stood as an institution of immense reputation. Founded in 1440 by King Henry VI, it had become synonymous with leadership and privilege, producing generations of statesmen, military leaders, and members of the Royal Family. For centuries, its doors had remained firmly closed to Africans. Tokunbo’s arrival in 1964 therefore marked a quiet breaking of barriers, the beginning of a new chapter in cross-cultural educational exchange.

Tokunbo remained at Eton through the late 1960s, navigating the school’s rigorous academic environment and its deeply traditional culture. Those who remember him described him as gentle, intelligent, and quietly charismatic. Yet his life, promising as it was, would be a short one. Four years after leaving Eton, in 1973, Tokunbo Akintola died tragically at a young age, cutting short what many believed could have become a remarkable legacy in law, politics, or diplomacy—fields that seemed perfectly aligned with his upbringing and the reputation of his father.

Today, Tokunbo’s story endures as part of Nigeria’s broader historical narrative. It represents the aspirations of a generation of postcolonial families who sought to blend African identity with global opportunity. It also stands as a reminder of the contributions—and sacrifices—made by those who walked early paths of representation, carrying the hopes of their families and nations with them.

Source:
Getty Images archival description; historical records on Ladoke Akintola and Eton College.

Early Life and Family Background

Olusegun “Segun” Awolowo Jr. was born on 27 September 1963.

He was born just two months after his father, Segun Awolowo Sr., died in a car crash.

After his father’s death, his aunt, Mrs. Tola Oyediran (née Awolowo), and her husband, Prof. Kayode Oyediran, raised him for part of his early childhood.

His mother was Hajia Zainab “Sisi Abah” Abah Folawiyo, a prominent socialite.

He was a grandson of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, one of Nigeria’s foremost nationalist leaders.

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Education

For early education, Segun attended Mayhill Convent School.

He then went to Igbobi College, Yaba, Lagos, before finishing his secondary education at Government College, Ibadan.

For higher education, he earned his LLB (Law) degree from Ogun State University (now Olabisi Onabanjo University) in Ago Iwoye.

He was called to the Nigerian Bar in December 1989, and worked initially with the law firms of Abayomi Sogbesan & Co and GOK Ajayi & Co.

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Career

Early in his career, Segun worked in public service. Under President Olusegun Obasanjo, he served as a Special Assistant on Traditional Institutions and legal due diligence.

Under President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, he worked in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), serving as Secretary for Social Development and Secretary of Transport.

In November 2013, he was appointed Executive Director (CEO) of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) by President Goodluck Jonathan.

His tenure at NEPC continued under President Muhammadu Buhari, indicating reappointment.

During his leadership at NEPC, he played a major role in pushing the “Zero Oil Plan”, an economic strategy to shift Nigeria’s export focus from raw oil to non-oil, value-added goods.

In July 2021, he was unanimously elected President of the National Trade Promotion Organisations (TPOs) for ECOWAS member states.

He also served as Secretary of the National Action Committee on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

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Personal Life

He was married, and his children included at least one daughter named Seun.

His daughter Seun is active socially: she runs an NGO called Teach-A-Girl Nigeria (focused on girl-child education) and founded Leads Africa and 3D Living Moments.

He was known for being a committed family man; on his 60th birthday, he expressed gratitude for friendships, family, and life, announcing that he would soon publish his memoirs.

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Legacy and Character

Segun Awolowo was widely seen as a devoted public servant. His family described him as “stead[y], wise, endlessly loving, and the constant anchor” of their family.

He combined his legal background with economic vision, especially through NEPC, to promote Nigeria’s export potential and trade capacity.

He carried on part of his grandfather’s legacy—not in direct party politics, but in national development and economic service.

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Death

On 20 November 2025, Olusegun “Segun” Awolowo Jr. passed away at the age of 62.

His death was publicly confirmed by the Awolowo family.

Media tributes highlighted both his public achievements and his personal virtues: loyalty, humility, service.

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Significance

As a scion of the Awolowo dynasty, Segun represented continuity: educational achievement, legal profession, and commitment to national progress.

His work in export promotion aligned with global economic trends (especially African trade liberalization via AfCFTA), positioning him as a forward-thinking technocrat.

His passing marks the loss of a respected figure who bridged political heritage and modern economic policy.