Today In Nigerian History: 2nd March

Emeka-Ojukwu

On this day in 2012, Chukwuemeka Ikemba Odumegwu Ojukwu, who died on 26 November, 2011 at the age of 78 in the United Kingdom after a brief illness was buried…


The Nigerian Army accorded him the highest military accolade and conducted a funeral parade for him in Abuja on 27 February 2012, the day his body was flown back to Nigeria from London before his burial on Friday, 2 March, 2012.

He was buried in a newly built mausoleum in his compound at Nnewi. Before his final interment, he had about the most unique and elaborate weeklong funeral ceremonies in Nigeria besides Chief Obafemi Awolowo, whereby his body was carried around the five Eastern states, Imo, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, including the nation’s capital, Abuja. Memorial services and public events were also held in his honour in several places across Nigeria, including Lagos and Niger State, his birthplace, and as far away as Dallas, Texas, United States.