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Orkar Coup: Why I Kept Mute For 35 Years – Col Lawan Gwadabe:

Published

7 months ago

October 30, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

I call it Orkar’s April Fool version. Unfortunately, it came on the 22nd, not the 1st.

Question: There a popular belief that Abacha played a very significant role in foiling the coup…

Answer: I’ve given you the account I know, Abacha’s part is there, it’s written. What the senior officers did after that, I’m not privy to.

Abacha himself was fighting for his own survival. If his son hadn’t taken him back to his house, those two young officers who went to look for him had gone back again. So, he was lucky.

Read:

Question: Let’s talk about the 1990 coup. At the time, you were still in active service and serving as the governor of Niger State. By April 22, it will be 35 years since that coup attempt. From accounts of several actors, you played a significant role in foiling it. Can you share your recollections of that watershed moment in Nigeria’s history?

Answer: Don’t forget, I was a military governor then and if the Nigerian government were to fall, we’d all be gone. So, in a sense, it was also an act of self-preservation. We had to stay informed and take an active role.

I got involved early on because I had intelligence about their plans as far back as February 1990. We infiltrated the system. As a governor, I had extensive contacts across the country, and my intelligence sources were broad and effective.

Whenever I came across any potential threat to national security, I would compile a detailed report and send it to the president and the relevant security authorities. That was part of our training. That was the job.

Once I uncovered this particular plot, I began writing briefs regularly. Then I learned that Major Gideon Gwaza Orkar had been recruited into it.

Orkar was a good officer—I knew him well. He served under me when I was at the Directorate of Armour in Lagos. And whenever he came to Lagos for meetings while stationed in Shaki, he would stay at my house.
We had a strong connection.

He had also met me at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA)—he was a cadet when I was about to graduate, so I was his senior. Later, he joined the Armoured Corps, where I served. So, I knew him as a bright young officer.

When I found out about his involvement, I felt he was being used as a kind of conduit for the Niger Delta agitators. So, I asked his commandant if, in the interest of national security, he could allow Orkar to meet with me.

I wanted to send him to the president directly.

The commandant agreed, saying they weren’t in the middle of training at the time. So, Orkar was sent to me.

I told him, “Gideon, you know I have vast information about what’s happening.” He acknowledged that. I said, “There are pockets of agitations across the country. At our last caucus meeting, we briefed our seniors, and they’ve been factoring this into their decision-making.”

For example, the establishment of OMPADEC was part of efforts to address grievances in the Niger Delta. With the 13% derivation that was eventually granted, the region received substantial resources to accelerate development. But has that really happened? Not quite.
Agitating officers in the Niger Delta hadn’t aligned with their leaders to understand what the federal government was doing—or failing to do.

There was a disconnect. And yes, there was radicalism in their thinking. Emotional responses can cloud rational judgment. So, while the claims of marginalisation had merit, the government was working on interventions.

I told Orkar, “Look, when they mention the Middle Belt—it’s just an aphorism. The Middle Belt is in Nigeria. Are you a Middle Belt officer?”

He replied, “No, sir. I’m a Nigerian officer.”

“Good,” I said. “So why are they trying to bring you into this? I don’t want to know what they’re telling you—but I’m giving you a chance, as one of us, to lay everything on the table with the president. Not to arrest them—but to disarm them.

Let the government talk with them and understand their frustrations.”
That was my intention.

He responded, “Whatever you ask me to do, sir, I will do.”

I reminded him, “If you’d done anything wrong, I could’ve had you arrested right here. But I didn’t. So go to the president and speak the truth about everything you know.”

He mentioned that his car wasn’t in good condition, and I told him not to worry. I called my ADC and Director-General of Government House. I said, “Orkar is your guest. He needs new tyres.”

The Niger State Supply Company provided four new tires for his car. The DG Government House gave him N20,000—quite a large amount back then—and he headed to Lagos.

To his credit, he left very early the next morning. I don’t recall the exact date, but it was a Wednesday in March. By 2 p.m., UK Bello called me and said, “Sir, the officer is here.”

I told him, “UK Bello, I beg you in the name of Almighty God, whatever the president is doing, he must see Orkar today.”

He said, “Consider it done, sir.” I had already phoned the president that morning to let him know Orkar was on his way.

Orkar sat in the ADC’s office until 6 p.m., there had been a Federal Executive Council meeting, which ran long. When the president returned and saw Orkar, he said, “Gideon, your boss told me you were coming. Okay, I’ve seen you, but I’m tired. Can you come back tomorrow?”

And that was it.

Orkar bantered a bit with UK Bello and left. But realistically, it’s likely he had already informed his co-conspirators and they were nearby in Lagos, awaiting the outcome of that meeting.

When that meeting didn’t happen, I believe it rattled them. They probably assumed their secret plan had been discovered; how else could we have known so much? So I believe they panicked, changed their timeline, and launched the coup earlier than planned.

That’s why it didn’t succeed as they had envisioned.

Question: Do you think, former President Babangida could have been aware of their plans? Could that be why he didn’t meet with Gideon Orkar that day?

Answer: No, I don’t think so. Whatever he knew about the situation came from the information we were providing him. But I felt that once the plot reached a certain stage, it was time for Orkar to brief him directly—so the government could step in, disarm the agitators, and allow things to return to normal.

Nobody was interested in arresting anyone. If they had genuine grievances, fine, what are those grievances? If the authorities felt it was necessary, they could sit down and listen. At that point, the whole thing was still in its embryonic stage.

Question: When Orkar couldn’t see the president, did he reach out to you?

No, he didn’t get back to me.

Question: Did you reach out to him?

No, I didn’t.

Now you know.

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Columns

How Yakubu Gowon found himself in the Army

Published

1 month ago

April 7, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

How Yakubu Gowon decided to enter the Army is quite interesting. Encouraged by his British Principal and Vice-Principal to go military, he was nevertheless torn between a career in the Army and competing options as a teacher, engineer, or physician. So he wrote out the options on little pieces of paper placed them inside a Bible and prayed. Then, with his eyes closed, he opened the Bible and picked one at random. It was the Army.

Throughout his military career he would repeatedly approach issues with a r!fle in one hand and a Bible in the other. Years later he would come to be regarded by most as a model of a “kinder, gentler” soldier. Some have nicknamed him “The Preacher”.

In 1954, after passing an entrance examination, he attended several interviews before being sent to the Regular Officers Cadet School at Teshie in Ghana – along with Patrick Anwuna, Alexander Madiebo, Michael Okwechime and Arthur Unegbe. This was followed by a course at Eton Hall in Chester, UK, followed by formal cadet training at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst (RMAS). He was a Cadet Sergeant at the RMAS and was commissioned 2/Lt in December 1956. It was at the RMAS that he acquired the nickname “Jack,” the closest sound to “Yakubu” his British instructors could think of.

The above is part of a piece put lol together by Nowa Omoigui, Nigerian military historian and cardiologist.

Gowon later became Head of State and had one of the most troubling dispensation in the history of Nigeria. He was removed from office in 1975 by Murtala Muhammed.

On how he survived immediately after his removal from office, he said in an interview:

“I can say with absolute authority that I may not have anything today, but honestly, at least I have a clear conscience. I thank Idi Amin and (Gnassingbé) Eyadema for the help they gave me to have money to start off with.”

Ethnic African Stories

Columns

FLORA NWAPA

Published

2 months ago

April 5, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

The Imo State born writer and teacher who is largely referred to as the “mother of African Literature”, was the first African woman to publish a novel in English.

Flora belived that African women were unjustly portrayed (in the books of her male counterparts) as people who were doubly malleable, as people who didn’t have even a vestige voice of their own: people who must, for instance, eat fufu not exactly because they wanted to eat fufu but because men insisted that they eat fufu, people who must live in the shadows of men… So she basically did the opposite of this in her books where she gave women prime places, using her pen to unfold to the whole world, in concrete clarity, what she believed ought to be the generally accepted societal ethos.

She celebrated the strength, tenacity and courage of African women, told their success stories in glittering terms, and sang their praises to the stratosphere.

She was born January 13, 92 years ago in Oguta – Imo State, and passed away on October 13, 1993, after enduring a server bout of pneumonia.

Columns

Olorogun Michael Ibru (1930–2016): The Visionary Behind a West African Business Empire

Published

2 months ago

April 3, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Michael Ibru was a pioneering Nigerian entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of the Ibru Organisation, one of the most influential business groups in West Africa. His life reflects ambition, discipline, and the transformation of opportunity into a diversified empire.

Early Life and Background

Born in 1930, Michael Ibru hailed from Agbarha-Otor, near Ughelli.
He was the eldest of seven children in a prominent family. His mother was the daughter of the wealthy Ovedje Osadjere of Olomu, which placed him within a lineage of both traditional influence and commercial awareness.
Growing up in the Niger Delta region, young Ibru was exposed early to trade, mobility, and the importance of enterprise in coastal and riverine communities.

Education and Formative Years

A defining stage of his early life was his education at Igbobi College Yaba, one of Nigeria’s most prestigious secondary schools at the time.
At Igbobi College, Michael Ibru distinguished himself not only academically but also in leadership, eventually serving as Senior Prefect. This position reflected his discipline, influence, and ability to lead peers—qualities that later shaped his business career.
His time at the institution helped refine his worldview and exposed him to structured education during a period when Nigeria was still under colonial administration.

Early Career and Exposure to Business

After completing his studies, he briefly worked with the United Africa Company (UAC), one of the most powerful trading firms operating in West Africa at the time.
This experience exposed him to:

Large-scale import and export systems

Corporate structure and logistics

Commercial distribution networks

However, rather than remain in salaried employment, he chose the path of entrepreneurship—a decision that would redefine his life and legacy.

The Birth of a Business Empire

In 1956, Michael Ibru founded a frozen fish business.
At the time, frozen food distribution was still relatively new in Nigeria, and Ibru identified a gap in the market: the need for affordable, preserved protein sources in urban centres.
His venture quickly expanded due to:

Strong demand for fish in growing cities

Efficient supply chain management

Strategic importation and distribution systems

This modest beginning became the foundation of what would evolve into the Ibru Organisation.

Expansion into a Conglomerate

Over time, the Ibru Organisation grew into a diversified business empire spanning multiple sectors, including:

Food and seafood processing

Aviation and logistics

Hospitality and real estate

Finance and banking

Oil and marine services

Media and publishing

Agriculture and industrial production

The group became one of the largest family-owned conglomerates in West Africa, with numerous subsidiaries operating across Nigeria and beyond.
Rather than relying on a single industry, Michael Ibru built a multi-sectoral business model, which helped the organisation withstand economic fluctuations and remain competitive for decades.

Leadership Style and Business Philosophy

Michael Ibru was widely regarded as a strategic thinker who believed in:

Identifying unmet market needs

Investing in scalable industries

Building long-term institutional structures

Empowering family-led continuity in business

His leadership approach combined traditional values with modern corporate thinking, allowing the Ibru Organisation to grow into a structured enterprise rather than a short-term venture.

Philanthropy and Social Impact

Beyond commerce, Michael Ibru was deeply committed to philanthropy.
His contributions included:

Support for education and scholarships

Community development initiatives

Investment in youth empowerment

Assistance to local infrastructure and social welfare projects

He believed that business success should translate into societal progress, particularly in education and opportunity creation.

Legacy of the Ibru Organisation

The Ibru Organisation remains one of Nigeria’s most recognised business groups, continuing to operate through various subsidiaries across sectors.
Its legacy is defined by:

Industrial diversification

Private sector growth in post-independence Nigeria

Family-led business continuity

Contribution to West Africa’s economic development

From a young student at Igbobi College Yaba to the founder of a continental business empire, Michael Ibru represents the story of vision, risk-taking, and entrepreneurial excellence.
His journey shows how observation, opportunity, and courage can transform a simple idea—like frozen fish distribution—into a legacy that shaped industries across Africa.

Source

Biographical and historical records on Michael Ibru

Public information on the development of the Ibru Organisation

Educational history of Igbobi College Yaba

Historical context of Nigerian post-colonial entrepreneurship and trade development