1. The constitutional mistakes in Nigeria rushed her into a coup six years after independence. Nigeria was ethnically apart and regional wise diffefent and divided. The colonial like the postcolonial constitution of Mcfherson's and Richard instead of providing a natiotionalistic direction in Nigeria they enhanced ethnicism and sub-nationalism leading to a coup in 1966. In Western Nigeria for example Yoruba Nationalism was strongest, in the east of Nigeria Ibo Nationalism was dominant. In the North Housa-Fulani was more popular such Nationalistic feelings based on regions prompted the Ibo to act first by carrying out a coup since the constitution and new leaders had failed to address the problems for six years.

2. Nigeria like Ghana had vast size of elites and this led to a coup. Nigeria's elites cherished western system of multi -party politics. This partly influenced the outbreak of the 1966 coup because political pluralism was intertwined with ethnic pluralism which was aggreviated by the legacy of divide and rule. This made each group fearful and suspicious of each other. By 1966 Ibo suspicious and fear of being dominated led to coup as a protective measure from aggression in January 1966.

3. Wide spread of corruption and arrogance among the politicians in Nigeria led to 1966 coup. For example in 1964 June the Nigeria workers went on strike demanding for high wages. Unfortunately no wage increment was done instead the politicians continued with conscious consumption while the civil servants continued to suffer under misery. Though they were few to challenge the government by 1966 they managed to rally with the military who shared similar grievances to topple the Azikiwe government.

4. Ethnic tension and disputes in Nigeria's army at independence constituted only five battalions and some two-unit brigades. However it was initially non ethnic but by 1966 it had moved to wards ethnicism especially after the 1964 - 1965 federal elections. This election ended into a federal crisis when Ojukwu offered military intervention on the side of Nnamdi Azikiwe. This act greatly fueled ethnic interests leading to the coup of 1966.

5. The election malpractices in Nigeria by 1964-65 prompted the coup. These elections were a constitutional attempt to establish democracy in Nigeria. So when it failed the coup became obvious in January 1966, especially after the then president Azikiwe dubiously refused to invite the true winners of Nigeria National Alliance (NNA) for form government. They later rosorted to arms in form of a coup.

6. Regional discontent between northerners and southerners that dragged even before independence erupted Into a coup in 1966. In 1965 prior to the coup, there was nearly a federal mutiny by the civil servants in Lagos. To make matters worse when the qualified northerners were promoted the southerners were not. This craved ibo-Yoruba competition for jobs. This competition -extended to the elites who also began competing for vice chancellor ship at the University of Ibadan. When the Nigerian politicians of Azikiwe type intervened they failed to provide a practice of National unity, this made the army to out-rightly intervene.

7. The military experience of Nigerian forces during a UNO operation in Congo during the Katanga secession 1960-63 partly led to 1966 January coup. In Congo the Nigerian and Ghanaian forces witnessed Kasavubu being overthrown by Mubutu two years the Nigerian forces did the same to Azikiwe the elevated president of Nigeria.

8. The educational strength of the southerners who enrolled in the army caused the coup. The elites in the army caused the coup. The elites in the army were ethnically alert.' They monitored issues related to recruitment, promotion and deployment since 1960 and thereafter. At independence the northern to southern ratio in the army was 5:2 due to educational differences caused by lack of educational facilities. This made the army regionalized partly leading to coup.

b) Besides this, was the introduction of the quota system of enrollment which also led to 1966 coup, "he west had to enroll 25%, 50% for northerners, 25% for easterners, 25% for eastern. Dus to the quota system of enrollment the army by 1965 was dominated by northerners compared to other regions. When all regions were allowed chances of promotion this created promotion competition. This promotion jam created a coup crisis especially when military men of short experience where promoted before those of long experience were thought of.

c) Similarly the educational strength of the southern junior officers made them feel more cheated when northerners of lower educational experience who had started as a private in the army were quickly promoted while the educated suffered from delayed promotion. This made the southerners junior officers feel irritated and decided to initiate a coup to address their promotion grievances.

9. The influence of successful coups elsewhere in Africa made Nigeria ripe for a coup by 1966. Military coups were taking place in Egypt 1952, in Togo 1963, 1958 in Sudan against governments that had similar problems of corruption arrogance so the Nigerians had to follow suit also by organising a coup.

10. The growth and development of Ibo nationalism led to the 1968 January coup in Nigeria. A critical review of the coup plotters and engineers of the same reveals that most of them were Ibos. Though crossfires took place in Ibadan, Lagos the Ibos were not killed. Lieutenant colonel Mwobosi, Ojukwu a!! were at the front in coup operations and were ibos.

11. Rumours about a plotted coup in early 1966 quickened the outbreak of the 1966 coup as the army tried to pre-empty their coup plans against the Federal government before they are arrested and detained without trial as the political climate predicted in January 1966.

12. Need to end political dominations in Nigeria has been advanced as a cause of the 1966 coup. The southern politicians shared the same hatred with the southern military men in the army. They hated their continued domination by northerners so as to protect themselves from further denominations. The southerners engineered the coup.

13. The increased emergence of ambitious junior officers in Nigeria's army made the coup inevitable by 1966, Major Emmanuel Ifeajuma was at the fore Justin Ibadan capital of western province organizing the coup, Nzeogwo as 3 senior instructor at the Nigerian military college played a crucial role organizing the 1966 coup in Nigeria.

14. Religious indifferences in Nigeria drifted Nigeria into a coup by 1966 January. The Muslims in the north conflicted with the Christians in the south. The Shah law pursued by the Muslim north was apt by any standard compatible with the Mosaic Law in the south. This was later inclined to Ibo ethnism leading to a coup.

15. Religious indifferences were followed with inter party conflict between Action Group other parties. Chief Awolowo conflicted with Chief Saluleh Akintola. These indifferences divided the Nigerians some supporting Awolowo others Akintola the Prime Minister of western region. A commission of inquiry set up which painted Awolowo is image black, Akintola in response formed a rival party Nigerians National Democratic Party creating coup hostilities in Nigeria by 1966.

16. The detention of Awolowo created coup tension and fears, Awolowo was arrested and his Lieutenants and charged with treason later sentenced them to 12 years imprisonment. Fortunately Gowon in 1966 released them. When people demonstrated against this they were murdered. This demoralized the Nigerian leading to the coup as the last resolution.

17. The vast size of Nigeria didn't only delay her independence up to 1960 but also plunged her into a coup by January 1966. Nigeria was divided into provinces which gave rise to opportunistic politicians with conflicting policies that finally rested in coup by 1966 January.