By James Orji
Victoria, the widow of Nigeria first military Head of State, Gen. Johnson Thomas Umunnakew Aguiyi-Ironsi is dead. She reportedly died peacefully on Monday morning barely three months before her 98th birthday in November.
A letter from the family to the Abia state government and signed by her son, Amb. Tom Aguiyi-Ironsi confirmed the incident.
The letter which was addressed to Governor Ikpeazu read: “Your Excellency. Greetings. The Aguiyi-Ironsi family wishes to inform you that It has pleased God to call to glory Noble Lady Victoria Aguiyi – Ironsi to eternal rest.
“She passed on at the early hours of today August 23, 2021. I would like to discuss further details at your earliest convenience,’ the letter said.
The deceased widow’s husband, General Aguiyi-Ironsi was Nigeria’s first military leader who was killed in a bloody coup led by Lt. Col Yakubu Gowon and TY Danjuma in 1966.
He was killed in Ibadan in the home of his host and military governor of defunct Western Region, Adekunle Fajuyi who refused to surrender him to Danjuma for assassination in the July 1966 coup.
The coup was staged as counter to an earlier one led by Major Kaduna Nzeogwu and four others of his rank in January 1966.
Lady Aguiyi-Ironsi never remarried ever since.
In the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo, one of her sons was appointed a minister and Obasanjo always kept close contact with the family which he visited last in December 2019.
