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	==Chieftaincy==		==Chieftaincy==
	Lekwot was in January 2014 honoured by the Agwatyap, the traditional ruler of [[Atyap Chiefdom]] with the title, "Agwabyin" meaning "Guardian of the land".		Lekwot was in January 2014 honoured by the Agwatyap, the traditional ruler of [[Atyap Chiefdom]] with the title, "Agwabyin" meaning "Guardian of the land".
	<ref>{{Cite web \|url=https://allafrica.com/stories/201401260217.html \|last=Isuwa \|first=Sunday \|title=Nigeria: Gen. Lekwot Honoured 22 Years After Death Sentence \|date=January 26, 2014 \|publisher=Daily Trust (Abuja) \|website=All Africa \|access-date=September 12, ~~2022~~}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|url=https://dailytrust.com/zamani-lekwot-why-we-want-state-for-southern-kaduna \|last=Offiong \|first=Adie Vanessa \|title=Why We Want State for Southern Kaduna \|date=February 1, 2014 \|publisher=Daily Trust \|access-date=September 12, ~~2022~~}}</ref>		<ref>{{Cite web \|url=https://allafrica.com/stories/201401260217.html \|last=Isuwa \|first=Sunday \|title=Nigeria: Gen. Lekwot Honoured 22 Years After Death Sentence \|date=January 26, 2014 \|publisher=Daily Trust (Abuja) \|website=All Africa \|access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|url=https://dailytrust.com/zamani-lekwot-why-we-want-state-for-southern-kaduna \|last=Offiong \|first=Adie Vanessa \|title=Why We Want State for Southern Kaduna \|date=February 1, 2014 \|publisher=Daily Trust \|access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref>

	==References==		==References==

Bot at 15:27, 29 October 2022

2022-10-29T15:27:37Z

New page

{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Zamani Lekwot
| honorific_prefix = [[Major General]]
|image =
|office = Military Governor of Rivers State
|term_start1 = July 1975
|term_end1 = July 1978
|predecessor1 = [[Alfred Papapeye Diete-Spiff]]
|successor1 = [[Suleiman Saidu]]
|office2 = [[Nigerian Defence Academy#Commandants|Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy]]
|term_start2 = July 1979
|term_end2 = 1982
|predecessor2 = Brig [[Joseph Garba]]
|successor2 = Brig [[Abdullahi Shelleng]]
|native_name_lang =
|birth_name =
|other_name =
|nickname =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1944|7|19}}
|birth_place = [[Jankasa|Ashong Ashyui]], [[Northern Region, Nigeria|Northern Region]], [[British Nigeria]]<br>(now Ashong Ashyui (Jankasa), Nigeria)
|death_date =
|death_place =
|placeofburial =
|placeofburial_label =
|placeofburial_coordinates = 
|allegiance = {{flag|Nigeria}}
|branch =[[File:Flag of the Nigerian Army Headquarters.svg|21px]] [[Nigerian Army]]
|branch_label =  Branch/service
|serviceyears = 1966-1985
|serviceyears_label =
|rank = [[File:Nigeria-Army-OF-7.svg|20px]] [[Major General]]
|rank_label =
|servicenumber =
|unit =
|commands =
|battles = [[Nigerian Civil War]]
|battles_label =
|awards =
|memorials =
|party =
|alma_mater =[[Nigerian Military School]]<br>[[Nigerian Defence Academy|NMTC]]<br>[[Indian Military Academy]]
|spouse = 
|children =
|relations =
|laterwork =
|signature =
|signature_size =
|signature_alt =
|website = 
|module =
}}
'''Zamani Lekwot''' (born 19 July 1944) in Jankasa, is a retired [[Nigerian Army]] major general who served as the military governor of [[Rivers State]], [[Nigeria]] from July 1975 to July 1978 during the military administration of Generals [[Murtala Muhammed]] and [[Olusegun Obasanjo]].<ref>{{Cite web
|url=http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Nigeria_federal_states.htm
|title=Nigeria States
|work=WorldStatesmen
|access-date=2010-03-06}}</ref>
Lekwot is an [[Atyap people|Atyap]], born in [[Kaduna State]] in 1944.<ref name=riot>{{Cite web
|url=http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2001/09/09/20010909news03.html
|title=Zangon-Kataf: For Peace to Endure
|work=ThisDay
|author=Agaju Madugba
|date=2001-09-09
|access-date=2010-03-06}}</ref>

==Military career==
Lekwot attended the prestigious [[Nigerian Military School]] for his secondary education before he entered the army on July 11, 1962, and attended the [[Nigerian Military Training College]], [[Kaduna]] and the [[Indian Military Academy]], gaining his commission on 14 July 1966.<ref name=dawodu>{{Cite web
|url=http://www.dawodu.com/omoigui47.htm
|title=Military Rebellion of July 29, 1975: The Coup Against Gowon - Epilogue
|author=Nowa Omoigui
|work=Dawodu
|access-date=2010-03-06}}</ref>
He was a company commander in the 6th Battalion when it took part in the battle that caused the fall of [[Bonny, Nigeria|Bonny]] on 26/27 July 1967 during the [[Nigerian Civil War]].<ref>{{Cite web
|url=http://www.dawodu.com/barrack4.htm
|title=Barracks: The History Behind Those Names - Part 5
|author=Nowa Omoigui
|work=Dawodu
|access-date=2010-03-06}}</ref>
He was the Commander, 33 Infantry Brigade, Maiduguri in 1975 before he assumed the Military Governorship of Rivers State.<ref name=dawodu/>
During his military career, Lekwot also served as Commandant of the [[Nigeria Defence Academy]], General Officer Commanding 82 Composite Division, Nigerian Army and Ambassador/High Commissioner to the Republics of [[Senegal]], [[Mauritania]], [[Cape Verde]] and [[the Gambia]].<ref name=sbio>{{Cite web
|url=http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2003/06/18/20030618ban02.html
|title=Those Behind Prudentbank
|work=ThisDay
|date=2003-06-18
|access-date=2010-03-06}}</ref>

The 2 Brigade Nigerian Army Barracks in [[Port Harcourt]], [[Rivers State]] was named the Zamani Lekwot cantonment in his honor. In August 2003 it was renamed the Port Harcourt Barracks.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2003/08/24/20030824news08.html
|work=ThisDay
|title=Zamani Lekwot Cantonment Renamed
|author=Okon Bassey
|date=2003-08-24
|access-date=2010-03-06}}</ref>
Lekwot fell out with General [[Ibrahim Babangida]], and was forced to retire on December 31, 1985 after Banbangida became Chief of Staff following the military coup of 31 December 1983 that brought General [[Muhammadu Buhari]] to power.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=http://nigeriaworld.com/feature/publication/oduyela/082404.html
|title=OWNERS OF NIGERIA (II)
|work=NigeriaWorld
|author=Seyi Oduyela
|date=August 22, 2004
|access-date=2010-03-06}}</ref>

==Later career==
On 15 May 1992 violence erupted between the mainly Moslem [[Hausa people|Hausa]] and mainly Christian Atyap communities of the [[Zangon-Kataf]] Local Government Area in [[Kaduna State]], with many deaths.
A tribunal set up by the Babangida government sentenced Lekwot and 16 others to death for alleged complicity in the killings, sentences eventually reduced to a short gaol sentence.<ref name=riot/>
It was said that his sentence was due to his feud with Babangida.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://nigeriaworld.com/articles/2003/feb/042.html
|date=February 4, 2003
|author=Yusuf Yariyok
|work=NigeriaWorld
|title=FIGHTING MUHAMMAD'S WAR: REVISITING SANI YERIMA'S FATWA
|access-date=2010-03-06}}</ref>
He was assisted in his prolonged battle to avoid execution by [[Yohanna Madaki|Barr. (Col.) Yohanna A. Madaki]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://news.biafranigeriaworld.com/archive/daily_trust/2006/05/22/col_yohanna_madaki_is_dead.php
|title=Col Yohanna Madaki is dead
|work=BNW News
|author=Sani Babadoko
|date=May 22, 2006
|access-date=2010-03-06}}</ref>
By December 1995, Lekwot had received a state pardon.<ref>{{Cite book
|page=221
|title=Violence in Nigeria: the crisis of religious politics and secular ideologies
|author=Toyin Falola
|publisher=University Rochester Press
|year=1998
|ISBN=1-58046-018-6}}</ref>

In June 2003 he was Chairman of Giza Ventures Nigeria and a Director of Prudent bank.<ref name=sbio/>

==Chieftaincy==
Lekwot was in January 2014 honoured by the Agwatyap, the traditional ruler of [[Atyap Chiefdom]] with the title, "Agwabyin" meaning "Guardian of the land".
<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/201401260217.html |last=Isuwa |first=Sunday |title=Nigeria: Gen. Lekwot Honoured 22 Years After Death Sentence |date=January 26, 2014 |publisher=Daily Trust (Abuja) |website=All Africa |access-date=September 12, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://dailytrust.com/zamani-lekwot-why-we-want-state-for-southern-kaduna |last=Offiong |first=Adie Vanessa |title=Why We Want State for Southern Kaduna |date=February 1, 2014 |publisher=Daily Trust |access-date=September 12, 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{RiversStateGovernors}}
{{Nigeria Murtala Governors}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lekwot, Zamani}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Nigerian prisoners and detainees]]
[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:Nigerian military governors of Rivers State]]
[[Category:Recipients of Nigerian presidential pardons]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of Nigeria]]
[[Category:Nigerian Defence Academy Commandants]]
[[Category:Indian Military Academy alumni]]
[[Category:Nigerian Military School alumni]]
[[Category:Atyap people]]
[[Category:People from Kaduna State]]

{{Nigeria-mil-bio-stub}}

Zamani Lekwot - Revision history

Bot at 15:27, 29 October 2022

Bot at 15:27, 29 October 2022