Samuel Ademulegun

Brigadier Samuel Adesujo Ademulegun (20 October 1924 – 15 January 1966) was a Nigerian Army officer, he was Commander[1] of the 1st brigade during the January 1966 coup.

Samuel Ademulegun
Born(1924-10-20)20 October 1924
Ondo, Southern Region, British Nigeria
Died15 January 1966(1966-01-15) (aged 41)
Kaduna, Nigeria
Allegiance British Empire
 Nigeria
Service/branch Nigerian Army
Years of service1942–1966
Rank Brigadier
Unit1st Brigade
Commands heldNigerian Army 1st Brigade, Kaduna

Early life and family

He 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] Brigadier Samuel Ademulegun was married to Mrs. Latifat Feyisitan Abike Ademulegun (nee Noble) who was also known as Sisi Nurse, he was killed cold-bloodedly during the January 1966 coup. 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 his death in 2002.[4]

Career life

Ademulegun 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 GOC. He was considered friendly with Ahmadu Bello which brought distaste to some junior officers who frowned at their commander fraternizing with politicians.

Death

He and his wife were killed in the 1966 coup when coupists led by Timothy Onwuatuegwu, an instructor at the Nigerian Military Training College barged into his room and was shot dead on his bed.[5][6] In an eye witness account of the murder of Samuel Ademulegun in an interview by his daughter, Mrs. Solape Ademulegun-Agbi, she narrates how her father was killed by military officers. Her account provides 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 believe to be ridding the country of corrupt politicians and those who were close to them.[7]

References
  1. Federal Government of Nigeria (1965). Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette (PDF). Vol. 52. Lagos, Nigeria: The Federal Ministry of Information, Printing Division.
  2. "About Samuel Ademulegun". Citypeople Online. 2021-03-08. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  3. "The Murder of Brigadier Samuel Ademulegun". Top Celebrities Magazine. 2017-06-17. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  4. Obasi, Emeka (2019-06-22). "Death did not stop them". Vanguard Media Limited. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  5. Muffett, D.J.M. (1982). Let truth be told (2 impr ed.). Zaria, Nigeria: Hudahuda Pub. Co. p. 32. ISBN 9782368067.
  6. Ajayi, Adegboyega Isaac (2013). "Military regimes and nation building in Nigeria, 1966-1999". African Journal of History and Culture. 5 (7): 138–142.
  7. "Nigeria's first coup". Punch Newspaper. 2016-07-16. Retrieved 2021-07-15.

Further reading


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