AS Dr. Yakubu Gowon, the youngest military general that ever led Nigeria, turns 78 this Friday October 19 2012, the destiny of the nation, its continued existence as one indivisible entity and the less torturous road to travel for the guarantee of happiness, again shoots to the fore.
Yakubu Gowon, no doubt one of the fortunate people who found themselves as pilots of the affairs of Nigeria, sometimes through capricious schemes, or group aggrandizement, cannot wish for more, having spent the first four of nine years hunting for just one head, that of Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, that dared to challenge his disregard for the professional hierarchy of the military after a vengeful takeover of government in July 1966, with the inevitable war-time management and fascistic handling of the complex military industry of Africa’s most populous nation.
Nine years of unchallenged absolute rule and unprecedented stumbling on oil wealth got Gowon drunk and blind to reason. Even his staunchest supporters and stabilizers like Awolowo had to part ways with him in the hope that they would meet again if they were truly related in ideology and politics in objection to his self perpetuation agenda. He reportedly fraternized with the worst of the black race; people like Papa and Baby, François Duvalier and Doc Jean-Claude Duvalier, Jean–Bedel Bokassa, Mobutu Sese-Seko. His young age notwithstanding, Gowon allegedly became paranoid and grew so megalomaniac that he was said to have toyed with the idea of self perpetuation in power. He was deposed in a coup by General Ramat Murtala Mohammed while attending an Organization of African Unity conference in 1975.
Gowon was fortunate indeed. He had to deal with the reality of life after power that he shamelessly dreaded. He narrowly missed a date with the firing squad on account of the support he was said to have given to the murderous military gang that killed Murtala Mohammed.
The nation that he led through a bloody, vengeful civil ar never abandoned him. He was still given the resources to attend university at Gatwick, United Kingdom, and was able to study from the scratch to Ph.D level.
Not many of Gowon’s younger compatriots, the dreaded children of anger, can say life, and Nigeria, has been so gracious to them.
President Jonathan has joined millions of Nigerians to congratulate the retired four-star general on this 78th birthday. According to Reuben Abati, the chief media aide to President Jonathan, the president hailed Gowon “for his unflagging dedication to peace, national unity, good governance and the well-being of all Nigerians.”
“It is gratifying to note that after decades of worthy service to our fatherland, you continue to use your exalted position to engender bridges of love and harmony across the country; unwaveringly pursue the cause of good governance, and work dedicatedly to promote the welfare and well being of all Nigerians,” the president added in his congratulatory message to the former military head of state.