I wasn’t prepared to rule Nigeria at 31, had good upbringing, training – Gowon
General Yakubu Gowon
I wasn’t prepared to rule Nigeria at 31, had good upbringing, training – Gowon
• Creation of 12 states was a demand by the people.
Nigeria’s former head of state, Gen. Yakubu Gowon(rtd), has said said he was not prepared to rule Nigeria when he took over as a military head of state at the age of 31.
Gowon said this during an interview with Arise TV.
He narrated how his upbringing, and training as a military officer, prepared him to deal with situations efficiently.
Gowon said: “I had a good upbringing from home, school, and various military trainings. And I was brought up in a strict religious background. I fell back on all of these.
“I was not prepared to rule Nigeria, but I was a loyal soldier trained to serve my country.”
Asked why he changed Nigeria from four major regions to the creation of 12 states, he posited that “The creation of 12 states from the four regions was a demand by various communities.
“We did that to satisfy them, following the events of January 1966.”
Recounting Gen. Aguiyi-Ironsi’s assassination, Gowon said, “I was woken up to the news that something had happened. I knew Ironsi was in Ibadan for a meeting with traditional rulers.
“By the time I got to the government house, it was too late. I instructed that he should be taken somewhere safe, but unfortunately, he was assassinated.”
On the attack on Igbo in the North, he recounted, “There were reactions in the North and West against the unitary system formed by Ironsi, as they feared being overwhelmed by people from the East.
“It was a reaction to what happened in January. Not a military reaction but a populace uprising. My duty was to keep Nigeria united.”
Aburi Accord
Regarding the Aburi Accord, he insisted that “The accord was not an agreement. I wasn’t feeling well, and Ojukwu made a statement about Aburi in the early hours.
“When informed, I asked other governors for their opinions, and they said it wasn’t what we agreed on.”
On Nigeria’s healing 55 years after the civil war, Gowon said, “We’ve survived 55 years since the war. My idea was that we’d rebuild the country after the war.
“We’ve come a long way and are still improving.”
When asked why he refused to hand over in 1975, he explained that there was political infighting among commissioners and a big economic plan underway.
On his overthrow, he said he was told it would happen but didn’t bother to find out who was behind it until Babangida’s book revealed the details.
When asked if he aspired to rule Nigeria again, he said, “I never had. Babangida’s option A4 almost forced me into it
“But my wife didn’t want it, and I was only interested in contributing to Nigeria’s development.”
