MAJOR FRANCIS ADEKUNLE FAJUYI

DIED JULY 29 1966

Fajuyi was born in Ado-Ekiti, now capital of Ekiti State. He was raised with twelve other siblings in a working class household, Fajuyi attended St George’s Catholic Primary School, Ado Ekiti. Upon completing primary education, he was qualified to be a pupil-teacher, a career supported by his parents but he decided to work as a clerk in the forestry department and developed interest in game hunting. Towards the end of World War II, appeals were made for young men to join the army, Fajuyi decided to try out as a fresh recruit. He joined the army in 1943 in Zaria without telling his parents for fear of objection. As a sergeant in the Nigeria Signal Squadron, Royal West African Frontier Force, he was awarded the British Empire Medal in 1951 for helping to contain a mutiny in his unit over food rations. He was trained at the Eaton Hall Officer Candidate School in the United Kingdom from July 1954 until November 1954, when he was short-service commissioned. While taking the cadet course he was made an under-officer, the first Nigerian recruit and served with the 60 rifles of the British army in Rhine, Germany. In February 1955, he was the Platoon Commander, Third Battalion Nigeria Regiment, in July 1957, he was promoted Captain. In 1961, as the ‘C’ Company commander with the 4 battalion, Queen’s Own Nigeria Regiment under Lt. Col. Price, Major Fajuyi was awarded the Military Cross for actions in North Katanga and extricating his unit from an ambush. On completion of Congo operations, Fajuyi became the first indigenous commander of the 1st battalion in Enugu, a position he held until just before the first coup of January 1966, when he was posted to Abeokuta as garrison commander. When Major General Ironsi emerged as the new C-in-C on 17 January 1966, he appointed Fajuyi the first military governor of the Western Region. He was assassinated by the revenge seeking counter-coupists led by Major T. Y Danjuma on July 29, 1966, at Ibadan, along with General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, the Head of State and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; who had arrived in Ibadan on July 28, 1966 to address a conference of natural rulers of Western Nigeria.

Ó KÚ  NÍ OJỌ́ KỌKÀNDÍNLÓGBÒN OSÙ AGẸMO, 1966

Fájuyì ni a bí ní Adó-Èkìtì, olú-ìlú ti ìpínlè Èkìtì bayi. Ó dàgbà pẹ̀lú àwọn arákùnrin méjìlá mìíràn ní ilé ti àwọn ènìyàn jé òsìsé, Fájuyì lọ sí Ilé-ìwé alákọ̀ọ́bẹ̀rẹ̀ Katoliki ti St George, Adó Èkìtì. Nígbàtí ó parí ètò-ẹ̀kọ́ alákọ̀ọ́bẹ̀rẹ̀, ó ti tó lati jẹ́ olùkọ́ ọmọ ilé-ìwé, iṣẹ́ tí àwọn òbí rẹ́ ṣe àtìlẹyìn fun, ṣùgbọ́n ó pinnu lati ṣiṣẹ́ bíi akọ̀wé ní ẹ̀ka igbó, ó sì nífẹ̀ẹ́ lati máa de ìgbé.

Sí òpin Ogun àgbáyé kẹjì, àwọn ẹbẹ ni a ṣe fun àwọn ọ̀dọ́ lati darapọ̀ mọ́ ọmọ ogun náà, Fájuyì pinnu lati gbìyànjú bíi ọmọ-ọwọ́ tuntun. Ó darapọ̀ mọ́ ẹgbẹ́ ọmọ ogun ní ọdún 1943 ní Zaria láìsí sọ fún àwọn òbí rẹ̀ fún ìbèrù ti àtakò.

Gẹ́gẹ́bí ọ̀gágun kan ní Signal Squadron ti Nàìjíríà, Royal West African Frontier Force,  fun ní  àmì-ẹ̀yẹ ti ìlú Gẹ̀ẹ́sì ní ọdún 1951 fún ìrànlọ́wọ́ lati ní ìyípadà kan nínú awuyewuye lórí àwọn ìpín óúnjẹ.

Ó gba ẹ̀kọ́ ní Ilé-ìwé oludije Alakoso Eaton Hall ní United Kingdom lati Oṣù Keje ọdún 1954 títí di Oṣù kọkànlá ọdún 1954, nígbàtí a ti fi iṣẹ́ kúkurú fun. Lakoko tí ó gba iṣẹ́ cadet wọn fi jẹ under-officer, ọmọ ogun Nàìjíríà àkọkọ àti ṣiṣẹ́ pẹ̀lú àwọn 60  rifles ti ọmọ ogun Gẹ̀ẹ́sì ní Rhine, Jẹ́mánì.

Ní Oṣù Kejì ọdún 1955, ó jẹ́ Alakoso platunu, Ẹgbẹ́ Kẹta ti ológun Nàìjíríà , ní Oṣù Keje ọdún 1957, ó ti ní ìgbéga sí  ipò kaputain. Ní ọdún 1961, gẹ́gẹ́ bí alákóso Ilé-iṣẹ́ ‘C’ pẹ̀lú ọmọ ogun kẹrin náà, ẹgbẹ́  ológun ti Olorì ará  Nàìjíríà lábẹ́ Lt. Col. Price, ògágun Fájuyì ni a fún ní àmì-ẹ̀yẹ ológun fún àwọn iṣé ní Àríwá Katanga àti yíyọ àwọn tirẹ̀  lati inú ibùba. Ní ìparí àwọn iṣẹ́ Congo, Fájuyì di alákóso àkọkọ ti ọmọ ogun kinni ní Enugu, ipò tí ó wáyé títí di ìgbà ìṣáájú koo àkọkọ ti Oṣù Kini ọdún 1966, nígbàtí a firánṣẹ́ sí Abéòkúta bíi balógún ẹ̀ṣọ́. Nígbàtí Major General Ironsi farahàn bíi C-in-C tuntun ní ọjọ́ kẹtàdínlógún Oṣù Kini ọdún 1966, ó yan Fájuyì bíi gómìnà ológun àkọkọ ti Ẹkùn Ìwò-Oòrùn. Wọ́n se ikú paá nípasẹ̀ ìgbẹ̀san àwọn tó se ẹ̀tò koo tí Major T. Y Danjuma ṣe atónà rẹ̀ ní Oṣù Keje Ọjọ́ kọkàndínlógbòn, Ọdún 1966, ní Ìbàdàn, pẹ̀lú General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, Olórí ìpínlè àti alákoso gíga ti àwọn ológun ti olú ìlú Nàìjíríà; ẹnítí ó dé Ìbàdàn ní Oṣù Keje Ọjọ́ kejìdínlógbòn, ní ọdún 1966 lati sọ̀rọ̀ ní àpèjọ kan tí àwọn aláṣẹ ti ara ìlú Ìwọ-òòrùn Nàìjíríà.