Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi scored many firsts in Nigeria. According to his son, Thomas:

Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi scored many firsts in Nigeria. According to his son, Thomas:

Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi scored many firsts in Nigeria. According to his son, Thomas:

He was Nigeria’s first Army Captain.
He was first Major.
He was first Lieutenant-Colonel.
He was first Colonel.
He was first Brigadier.
He was first Major General from Nigeria.
He was first military Head of State of Nigeria.

He rose through the ranks to become all of that.

Then, he was the very first equerry (today’s personal assistant or ADC if you like) to Queen Elizabeth II when she visited Nigeria in 1956. Colonel Sani Bello, who once served as Aguiyi-Ironsi’s ADC, said Aguiyi-Ironsi was the first in such a position maybe in the entire West Africa and had to be sent to the UK for training before the Queen’s visit to Nigeria.

He attained the rank of Major General and was the Head of State and Supreme Commander of The Armed Forces Of The Federal Republic Of Nigeria when he was killed in 1966.

As a Lieutenant, Aguiyi-Ironsi was said to have served as the Aide-de-Camp to the Governor of Nigeria, Sir John Stewart Macpherson, in the early 1950s.

Photo: Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi standing behind Queen Elizabeth II when she visited Nigeria in 1956.