Brigadier Babafemi Olatunde Ogundipe: Nigeria’s Forgotten First Chief of Staff

Brigadier Babafemi Olatunde Ogundipe occupies a pivotal yet often overlooked place in Nigeria’s military and political history. Hailing from Ago-Iwoye in present-day Ogun State, Ogundipe was Nigeria’s first Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, a position that placed him at the heart of the country’s command structure during a turbulent era.

Early Military Career and Global Service

Ogundipe’s military career predated Nigeria’s independence and reflected the global reach of colonial-era soldiering. During the Second World War, he served with distinction in Burma and India, theatres that demanded discipline, adaptability, and courage. After the war, his experience was further broadened through international service as a United Nations peacekeeper in the Congo, where Nigerian troops played a stabilising role during one of Africa’s most volatile post-colonial crises.
These assignments marked Ogundipe as a seasoned professional soldier with exposure to multinational command environments—experience that would later prove crucial at home.

The Crisis of July 1966

Nigeria’s political fault lines widened dramatically after the July 29, 1966 counter-coup, which claimed the lives of Head of State Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi and Western Region military governor Adekunle Fajuyi. In the immediate aftermath, Brigadier Ogundipe—by seniority—was constitutionally positioned to assume national leadership.
However, the reality on ground was stark. Ogundipe had no loyal troops directly under his command. Determined to restore order, he hastily organised a detachment led by Captain Ephraim Opara. The unit was ambushed around Ikeja, further weakening his authority. Attempts to assert command were openly rebuffed, even by lower-ranking soldiers—an extraordinary breach of military discipline that underscored the depth of the crisis.

Marginalisation and Exit

As events unfolded, it became clear that the political winds favoured a northern officer as Head of State. With Yoruba officers sidelined and command authority fractured, Ogundipe faced a bleak choice. Rather than preside over further bloodshed or serve as a figurehead without control, he left Nigeria, relocating to the United Kingdom.
Ironically, his junior in rank, Yakubu Gowon, soon emerged as Head of State. In a gesture that acknowledged Ogundipe’s seniority and service, Gowon appointed him Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom—a diplomatic role that kept him connected to national service, albeit away from the barracks.

Death and Legacy

Brigadier Babafemi Ogundipe died in London in November 1971. Over time, public memory has often reduced his story to what he did not become, rather than what he was: a pioneering Chief of Staff, a veteran of global conflicts, and a soldier who attempted—under near-impossible circumstances—to uphold order during one of Nigeria’s darkest hours.

Today, his contributions in India, Burma, the Congo, and Nigeria’s formative military years deserve renewed recognition. Far from weakness, Ogundipe’s restraint and decisions reflected a sober assessment of reality at a moment when reckless ambition could have plunged the nation deeper into chaos.

Source:

Nigeria: Guide to the National Military Government, 1966 (photo and historical reference)