J. E. A. Wey Explained

J. E. A. Wey
Honorific Prefix:Vice admiral
Office1:2nd Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters
Term Start1:1 August 1966
Term End1:29 July 1975
1Namedata1:Yakubu Gowon
Predecessor1:Babafemi Ogundipe
Successor1:Olusegun Obasanjo
Office2:Chief of Naval Staff
Term Start2:March 1964
Term End2:January 1973
Predecessor2:Commodore A.R. Kennedy
Successor2:Rear Adm. N.B. Soroh
Spouse:Anne Wey
Party:None (military)
Allegiance: Nigeria
Branch: Nigerian Navy
Serviceyears:1940-1975
Birth Date:6 March 1918
Birth Place:Calabar, Southern Region, British Nigeria
(now Calabar, Cross River, Nigeria)
Death Place:Nigeria
Rank: Vice admiral
Battles:Nigerian Civil War

Joseph Edet Akinwale Wey (6 March 1918 – 12 December 1991)[1] was a Nigerian Navy Vice Admiral who served as head of the Nigerian Navy (i.e. Chief of Naval Staff),[2] acting foreign minister,[3] and chief of staff of the Supreme Headquarters,[4] making him the de facto vice president of Nigeria during Yakubu Gowon's regime.

Early life

Born in Calabar in March 1918 to a Yoruba father who was from Lagos and an Efik mother, Wey had his early education in Calabar, Cross River State and at Methodist School, Ikot Ekpene in present Akwa Ibom State; and further education in Lagos.

Naval career

He joined the Marine Department as a cadet and engineer in training around 1940. At the end of his training in 1945, he served in all sea-going vessels in the Marine Department. When the Navy was established in 1956, he was transferred to the Navy as a sub-lieutenant. In 1962, he was appointed as the commanding officer of base and naval officer in charge of Apapa, Lagos. In 1966, he was appointed as the Federal Commissioner of Establishment and he became a member of the federal Executive Council. He was promoted to various ranks and to the final rank of vice-admiral.

Retirement and death

He was retired in 1975 following the successful coup that brought Murtala Mohammed to power, replacing the military government of General Yakubu Gowon. He died 12 December 1991.

Military ranks

YearInsigniaMilitary rank
1950Marine engineer
1956Sub-lieutenant and engineer
1958Lieutenant
1960Lieutenant commander
1963Captain
1964Commodore
1967Rear admiral
1971Vice admiral

Notes and References

  1. News: Aginam. Arthur-Martins. For Whom The Bell Tolls - Nigeria's first naval chief dies at 73. African Concord. December 1991.
  2. Web site: Aburi: The "Sovereign National Conference" That Got Away . 2007-06-16 . Gamji. Siollun. Max.
  3. An Attentive Listener. https://web.archive.org/web/20101030154812/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,904219,00.html. dead. October 30, 2010. 2007-06-16 . 1970-03-02 . Time. Time Warner.
  4. Web site: Murtala Muhammed's First Address to Nigeria . Mohammed. Murtala . 2007-06-16 . Nigeriavillagesquare.com . Nigerian Village Square.