Former military Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon has said the Biafra civil war was never his choice.
Gowon was presiding over the affairs of Nigeria during the civil war from July 6, 1967 to January 15, 1970.
The former ruler spoke after he was honoured with a Life Time Integrity and Achievement Award at the 5th Convention of the Christian Men’s Fellowship, Abuja Anglican Diocese on Saturday in Abuja. …CONTINUE READING
He described the civil war as the most difficult period of his life.
He also disclosed that his decision to prosecute the Biafra civil war was never born out of hatred.
Gowon explained that he prosecuted the civil war due to the urgency to preserve national unity.
The former ruler called for forgiveness, reconciliation and unity across faiths and ethnicities.
He said: “I always remember the civil war. It was the most difficult period of my life.
“It was not my choice, but I had to be there, and had to do what I did in order to keep this country together.
“It was never a hatred against any people, I can assure you.”
Reflecting on life after that period, the former Head of State stressed that his decisions had often been guided by prayers and a desire to act with integrity and compassion.
“As far as this heart is concerned, everything that I do, it is through prayers.
“I ask God to help me to do the right thing the way He thinks it should be done, with love and respect for all the people.
“That is why at the end, what do we have to say? As they say: no victor, no vanquished,” he added.
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Ojukwu told him that he will be alive to witness mascara of his people in his very own eyes, now the blood flow in ìgbo land that he led the troops is now flowing in his very own state under his watch.
The civil war led by Gawon’s military regime was meant for National unity and of course the Nigeria kept united through the measures taken by Gen.Gawon
War or no war, it’s a story for another day. However, if we fight a war that has a justified reason and just course,it may sound reasonable, because we can disagree to come into agreement at the end. But today genocide is going on in the name of religion, ethnicity and reasons we can not explain.
Tell me what are the reasons for all the killings, kidnapping etc.
Division across lines. Division for what l call “divide and rule.” reason with me.
So till today is Nigeria united together ??
The thing is that, the Igbos has been discriminated, treated as an aliens in the so called country you wanted to unite together.
However, all this started and caused by you, you should find a way to fix this and free the Igbo
Sir, indeed, you owe the Igbos no apology, neither, are they expecting any from you. However, you can as well agree with me here that your people are suffering it the more today.
Hear me, Sir, if care is not, so it shall continue, the ending of killings going on in your place is not in sight until you do the needful.
Thanks
National unity is not yet achieved. So the war failed. Stop repeating irritating statement.
Today Nigerians are being killed. Nigerians shall never unite in this current Nigeria and the fear if revenge will keep motivating killers to keep killing because if they stop, their victims shall rise and brutally avenge the killings of their loved ones. So it is never gonna stop. Those who Wanna rule others will keep trying to snatch and retain power for life. They are feeling like others will use the power to hurt them as they had hurt others. So this struggle within struggle will never make peace and unity possible. Enough of this deception.
Old age is disturbing Yakubu Gowon wh I believe is that the evil Men do live with them not after them he’s now seeing the Nigeria he fought for. I prayed that God should give him many more years to leave and witness more of things that are happening in the country .
Gen. Gowon was never the cause of that war. Gen. Gowon try to all the possible means not to prosecute the war, but couldn’t prevent it. Col
Ojukwu had for the long time, even while the supreme commander, Gen. Ironsi, was still in power, Col. Ojukwu has continued to warn him for his closeness to the north as that was against his secret plan to take the Igbos out of Nigeria. So, the plan started before Gen. Gowon came to power, it only became of him to be the one to prosecute the, even though it was not his will to do that. I think we should be concentrating on values that bind us more than happenings of the past that are dividing us
you are talking trash, go and read your history and stop blaming ojukwu.
National unity is not yet achieved. So the war failed. Stop repeating irritating statement.
Today Nigerians are being killed. Nigerians shall never unite in this current Nigeria and the fear of revenge will keep motivating killers to keep killing because if they stop, their victims shall rise and brutally avenge the killings of their loved ones. So it is never gonna stop. Those who Wanna rule others will keep trying to snatch and retain power for life. They are feeling like “others will use the power” to hurt them as they had hurt others before now. So this struggle within struggle will never make peace and unity possible. Enough of this deception.
yes you have no apologies to the igbos, the fulanis have used u now they are paying you back very soon the battalion attached to you will be withdrawed from you,u now witness genocide rained on the igbos good morning
What of the 20 pounds giving to every igbo person,what have you to say about it,
Their thoughts was to wipe off the igbos from Nigeria, but they are amazed with the multiplication of igbos he is now talking nonsense, since their stupid mind was to unite nigerians, so haven’t they been seeing the happenings since then has he been able to speak against the evil melted on igbos? so mr oga gowon just wait for God’s recompense.
Nigeria is United right? Good. Watch and see your people dies like mosquito. May you live long and experience more death of your people
Now fulanis are paying you back for your good work, that’s the best reward for keeping the national unity
Nigeria can never be united again
Gen Gowon under your watch igbos are killed like animals in the north even spreading to south west before the onset of the war but you couldn’t act cos hatred and the believe that the first military coup d’etat that’ prominent northern politians we’re killed are Igbo coup. Your apology is not needed for it will not bring back millions life of igbos lost during the war. That unity you fought for. Can you beat your chest today and say, there’s unity It’s quite clear today that no unity in Nigeria. Your claim to help sustain and maintain Nigeria unity in reality is falasy.
We are all so funny.
The man is entitled to his opinion and he did what he thought and still think is right.
Now to those of us saying Northerners are dying like fowl pls show me one part or region in Nigeria not affected by banditry.
I think it’s high time we let the past be in the past. We must move on if we are to progress as a nation. If you are happy today that someone from another region is being killed watch out because that spread like a wild fire.
Some of us here saying whatever we feel like probably know little or nothing about the whole thing.
You sound like you understand, but you’re far from the truth and reality. You can’t move on. Nigeria has refused to move on, because it’s impossible. Healings for genocide is deep and that’s why Mr Gowon can’t stop talking about it. He will continue talking about it to his grave. People are dying everywhere, but you guys would have wished it should only in Igbo land. Let’s continue in the mode.
Gowon signed an accord that was meant to prevent the war. Both the south and north would have lived on the own and perhaps today, we would still have been trading together peacefully. Why did he go back on it? When the killing of civilians and even his fellow soldiers that were Igbos in the north was going on was he still not the man with the mantle? He should live longer and watch helplessly, the massacre of his kins men.
Why is General Gowon still dwelling in the past leaving the evil that bedeviled Nigerians now. As an elderly statesman, can he and other elderly statemen find a lasting solution to these bloodbath everyday in almost all parts of Nigeria. 1967 to 1970 has gone and is no longer new but a history. It is left you and other elderly statemen and the government to protect the people who look up to you as their father and sto opening up old wounds.
Akụkọ onye ara. A man who abandoned his own origine and teamed up with his own enemies to fight against his own people (his bloodline) just because of his own personal selfish interest, is now apologizing? apologizing for exactly what?
I wish he’ll tell his family members and also the people of his adopted State exactly where he came from.
He’s just rendering a deceitful apology to the Igbos, the same people he abandoned and made himself an Hausa man in the name of being an Army General. What a medicine after death!
He should waybilled himself and his family members back to their origine before it’s too late. We don’t accept his evil and treacherous apology. Nonsense.