Retired brigadier general Okonkwo Okoloagu traces his understanding of Nigeria’s history to his time in the military, arguing that his personal experiences during the Nigerian Civil War and subsequent service in the Nigerian Army give him insight into the country’s events. Speaking in an interview with Signature TV on July 29, 2026, the general recalled his years as a soldier, beginning in 1964. He described his involvement with the Biafran war as a military officer. After the war, he joined the Nigerian Army and eventually became a Brigadier General.
“I am not God but I garnered my experience in the military. I told you how I started in 1964. I went though the Biafran war, I was a military officer in Biafra. I came back and still went into the Nigerian army and I was able to rise to the Brigadier General,” said Okoloagu.
Furthermore, the general spoke about the events in which he took part and how they shaped his understanding of Nigeria’s history. He reasoned that apart from gaining military experience, he had a front-row view of the country’s political and security developments.
“I was in Nigeria from 1964 until when I retired. So, from my experience in the Nigerian Army, I can say that a lot of things happened. I should not be talking from the perspective of theory but from the experience of being a soldier before and after the civil war,” said Okoloagu.