By Gambo Dori
HOLDING public office in Nigeria in those days when military coups occurred regularly could be very precarious. For those who were brave enough to venture into it, it meant that you were aware of the high probability of either certain death or long term incarceration. Heads of Governments, ministers and many other officials had lost their lives to malevolent soldiers during coups, while a lot more had their freedom curtailed for years. Alex Ekwueme who died recently had the misfortune of being incarcerated by soldiers for eight years. He had been the first to be elected Vice-President when the country returned to civilian administration after a prolonged period of military rule from 1966-79.
Their government had completed its first term and was three months into the second when they were toppled. Both the President Shehu Shagari and the Vice-President Alex Ekwueme…
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