Sixty years after the aborted January 15, 1966 coup, prominent Nigerians have reflected on its long-lasting impact on the country’s socio-economic and political trajectory, urging a swift return to true federalism and fiscal responsibility to restore national progress.

The reflections came during the launch of Ayo Opadokun’s new book, The Gun Hegemony, at the Agip Recital Hall, MUSON Centre, Lagos. Speakers included former Commonwealth Secretary-General Emeka Anyaoku, Vanguard Chairman Uncle Sam Amuka, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah, and NADECO Secretary Ayo Opadokun, among other elder statesmen and dignitaries.

Uncle Sam Amuka, who chaired the event, noted that the military’s use of force as a political tool has fundamentally altered Nigeria’s governance.

“If we call Nigeria a federation, the political system should reflect and manifest that. There is a need for a constitution that truly represents our pluralism,” he said.

Chief Emeka Anyaoku echoed the call, highlighting how nations that embrace pluralism through federal constitutions thrive, while those that ignore it risk stagnation or disintegration. He pointed to India, Canada, and Switzerland as examples of success, contrasting them with Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, the USSR, and Sudan.

Anyaoku also recalled Nigeria’s pre-military economic successes: the North prospered through groundnuts and tin, the West through cocoa, the East through palm produce, and the Mid-West through rubber. He lamented that military interventions since 1966 disrupted this trajectory.

Bishop Kukah, speaking virtually, stressed that good governance—not military intervention—is the antidote to autocracy.

President Bola Tinubu, represented by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, praised Opadokun’s work as a patriotic contribution to Nigeria, while Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by Attorney General Lawal Pedro, described the book as a timely reminder of the value of democracy and civic vigilance.

Author Opadokun recounted novel revelations in the book, including evidence linking Odumegwu Ojukwu to the January 1966 coup, challenging previous historical accounts. He also highlighted the long-lasting influence of military rule and its appointees, noting that out of Nigeria’s 66 years of independence, the military and their surrogates directly or indirectly controlled governance for 44 years.

“If the Army had not intervened, the story of Nigeria would be very different today,” Opadokun said.

The event brought together numerous dignitaries, reflecting broad support for dialogue on constitutional reform and the lessons of Nigeria’s turbulent political history.