41 years enough to heal wounds of civil war- Gowon

Posted by admin Latest Politics, Presidency, Yakubu Gowon (1966-75) Monday, May 16th, 2011

General Yakubu Dan-Yumma Gowon (Jack), GCFR, Nigeria’s former Military Head of State (1966 – 1975) is seldom available. Not in the sense of foreign trips; he is enmeshed in innumerable engagements in the good interest of the nation. At 76, the former ruler is often oblivious of the natural call for the required rest an ageing septuagenarian of his stature should have.

Not a strong fighter for One Nigeria like Jack Gowon would leave fire on the roof-top and then go to bed. He believes that, as a father-figure of Nigeria, it would be too irresponsible to do so. The main reason, at 76, he never leaves any stone unturned in trying to help engender peace situation in the country. The mantle fell on what a commentator described as “his slim shoulders” at the age of 32 (in 1966) to lead Nigeria after the second coup and during his regime, the monumental structures on which successive governments have struggled to build upon were laid.

Born October19, 1934 in Lur, Plateau State, General Gowon had his first education at St. Bartholomew’s School, Wasasa, Zaria between 1939 and 1949. He moved from there to the Government College, Zaria where he obtained his school certificate in 1953. As Head of State he had to grapple with Civil War considered by the Supreme Military Authority under him as capable of threatening the continuous togetherness of the entity called Nigeria.

-Vanguardwp_posts