Nigeria marks 60th anniversary of first military head Aguiyi‑Ironsi

The family of Nigeria’s first military Head of State, Major General Johnson Aguiyi‑Ironsi, announced a series of commemorative events in Umuahia, Abia State. A wreath‑laying ceremony will take place on Wednesday, 29 July, at the Aguiyi‑Ironsi Tomb, followed by a memorial Mass for his late wife, Lady Victoria Aguiyi‑Ironsi, on Sunday, 2 August, at St. Theresa Catholic Church, Afara‑Ukwu.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, President Bola Tinubu, Abia State Governor Alex Otti, former defence ministers Thomas Aguiyi‑Ironsi and other dignitaries are expected to attend. The family said the anniversary "provides an opportunity for the nation to honour the memory, leadership, and sacrifices of a distinguished Nigerian patriot whose contributions to national unity and development remain enduring."

Aguiyi‑Ironsi became Head of State after the January 1966 coup and was assassinated in the July 1966 counter‑coup alongside Lt. Col. Adekunle Fajuyi. The memorial also marks the death of his wife, Lady Victoria, who passed away in August 2021.