Brigadier Samuel Adesujo Ademulegun (20 October 1924 – 15 January 1966) was a Nigerian Army officer who was commander[1] of the 1st Brigade during the January 1966 coup.
Samuel Ademulegun | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 October 1924 Ondo, Southern Region, British Nigeria |
| Died | 15 January 1966 (aged 41) Kaduna, Nigeria |
| Allegiance |  British Empire Nigeria |
| Service |  Nigerian Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1966 |
| Rank |  Brigadier |
| Unit | 1st Brigade |
| Commands | Nigerian Army 1st Brigade, Kaduna |
Early life and family
editHe was born on 20 October 1924 in Ondo Town, Western Nigeria, and was considered one of the country's finest officers at the time.[2] The son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Ademulegun, he had his early education in Ondo state before joining the Nigerian Army as a private in 1942.[3] Ademulegun married Latifat Feyisitan Abike Ademulegun (nee Noble) who was also known as Sisi Nurse.
Career
editAdemulegun was commissioned in 1949 and was one of the senior Officer Corps of the army along with Aguiyi Ironsi, Zakariya Maimalari and Babafemi Ogundipe. He was among those vying for the top army post of GOC in 1965 upon the retirement of the expatriate General Officer Commanding (GOC). He was considered friendly with Ahmadu Bello which brought distaste to some junior officers who frowned at their commander fraternizing with politicians.
Death
editAdemulegun and his wife were killed while in bed during the 1966 coup when they were shot by rebels led by Timothy Onwuatuegwu, an instructor at the Nigerian Military Training College.[4][5] In an eyewitness account of the murder by his daughter, Solape Ademulegun-Agbi, she narrates how her father was killed by military officers. Her account provided details of the invasion and gruesome murder of the former General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1st Division in Kaduna state. Killed in what is considered Nigeria's first coup, the perpetrators are recorded to be ridding the country of corrupt politicians and those who were close to them.[6]
He was survived by his daughter Mrs. Solape Ademulegun-Agbi, Bankole, Kunle, Gbenga, Goke, and his oldest son Frank Bamidele who later enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force where he rose to the rank of Group Captain before he died in 2002.[7]
References
edit- ^ Federal Government of Nigeria (1965). Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette (PDF). Vol. 52. Lagos, Nigeria: The Federal Ministry of Information, Printing Division.
- ^ "About Samuel Ademulegun". Citypeople Online. 2021-03-08. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
- ^ "The Murder of Brigadier Samuel Ademulegun". Top Celebrities Magazine. 2017-06-17. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
- ^ Muffett, D.J.M. (1982). Let truth be told (2 impr ed.). Zaria, Nigeria: Hudahuda Pub. Co. p. 32. ISBN 9782368067.
- ^ Ajayi, Adegboyega Isaac (2013). "Military regimes and nation building in Nigeria, 1966-1999". African Journal of History and Culture. 5 (7): 138–142.
- ^ "Nigeria's first coup". Punch Newspaper. 2016-07-16. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
- ^ Obasi, Emeka (2019-06-22). "Death did not stop them". Vanguard Media Limited. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
Further reading
edit- Abaya, Angulu Samson (2008). A Pragmatic Analysis of Nigerian Military Coup Announcements (PDF) (Doctoral dissertation). Zaria: Ahmadu Bello University.
- Obi-Ani, Ngozika A.; Obi-Ani, Paul (2016). "January 15 1966 Coup d' Etat Reconsidered". Nsukka Journal of the Humanities. 24 (2): 16–26.
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