Brigadier Benjamin Adesanya Maja Adekunle, born on 26 June 1936 in Kaduna to a Yoruba father and a Bachama mother, remains one of the most controversial and daring figures in Nigeria’s military history. His fearless approach and unrelenting command during the Nigerian Civil War earned him the infamous nickname—“The Black Scorpion.”
A product of the Nigerian Military Training College (now NDA), and later the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the UK, Adekunle’s military career began in earnest during the 1960s—a period of deepening political unrest and ethnic suspicion in Nigeria.
In the early stages of the Civil War (1967–1970), he was appointed commander of the newly formed 3 Marine Commando Division (3MCDO) of the Nigerian Army. This division was tasked with retaking the oil-rich Niger Delta and eastern seaports from Biafran control. It was a brutal campaign through swamps, rivers, and mangrove terrain.
Adekunle’s 3MCDO captured Bonny Island, Calabar, and Port Harcourt in swift succession. His success in these offensives gave the Federal side a strategic upper hand by cutting off Biafra’s access to foreign supplies. His public profile soared—newspapers ran photos of him in dark sunglasses and crisp uniform, while his men sang of their “Black Scorpion” who never lost a battle.
But his methods were harsh. Adekunle was known for ruthless tactics, including economic blockades and aggressive raids. He famously said during the war:
“We shoot at everything, even things that don’t move.”
These remarks—and his sometimes brash public statements—drew both local and international criticism. While some hailed him as a war hero, others viewed him as a symbol of excesses committed during the war.
In September 1969, in a surprise shake-up, the Federal Military Government replaced Adekunle with Colonel Olusegun Obasanjo as commander of the 3MCDO. He never received another major military appointment. Many believed his popularity—and outspoken nature—had become a threat to the establishment.
He retired from the army in 1974, still holding the rank of Brigadier. For decades, he faded from public life, emerging only occasionally in the press. In later years, he expressed disappointment at being sidelined and claimed he had been denied his rightful recognition.
Adekunle lived his final years quietly in Lagos, battling health issues. He died on 13 September 2014, aged 78.
Though polarising, Brigadier Benjamin Adekunle’s name remains etched in the pages of Nigeria’s civil war history—both as a brilliant field tactician and as a lightning rod for wartime controversy. To some, he was the brave general who helped save Nigeria. To others, he embodied the painful cost of unity.
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