Major General J.T. Aguiyi-lronsi

Head of State, January -July, 1966

Major General J.T. Aguiyi-lronsi, Nigerian's first military Head of State was born in 1924 in Umuahia, Abia State. He joined the Nigerian Army in 1942 as a private and was promoted Sergeant Major in 1964.

He was recommended and converted into the officer cadre as 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal West African Frontier Force in 1948; Promoted Captain in 1953 and to Major in 1955.

Ironsi was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1960, and in 1961, headed the Nigerian contingent in the United Nations Force. Later as Major General, and the most senior serving indigenous military officer in Nigeria, he became the head of the Nigerian Army in February 1965.

The military coup of 1966 brought him into limelight as Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, but was killed seven months later on July 29, 1966 in another coup d'etat.

Useful Sites:

Resurrection of the Last Nigerian