The other sore thumb on this narrative is the comment by Professor Isawa Elaigwu, in his biography of General Yakubu Gowon that “Fajuyi… was reported to have been very scared” . Colonel Fajuyi, an officer who won two British military medals for bravery all within eighteen years of being in the military, the only officer in Nigerian military history to have been so honoured, to have been “very scared” is most unlikely.

This would be equivalent to declaring that General George Patton, the bravest General of the Second World War was scared in a battle. It would fly in the face of facts and would not be regarded as credible. I am not implying that Colonel Francis Fajuyi was the only brave officer that the Nigerian army has produced. On the contrary, Colonel Alabi-Isama’s civil war memoirs shows General Benjamin Adekunle (the Black Scorpion) as an exceptionally brave officer. Another exceptionally brave officer is General Ibrahim Babangida who as Colonel Babangida confronted Lt, Colonel Dimka during the 1976 attempted coup.

In a highly educative and illuminating article by Ben Lawrence who was an eye witness to the encounter between Colonel Babangida and Colonel Dimka in the NBC headquarters, he wrote:
“A sprucely dressed officer was being brought into the presence of the coup-leader. I had no knowledge of who he was, but he was cool, man, —really cool. He stood about 30 yards away from Dimka, who had come out into the corridor, and spoke to him in Hausa. “I am coming directly to you,” he said with all sincerity. “I bear no arms but only wish to talk with you. May I come on?” Dimka was standing between two of his soldiers, one of whom was armed. He was the one who refused. However, Dimka was for the visitor to draw nearer, but the soldier got into an argument with him and Dimka had to disarm him forcibly. Then he asked his visitor to draw nearer. The newcomer, who was a full colonel by the insignia of his uniform, kept asking for permission at each step as he drew nearer, and Dimka replied favourably. We, Ishola Folorunso and I, were the only ones in sight of the corridor, the only witnesses to the historic meeting. And then, the colonel began to plead with Dimka. “Leave this thing alone, you hear? What has got into you?” “My life is totally involved now, and I can’t give it up,” Dimka replied.

Then he looked down the corridor and remembered that Hausa was a language we often communicated in on our drinking sprees, so he asked us to leave the corridor. I quickly made to leave, but not so, my Director of Programmes. He said no one was going to order him around in his office. In vain I pleaded with him. I had known Isola, man and boy, then for over 30 years. Never had I seen him grow so obstinate over a point. And so, Dimka had both of us locked in Ishola’s office while they continued their conversation. After a while, we were let out. Dimka was accompanying the other officer down the corridor to one of the corporation’s car. As the door was held open for him to enter, the Colonel took a step back and gave a very smart salute before departing. We all then tried to settle down, but really could not. We were asking who that brave officer was that dared to engage assassins still wet with the blood of their victim on their hands? And Dimka let him go just like that? … we learnt that the gallant colonel who came to save us was Ibrahim BadamasiBabangida. He went on to make more history later, but that is the story for another day. (Bisi Lawrence, Vanguard Feb 13, 2016)”

Fifty years after Fajuyi paid for his gallantry and honour with his life, we run the risk of the significance of that dawn being forgotten. Even the younger generation has probably never even heard of this episode, not to talk about drawing the right inferences from it.

I have spoken to every Oyo state Governor since 1999 with the exception of the present governor about the need to acquire compulsorily the stretch of land along Iwo road where both Colonel Fajuyi and General Ironsi were killed. On that parcel of land should be constructed a National Memorial Park dedicated to Courage, Loyalty and Unity and adorned by the twin bronze statues of General Thomas “Ironside” Aguiyi-Ironsi and Colonel Francis Adekunle “OMOLUABI” Fajuyi. And let the story of what happened that dawn be told over and over again to present and future generations. I even tried to sell the idea to Afenifere/AD when that contraption controlled the Western states. I received no listen ears then.

Maybe now, on the Fiftieth anniversary of perhaps the most noble deed in Nigerian history, the powers that be in all the Western states will listen and reflect.Nigeria needs this memorial. But much more important, we, the Yoruba nation need this memorial. If truth be told, we are held in great contempt in Nigeria, being regarded as lazy, cowardly and enamoured of owanbe world view. Of course, this perception is very far from the truth. Lazy people did not build cocoa plantations which made the old Western Region the most developed state in Africa under Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Cowards did not man and lead the Third Marine Commando Division which carried out the first successful sea to land military operations in Africa. This division led by first Benjamin Adekunle and later by Olusegun Obasanjo included Akinrinade, Alabi-Isama and other Yoruba officers. How can a race that produced Colonel Francis Adekunle, the only African to win the British Military Cross, for valour be called cowards? But then who needs facts when demonization will do.

So let us build this national memorial park. Let us build the bronze statutes of Fajuyi and Ironsi; Let us tell the story of honour, valour and courage in a year and in a country more noted for treachery, betrayal, mayhem, murder and bestial behaviour.

Nothing I have written here nor the monuments if built can consecrate or sanctify the heroism of that night. The act and the penalty he paid have already consecrated and sanctify it (to borrow from Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address). Our job as the living is to ensure that LT-COLONEL FRANCIS ADEKUNLE FAJUYI is not forgotten. Not for his sake but for our sake.

Professor A. Bolaji Akinyemi CFR, Nigerian Foreign Minister, 1985-1987