Brigadier Babafemi Olatunde Ogundipe, Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters and Ironsi’s Second in Command(2ic) died a sad man, five years after he survived the coup.
Till date, many still blame him for not taking over when the Head of State was assassinated. Looking back now, it would be unfair to blame the Ijebu man for running away from Nigeria and allowing Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon, his junior to assume leadership.
He had just one choice: to die in the hands of the Northern coup plotters. Not wanting to be a dead hero, Ogundipe read the hand writing on the wall, especially when a Northern sergeant refused to take orders from him.
Ogundipe did not fight. And he did not live to fight again. Ogundipe, from Ago Iwoye, Ogun State was born in Lagos in 1924. He schooled in the Eastern region and was in love with the military. He enlisted in 1943 and fought for the British during the Second World War.
He saw action in Burma and India and much later furthered his career in the United Kingdom, earning a commission in 1953. He also fought in the Congo from 1960-1963. To be fair to Ogundipe, he did not command any troops.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Col Gowon, had more power militarily on July 29, 1966 than the number two man and Gowon was pencilled down for the big job by the plotters who were almost 100 per cent from the Northern Region.
While the likes of Commodore Akinwale Wey and Col. Adeyinka Adebayo, were comfortable serving under Gowon, their subordinate in Nigeria, Ogundipe tactically relocated to the United Kingdom, where he became the High Commissioner from 1966-1970. He died at 47 in London in 1971.
A man who fought several wars outside Nigeria cannot be said to be a coward. He did his best under the circumstances. He suffered humiliation in life and in death has been severally pilloried. One of his relations joined the para-military and made it to the top.
Olusola Ogundipe retired from the Nigeria Prisons Service as Comptroler –General, after 34 years
Murdered in 1966
*Gen. Aguiyi- Ironsi
*Cols. Fajuyi
*Israel Okoro
*Gab Okonweze
*Majs. Anuforo
*Don Okafor
*John Obienu
*Theo Nzegwu
*Peter Obi
*Ibanga Ekanem
*Chris Emelifonwu
*Ayo Ogunro
*Ofong Isong
*Alistair Drummond
*Ben Nnamani
*J.O.C. Ihedigbo
*Capts. H.A. Iloputaife
*I.U. Idika
*H.A. Anuna
*J.I. Chukwueke
A.O.Akpet
*S.E. Maduabum
*G.N.E. Ugoala
*P.C.Okoye
*L.C. Dilibe
*J.U. Egere
*T.O. Iweanya
*R.I. Agbazue
*Lts. S.E. Idowu
*E.C.N. Achebe
*G. Mbabie
*S.A. Mbadiwe
*F.P. Jasper
*P.D. Ekedigbo
*S.E. Onwuka
*J.D. Ovuozurie
*A.D.C. Egbuna
*E.B. Orok
*J.U. Ugbe
*Francis Musa
*2Lts. A.O. Olaniyan
* A.R.O. Kasaba
* P.K.Onyeneho
*F.M. Agronaye
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