Yakubu Gowon At 70:

An unflinching advocate of one Nigeria, General Gowon presided over the extinguish of the firepower of the secessionist forces led by Col. Ojukwu and declared "No victor no vanquished" at the end of the war in January, 1970. Thirty two years after the war, General Gowon allayed these fears as recurring decimals even under democratic rule and proffered solutions to subvert the threats building-up. At a seminar organise by the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) on "Management of Social Conflict in a Plural Society" in March 2002. He contended that "the reaction coming from several quarters to what, it must be said are serious difficulties being experienced in Nigeria, must be of concern to every patriot… most of the agitators are often misguided, a few are plainly dubious" he said "one group, for example, is agitating for the abrogation of the 1999 constitution, arguing that it gave far too much powers and resources to the centre, a situation they blame for the endemic corruption and political instability in the country. These groups consist mostly of idealists who cannot wait to see a perfect Nigeria. A second group however wants the country broken up entirely into small, autonomous "ethnic" territories, each to be handed over to tribal leaders with minimal relationship with the rest of the country. Among them are demagogues and other anarchists who will sooner take Nigeria back to the chaos of the 18th century. Yet another splinter group wants the country broken up not into ethnic enclaves but "geo-political" territories, only a shade different from the former but one in which big tribes may swallow up small ones without a challenge. Those promoting this framework are mostly former secessionists who seek to achieve by agitation what they failed to get through war". Proffering solutions, Gowon said, "I must mention a few conditions necessary to keep Nigeriaone now or in the future Nigeriamust be governed on the basis of fairness, justice and the transparent rule of law. Without it, Nigeria stands no chance of surviving even the next general elections". However, General Gowon maintained that, "Nigeria is a living reality. What’s more, the will to keep Nigeria one is as strong as it is unshakeable; a task that must be done by this and succeeding generations".

As the Chairman, Board of Patrons of the ACF, many commentators had labelled him as a regional leader but Gowon viewed his many roles as part of a national duty. As I have opined several times "For Nigeria to be stabilised, Northern Nigeria must be stabilised", "No North, No Nigeria". The complex configurations in the north can result to serious consequences of the emblematic lamentations and ethnocidal echoes of the nation. North’s anarchy can translate into chronic symptoms of the acute disease of the Nigerian state. As a member of the Central Working Committee of ACF, I have viewed his sense of patriotism, humility, diligence and devotion with a wincing envy. When some prominent figures spend much energy in balkanising and fractionalising the North for personal political gains, General Gowon the most prominent, not only in the North but in Nigeria maintained an elegant resolve amidst pressures and blackmail by politicians who thinks he is defaulting.

His humble nature is unprecedented in the history of the nation. Even as the most senior living General he respects even his juniors in the military. In his traditional home-state (Plateau) where the present democratic model was born, democracy was slaughtered on a platter of ethnocide rage through the declaration of a state of emergency. People expected General Gowon to openly challenge the government’s action or make alloyed remarks but Gowon was taciturn throughout the recuperations in the political system whenever he is to talk or act it is always accompanied by good will, joy, happiness, compassion and love. When General Gowon was overthrown in 1975 it was reported that Col. Ojukwu jubilated but when the Shagari’s Government pardoned Gowon, Gowon pleaded with the then President (Shagari) to extend same pardon to his arch-rival (Ojukwu). This is Gowon for you. At the launching of the book "Muhammadu Buhari: the spirit of a man", Gowon, who was the chairman of the occasion engaged Ojukwu in some jokes that had his time moved with new events and trends he would have exploited the technology Americans used to capture Saddam Hussein of Iraq on the rebel leader, Ojukwu - who was in the hall, venue of the launching and the hall went trimmed with laughter. His simplicity is second to none and vital output unendly monumental; General Yakubu Gowon remains the undaunted emancipator of the people from the clutches of disunity, disease, illiteracy and tribalism. At the moment of political crisis, the nation always remember Gowon, typical is the executive - legislature fall-out in which himself and Alhaji Shehu Shagari had to intervene in order to avoid the lingering discord between the Obasanjo-led executive and Anyim-Na’Abba-led legislature. A man known at the international circles as liberal statesman, highly regarded at the national level as a patriot of unimpeachable character, in the North as a bridge - builder along centrifugal forces and at his home state as a custodian of cultures, General Yakubu Gowon’s Sojourn in Wusasa, Zaria has provided a rallying point for differing shades of opinion leaders and academics.

I got close to the family through Chief Daniel Gowon, the late Chief of Wusasa, Zaria(May his soul rest in perfect peace, amen) Daniel Gowon is so fond of me that he likened me to Martin Luther King Jr. The Chief never missed my articles in the national dailies especially my Serious thoughts column of the Hotline Magazine published by Alhaji Hassan Sani Kontagora, Magajin Rafi. Chief Daniel Gowon popularly known as the Garkuwan Gamji introduced me to most members of the Gowon family. It is a family of humble and religious background. That is the family that produced General Yakubu Gowon, the Nigerian’s longest serving military Head of State and Commander-in-chief of the armed forces, an international statesman, Chief Executive of the Yakubu Gowon foundation, a national patriot and a distinguished academic whose sobriquet is ‘Go On With One Nigeria’. Happy birthday to you General Yakubu Gowon, GCFR, Ph. D. May God continue to guide you and protect you for greater challenges in future.