- Reno Omokri has ignited a firestorm of criticism on social media after his controversial take on the historical relationship between Northern Nigeria’s revered leader, Sir Ahmadu Bello, and Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu of the Southeast.
- In what many have described as an unnecessarily provocative post, Omokri revisited one of Nigeria’s most sensitive and divisive chapters, seemingly painted the two historic figures as bitter adversaries.
- Omokri’s narrative, viewed by some as a calculated attempt to stoke ethnic tensions, touched a raw nerve among the Igbo community.
Reno Omokri, a social commentator and former presidential aide, is at the center of a heated controversy after facing intense backlash online for alleged attempts to incite tribal tensions between Igbos and Northerners.
On Wednesday, January 15, Omokri, via his X (formerly Twitter) page, revisited one of Nigeria’s most sensitive and polarizing historical episodes—the events surrounding the 1966 coup.
He posted a video of late Igbo revolutionary military officer Major Chukwuma ‘Kaduna’ Nzeogwu admitting to shooting and killing Sir Ahmadu Bello, the revered Premier of Northern Nigeria.
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Ahmadu Bello Was Hiding From Me, But I Found Him and Shot Him Dead-Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu, January 15, 1966 pic.twitter.com/hxpa5viqOz
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) January 15, 2025
In a follow-up tweet, Reno Omokri attempted to contextualize Nzeogwu’s actions, claiming the young military officer and his colleagues were allegedly provoked by remarks made by Ahmadu Bello in an interview.
According to Omokri, Bello’s statements were perceived as anti-Igbo, fueling the anger of Nzeogwu and other Igbo revolutionaries, which ultimately led to the fatal coup that marked the beginning of Nigeria’s descent into ethnic strife.
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Corruption Was Not The Reason Nzeogwu Killed Ahmadu Bello. This Is The Reason
On April 19, 1964, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Premier of the Northern Region of Nigeria and the de facto leader of Nigeria, who had singlehandedly appointed his lieutenant, Sir Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa,… pic.twitter.com/nTzZbusV4q
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) January 15, 2025
While Omokri framed his posts as a historical recount, the timing and tone of his revisit to this dark chapter in Nigeria’s history did not sit well with many.
For hours, the controversy dominated trends on X, with enraged Igbos dragging him for what they saw as an inflammatory and divisive narrative.
Critics argue that Omokri’s post is a veiled attempt to pit the North against the Igbos, a move they believe is designed to curry favor with his newfound ally, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ahead of the 2027 elections.
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