YAKUBU GOWON'S LIFE IS A LESSON ON GOOD CONDUCT- THE GUARDIAN EDITORIAL

Yakubu Gowon 

GENERAL Yakubu Gowon, Nigeria’s third Head of State and founder of the interfaith association “Nigeria Prays’, who today marks his 80th birthday anniversary, is a living national monument that telegraphs the conscientiousness our beleaguered nation needs. In the life of this gentleman and statesman, Nigeria could learn what it means to take a progressive turn from fallenness to self-mastery. 

  With this landmark celebration, Gowon joins the eminent class of octogenarians: the Class of 80 – a distinguished category of senior citizens, who, early in life, were impelled by our political history to tread Nigeria’s tumultuous political plain, act on its melodramatic stage, and oversee its magical and monstrous moments. Like these octogenarians, who are availed the grace and privilege to defend themselves in their lifetime, longevity makes Gowon’s life an open book to be judged by posterity for his personal achievement and for the good fortunes or otherwise he has bequeathed to our age.

    Bashed from certain fronts, on account of the way his government prosecuted the civil war, Gowon has, since his post-Head of State years, maintained a sagely taciturnity, displayed genuine humility and persistent quest for national reconciliation. As if his surname is a pre-determined acronym specially created to suit his destiny, Gowon has been leading a life to “Go On With One Nigeria”. In the kindness of history, this gesture towards a better Nigeria seems to have sufficiently atoned for whatever foibles his youthful leadership and naivety had cost him.

   The fifth of eleven children, Gowon, originally an Ngas from the village of Lur in present Kanke Local Government of Plateau State, was born on October 19, 1934. Shortly after his birth, his parents, who were missionaries of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) left for Wusasa, Zaria in present Kaduna State. It was in Zaria, his new hometown, that he grew up, had his early education, and excelled brilliantly in sports.

  After his secondary education, Gowon, who initially wanted to become a teacher, was lured into the army through peer influence: he had joined 12 others for the interview, and came out as the only one from that bunch that was accepted for military training. He got enlisted in the Nigerian Army in 1954, and a year later on his 21st birthday on October 19, 1955 got commissioned as Second Lieutenant. In the next 11 years, Gowon settled for a strictly professional soldier career that saw him attending the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, in the United Kingdom from 1955 to 1956;  the Staff College, Camberley, also in the UK  in 1962; and the Joint Staff College, Latimer, in 1965. Before Staff College, Gowon had taken part in the United Nations Peacekeeping Force, both in 1960–61 and in 1963. Thereafter, while still a Lieutenant Colonel, he moved on to become battalion commander in 1965.

  When, in January 1966, a military coup d’etat carried out by a group of predominantly Igbo junior officers led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu overthrew the civilian government of Sir Abubakar Tafewa Balewa, Gowon found himself at age 31 becoming Nigeria’s youngest military chief of staff to Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi. The backlash of that bloody coup –  witnessed in the North’s anger over non-prosecution of the mostly Igbo coup-plotters as well as Ironsi’s Decree 34 abolishing the federal system of government in preference to a unitary system – caused a successful Major Theophilius Danjuma-led counter-coup. With the success of this July 1966 counter-coup, Gowon became the Head of State on August 1, 1966, barely two months to his 32nd birthday. 

    Even as a green horn in the administration of a great country like Nigeria, Gowon was able to marry age and power amidst growing discontent following the July 1966 counter-coup.  Thanks to a pedigree of genteel religiosity and moral courage, Gowon would grow up quickly as he managed a 30-month war between secessionist Eastern Nigerians called Biafrans and the rest of the country. Notwithstanding the motive behind the war, Gowon prosecuted it with a philosophy to ‘keep Nigeria one’; for he was convinced that it was a task that must be done. This conviction was reflected in the maturity with which he handled the aftermath of the war. He absorbed all stakeholders and helped to consolidate the Nigerian state. Despite the loss of lives and properties on both camps, Gowon’s declaration of ‘no victor, no vanquished’ was said to be a relief for Biafrans. With a mind that sought some reparative justice for the immorality of the war, he also openly apologized for any error made in its prosecution. 

    In terms of institution-building, Gowon’s government was the origin of infrastructural development and industrialization in Nigeria, for the increased earnings occasioned by the oil-boom of the 70s propelled an unprecedented growth in the socio-economic activities of the federal government. To further his philosophy of post-war reconciliation and national re-integration, he established the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as a platform for youth development; he also established Unity Schools, and gave universality to Nigeria’s economic image. Unfortunately, this modest achievement as Head of state has been eroded steadily by successive governments. 

   While attending an Organization of African Unity (OAU) summit in Kampala on July 29, 1975, Gowon was overthrown, and subsequently went on exile in the United Kingdom. However, in a display of uncommon humility and exceptional courage, he went for further education to acquire a PhD in Political Science at the University of Warwick. Gowon returned to Nigeria in the 1983, and years later formed an interfaith based group, ‘Nigeria Prays’. 

   If Gowon is to be judged based on this aspect of Nigeria’s political history alone, Gowon would be either a benign accomplice to the prompting of the status quo or a reconciliator, depending on whichever side of the divide one found oneself.  But as it stands today, Gowon’s life typifies the quintessential elder statesman not only to Nigeria but also to other African countries. His civility, humility and sagely mien have continued to increase with age, just as his endearment to the national cause has seen him always attending public functions of utmost relevance to peace, reconciliation and unity. 

   Apart from being the chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) Board of patrons, Gen. Gowon is actively involved in the Guinea Worm Eradication Programme as well as the HIV Programme with Global Fund of Geneva. He is also founder of the Yakubu Gowon Centre, an organization concerned about issues of good governance and control of infectious diseases.

   In a country with so much lust for power and impunity, Gowon’s life is a lesson on good conduct. He refused to enrich himself even when he had the opportunity. He did not allow his power and the resources at his disposal to becloud his well-honed civility and invaluable pedigree. He pursues and leads a life of moderation and modesty, while selflessly engaging in genuine pursuit of the common good.