Ebitu Ukiwe
{{short description|De facto deputy head of state of Nigeria from 1985 to 1986}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ebitu Ukiwe
| honorific_prefix = Commodore
| nationality = Nigerian
| image =
| office1 = 7th Chief of General Staff
| president1 = Ibrahim Babangida {{small|as Military President}}
| term_start1 = August 1985
| term_end1 = October 1986
| predecessor1 = Tunde Idiagbon {{small|as Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters}}
| successor1 = Augustus Aikhomu
| office2 = Governor of Lagos State
| term_start2 = July 1978
| term_end2 = October 1979
| predecessor2 = Ndubuisi Kanu
| successor2 = Lateef Jakande
| office3 = Governor of Niger State
| term_start3 = December 1977
| term_end3 = July 1978
| predecessor3 = Murtala Nyako
| successor3 = Joseph Oni
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1940|10|26|df=y}}
| birth_place = Abiriba, Southern Region, British Nigeria (now Abiriba, Abia State, Nigeria)
| spouse = Amina Ukiwe
| party =
| alma_mater =
| allegiance = {{plainlist|
- {{flag|Nigeria}} (1960–1966; 1972–1986)
- {{flag|Biafra}} (1966–1970)
}}
| branch = 23px Nigerian Navy
| serviceyears = 1960-1986
| battles = Biafran War
}}
Okoh Ebitu Ukiwe (born 26 October 1940) is a retired Commodore in the Nigerian Navy who served as the de facto Vice President of Nigeria under military head of state General Ibrahim Babangida from 1985 to 1986.{{Cite web |date=12 January 2022 |title=Ike Nwachukwu: True reflection of what Nigeria ought to be |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/01/ike-nwachukwu-true-reflection-of-what-nigeria-ought-to-be/ |access-date=6 March 2022 |website=Vanguard News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Ebitu Ukiwe biography, net worth, age, family, contact & picture |url=https://www.manpower.com.ng/people/15789/ebitu-ukiwe |access-date=8 November 2022 |website=www.manpower.com.ng}}
Family
Ukiwe was born on 26 October 1940, the son of Chief Ebitu Ukiwe of Abiriba in Abia State. His father was a traditional ruler in Abiriba and head of the old Bende Division Local Government Appeal Court.{{cite web
|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200211070240.html
|title=The Sailor Moves On
|work=ThisDay
|author=Sefy Megafu
|date=7 November 2002
|access-date=25 March 2010}}
Naval career
Ukiwe joined the Nigerian Navy in 1960 as a cadet (officer), and was commissioned in 1964 with the rank of sub-lieutenant. He defected to the Biafran Armed Forces in 1966.
Biafran War
During the Nigerian Civil War from 1967 to 1970 he fought on the Biafran side. After the war, in January 1972 he was readmitted to the Navy, one of the few Igbo officers to regain their position.{{cite web
|url=http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/citysun/2004/Dec/15/citysun-15-12-2004-009.htm
|title=Abiriba pulls out Ukiwe
|author=CHIDI OBINECHE
|date=15 December 2004
|work=Daily Sun
|access-date=25 March 2010
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926215838/http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/citysun/2004/Dec/15/citysun-15-12-2004-009.htm
|archive-date=26 September 2007
|url-status=dead
}}
Military career
Ukiwe was a member of the Supreme Military Council between 1975 and 1977.{{cite web
|url=http://profilesnigeria.info/ebitu.htm
|title=Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe Chief of General Staff, August 1985 – October 1986
|work=Profiles Nigeria
|access-date=25 March 2010
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302034324/http://profilesnigeria.info/ebitu.htm
|archive-date=2 March 2012
|url-status=dead
}} General Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him military governor of Niger State in 1977. He was re-deployed to Lagos State as governor in July 1978, holding this post until October 1979.{{cite web
|url=http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Nigeria_federal_states.htm#Niger
|publisher=WorldStatesmen
|title=Nigeria States
|access-date=25 March 2010}} He was also in the SMC under General Muhammadu Buhari from 1983 to 1985, while serving as Flag Officer, Western Naval command.
He was appointed director, Naval Faculty, Jaji (1981–1984) and Flag Officer, Western Naval Command (1984–1985).
Chief of General Staff
In 1985, following the 1985 Nigerian military coup d'état military head of state General Ibrahim Babangida appointed Ukiwe as Chief of General Staff, and his second-in-command. In 1986, Ukiwe, was removed as Chief of General Staff after opposing Babangida's decision to join the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Later career
After retirement he joined the pro-democracy group, supporting Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, the president-elect in the June 1993 elections, who was imprisoned after General Sani Abacha took power in a coup in November 1993.{{cite web
|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200906120255.html
|title=June 12 - Where are the Heroes?
|author=Ademola Adeyemo
|date=12 June 2009
|access-date=25 March 2010}}
He became chairman of companies such as Bitu Properties, Kobimat, Bitu Promar and Rudocons. He served as an adviser and consultant to Statoil (Nigeria), an offshore oil production company, for nine years.
In 2001, Newswatch magazine speculated that he could run for president in 2003, characterizing him as a principled personality. In 2006 Ukiwe unsuccessfully ran to become the Peoples Democratic Party candidate for the presidency of Nigeria.{{cite web
|url=http://asiwajubolatinubu.org/archives/news/2006/11/29/20061129N01.html
|date=29 November 2006
|title=Ebitu Ukiwe Visits Tinubu, Pledges To Reform The Polity
|publisher=Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
|access-date=25 March 2010
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725021040/http://asiwajubolatinubu.org/archives/news/2006/11/29/20061129N01.html
|archive-date=25 July 2011
|url-status=dead
}}
Ukiwe is a notable voice in the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS)'s campaign for an equitable union, against the background of rising Muslim fundamentalism of the Nigerian political North.
References
{{reflist|2}}
{{NigerStateGovernors}}
{{Governors of Lagos State}}
{{Nigeria Obasanjo Governors}}
{{NigerianVicePresidents}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ukiwe, Ebitu}}
Category:Vice presidents of Nigeria
Category:Peoples Democratic Party (Nigeria) politicians
Category:Governors of Lagos State
Category:Governors of Niger State
Category:Nigerian Navy officers
Category:Military personnel of the Nigerian Civil War
Category:People from Abia State
{{nigeria-mil-bio-stub}}