Zamani Lekwot

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Major General
Zamani Lekwot
Lekwot in 2023
Military Governor of Rivers State
In office
July 1975 – July 1978
Preceded byAlfred Papapeye Diete-Spiff
Succeeded bySuleiman Saidu
Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy
In office
July 1979 – 1982
Preceded byBrig Joseph Garba
Succeeded byBrig Abdullahi Shelleng
Personal details
Born (1944-07-19) 19 July 1944 (age 79)
Ashong Ashyui, Northern Region, British Nigeria
(now Ashong Ashyui (Jankasa), Nigeria)
Alma materNigerian Military School
NMTC
Indian Military Academy
Military service
Allegiance Nigeria
Branch/service Nigerian Army
Years of service1966-1985
Rank Major General
Battles/warsNigerian Civil War

Zamani Lekwot (born 19 July 1944) is a retired Nigerian Army major general who served as the military governor of Rivers State, Nigeria from July 1975 until July 1978 during the military administrations of Generals Murtala Muhammed and Olusegun Obasanjo.[1]

Early life[edit]

Lekwot was born in 1944 to Atyap parents in Ashong Ashyui, Northern Region (now in southern Kaduna State), Nigeria.[2]

Military career[edit]

Lekwot attended the prestigious Nigerian Military School for his secondary education before he entered the army on 11 July 1962, and attended the Nigerian Military Training College, Kaduna and the Indian Military Academy, gaining his commission on 14 July 1966.[3] He was a company commander in the 6th Battalion when it took part in the battle that caused the fall of Bonny on 26/27 July 1967 during the Nigerian Civil War.[4] He was the Commander, 33 Infantry Brigade, Maiduguri in 1975 before he assumed the Military Governorship of Rivers State.[3] During his military career, Lekwot also served as Commandant of the Nigeria Defence Academy, General Officer Commanding 82 Composite Division, Nigerian Army and Ambassador/High Commissioner to the Republics of Senegal, Mauritania, Cape Verde and the Gambia.[5]

The 2 Brigade Nigerian Army Barracks in Port Harcourt, Rivers State was named the Zamani Lekwot cantonment in his honor. In August 2003 it was renamed the Port Harcourt Barracks.[6] Lekwot fell out with General Ibrahim Babangida, and was forced to retire on 31 December 1985 after Banbangida became Chief of Staff following the military coup of 31 December 1983 that brought General Muhammadu Buhari to power.[7]

Later career[edit]

On 15 May 1992 violence erupted between the mainly Moslem Hausa and mainly Christian Atyap communities of the Zangon-Kataf Local Government Area in Kaduna State over trading and land ownership rights, with many deaths. A tribunal set up by the Babangida government sentenced Lekwot and 16 others to death for alleged complicity in the killings, sentences eventually reduced to a short gaol sentence.[2] It was said that his sentence was due to his feud with Babangida.[8] He was assisted in his prolonged battle to avoid execution by Barr. (Col.) Yohanna A. Madaki.[9] By December 1995, Lekwot had received a state pardon.[10]

In June 2003 he was Chairman of Giza Ventures Nigeria and a Director of Prudent bank.[5]

Chieftaincy[edit]

Lekwot was in January 2014 honoured by the Agwatyap, the traditional ruler of Atyap Chiefdom, Engr. Dr. Harrison Y. Bungwon, with the title, "Agwabyin" meaning "Guardian of the land".[11][12]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Nigeria States". WorldStatesmen. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  2. ^ a b Agaju Madugba (9 September 2001). "Zangon-Kataf: For Peace to Endure". ThisDay. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  3. ^ a b Nowa Omoigui. "Military Rebellion of July 29, 1975: The Coup Against Gowon - Epilogue". Dawodu. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  4. ^ Nowa Omoigui. "Barracks: The History Behind Those Names - Part 5". Dawodu. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  5. ^ a b "Those Behind Prudentbank". ThisDay. 18 June 2003. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  6. ^ Okon Bassey (24 August 2003). "Zamani Lekwot Cantonment Renamed". ThisDay. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  7. ^ Seyi Oduyela (22 August 2004). "OWNERS OF NIGERIA (II)". NigeriaWorld. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  8. ^ Yusuf Yariyok (4 February 2003). "FIGHTING MUHAMMAD'S WAR: REVISITING SANI YERIMA'S FATWA". NigeriaWorld. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  9. ^ Sani Babadoko (22 May 2006). "Col Yohanna Madaki is dead". BNW News. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  10. ^ Toyin Falola (1998). Violence in Nigeria: the crisis of religious politics and secular ideologies. University Rochester Press. p. 221. ISBN 1-58046-018-6.
  11. ^ Isuwa, Sunday (26 January 2014). "Nigeria: Gen. Lekwot Honoured 22 Years After Death Sentence". All Africa. Daily Trust (Abuja). Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  12. ^ Offiong, Adie Vanessa (1 February 2014). "Why We Want State for Southern Kaduna". Daily Trust. Retrieved 12 September 2020.

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