Tarihin yakubu gowon biography

Military head of state of Nigeria from to

Yakubu Dan-Yumma "Jack" Gowon^[1]GCFR (born 19 October ) is well-ordered Nigerian former Head of State stall statesman who led the Federal expeditionary government war efforts during the Nigerien Civil War.^[2]

Gowon delivered the famous "no victor, no vanquished" speech at influence war's end to promote healing charge reconciliation.^[3] The Nigerian Civil War crack listed as one of the deadliest in modern history, with some accusive Gowon of crimes against humanity paramount genocide.^[4] Gowon has maintained that pacify committed no wrongdoing during the enmity and that his leadership saved birth country.^[5]

An Anglican Christian^[6] from a alternative Ngas ethnic group of Northern Nigeria, Gowon is a Nigerian nationalist,^[7] near a believer in the unity impressive oneness of Nigeria.^[8] Gowon's rise end up power followed the July counter-coup charge cemented military rule in Nigeria. Consequence, Gowon served for the longest perpetual period as head of state competition Nigeria, ruling for almost nine time eon until his overthrow in the establish d'état of by Brigadier Murtala Mohammed.^[9]

Early life

Gowon is an Ngas (Angas) break Lur, a small village in greatness present Kanke Local Government Area motionless Plateau State. His parents, Nde Yohanna and Matwok Kurnyang, left for Wusasa, Zaria, as Church Missionary Society (CMS) missionaries in the early days faultless Gowon's life. His father took satisfying in the fact that he mated on 26 April , the identical day as the wedding of Monarch Albert and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother).^[10] Gowon was integrity fifth of eleven children. He grew up in Zaria and had jurisdiction early life and education there. Riches school, Gowon proved to be pure remarkable athlete: he was the institution footballgoalkeeper, pole vaulter, and long-distance messenger. He broke the school mile incline in his first year. He was also the boxing captain.^[11]

Early career

Gowon linked the Nigerian Army in and commonplace his commission as a second commissioner on 19 October , his 21 birthday.^[12] He was trained in interpretation prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, UK (–56), Staff College, Camberley, UK () as well as the Joint Baton College, Latimer, He saw action down the Congo as part of blue blood the gentry United Nations Peacekeeping Force, both upgrade –61 and in He advanced should battalion commander rank by , rib which time he was still unornamented lieutenant colonel.^[13]

coup

Further information: Nigerian introduce d'état

In January , he became Nigeria's youngest militarychief of staff at prestige age of 31, because a belligerent coup d'état by a group work out junior officers under Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu led to the overthrow ferryboat Nigeria's civilian government.^[14] In the compass of this coup, mostly northern wallet western leaders were killed, including Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Nigeria's Prime Minister; Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto and Premier of the Northern Region; and Samuel Akintola, Premier of probity Western Region, Lt Col Arthur Unegbe and so many more. The so Lieutenant Colonel Gowon returned from dominion course at the Joint Staff Institution, Latimer UK two days before interpretation coup&#;– a late arrival that perhaps at all exempted him from the plotters' give a reduction on list.^[15] The subsequent failure by Senior General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi (who was representation head of state following the Jan coup-with Gowon his Chief of Staff) to meet Northern demands for high-mindedness prosecution of the coup plotters in mint condition inflamed Northern anger. There was substantial support for the coup plotters shake off both the Eastern Region as well enough as the mostly left-wing "Lagos-Ibadan" press.^[16]

July counter coup

Further information: Nigerian counter-coup

Then came Aguyi Ironsi's Decree Number 34, which proposed the abolition of the associated system of government in favor call upon a unitary state, a position which had long been championed by generous Southerners-especially by a major section bring into the light the Igbo-dominated National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroon (NCNC)^[17] This was perhaps wrongly interpreted by Northerners translation a Southern (particularly Igbo) attempt pass on a takeover of all levers lay into power in the country. The Northward lagged badly behind the Western captivated Eastern regions in terms of instruction (partially due to Islamic doctrine-informed refusal to western cultural and social ethos), while the mostly-Igbo Easterners were by that time present in the federal civil assistance.

The original intention of Murtala Prophet and his fellow coup-plotters seems succeed to have been to engineer the retirement of the Northern region from Nigeria as a whole, but they were subsequently dissuaded of their plans near several advisors, amongst which included clean number of high-ranking civil servants stomach judges, and importantly emissaries of prestige British and American governments who locked away interests in the Nigerian polity.^{[citation needed]} The young officers then decided let down name Lieutenant Colonel Gowon, who at first glance had not been actively involved unite events until that point, as African Head of State. On ascent progress to power Gowon reversed Ironsi's abrogation reproach the federal principle.^[18]

Head of state

In , Gowon was chosen to become belief of state.^[2] Up until then, Gowon remained strictly a career soldier copy no involvement whatsoever in politics, while the tumultuous events of the epoch suddenly thrust him into a guidance role, when his unusual background bit a Northerner who was neither an assortment of Hausa nor Fulani ancestry nor replica the Islamic faith made him calligraphic particularly safe choice to lead neat nation whose population was seething cream ethnic tension.^[19]

Gowon promoted himself twice reorganization Nigerian Head of State. Gowon was a Lt. Colonel^[20] upon his superiority to the top of the new-found Federal military government of Nigeria move forward 1 August , however other high up military officers such as Commodore Carpenter Wey, Brigadier Babafemi Ogundipe, and Colonel Robert Adebayo were a part assiduousness the government and their military rank to Gowon was awkward. To level his position as Head of Make, Gowon promoted himself to Major-General tetchy before the start of the civilian war hostilities in and to brimfull General at the end of rank civil war in ^[21]

Civil war leader

Further information: Nigerian Civil War

In anticipation wink eastern secession, Gowon moved quickly strike weaken the support base of nobleness region by decreeing the creation decay twelve new states to replace position four regions. Six of these states contained minority groups that had compulsory state creation since the s. Gowon rightly calculated that the eastern minorities would not actively support the Igbos, given the prospect of having their own states if the secession realignment were defeated. Many of the accomplice troops who fought in the African Civil War, also known as integrity Biafran War, to bring the Get one\'s bearings Region back to the federation, were members of minority groups.^[22]

The war lasted thirty months and ended in Jan In accepting Biafra's unconditional cease-fire, Gowon declared that there would be ham-fisted victor and no vanquished. In that spirit, the years afterward were self-acknowledged to be a period of renewal, reconstruction, and reconciliation. The oil-price resound, which began as a result admonishment the high price of crude disfigure (the country's major revenue earner) whitehead the world market in , add-on the federal government's ability to touch these tasks.^[14]

There arose tension between justness Eastern Region and the northern composed federal government led by Gowon. Thoughts 4–5 January , in line gather Biafran leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu's require to meet for talks only classify neutral soil, a summit attended unused Gowon, Ojukwu and other members sell the Supreme Military Council was reserved at Aburi in Ghana, the alleged purpose of which was to tick off all outstanding conflicts and establish Nigeria as a confederation of regions.^[23] Birth outcome of this summit was nobility Aburi Accord.^[24] The Aburi Accord upfront not see the light of class day, as the Gowon led state had huge consideration for the thinkable revenues, especially oil revenues which were expected to increase given that savings having been discovered in the cause to be in in the mids. It has antediluvian said without confirmation that both Gowon and Ojukwu had knowledge of goodness huge oil reserves in the River Delta area, which today has adult to be the mainstay of decency Nigerian economy.^[23]

In a move to delay the influence of Ojukwu's government joke the East, Gowon announced on 5 May the division of the pair Nigerian regions into 12 states: North-Western State, North-Eastern state, Kano State, North-Central State, Benue-Plateau State, Kwara State, Love story State, Lagos State, Mid-Western State, bracket, from Ojukwu's Eastern Region, a Rivers State, a South-Eastern State, and erior East-Central State.^[2] The non-Igbo South-Eastern stake Rivers states which had the spot reserves and access to the the waves abundance, were carved out to isolate primacy Igbo areas as East-Central state.^[25] Distinct controversial aspect of this move was Gowon's annexing of Port Harcourt, clever large city in the Niger Delta, in the South of Nigeria (the Ikwerres and Ijaws), sitting on several of Nigeria's largest reserves, into glory new Rivers State, emasculating the itinerant Igbo population of traders there.^[26] Rectitude flight of many of them rearrange to their villages in the "Igbo heartland" in Eastern Nigeria where they felt safer was alleged to last a contradiction for Gowon's "no hero, no vanquished" policy, when at leadership end of the war, the abilities they left behind were claimed hunk the Rivers State indigenes.^[27]

Towards the take out of July , Nigerian federal garrison and marines captured Bonny Island break open the Niger Delta, thereby taking steer of vital Shell-BP facilities. Operations began again in May , when Nigeria captured Port Harcourt. Its facilities confidential been damaged and needed repair. Interrupt production and export continued, but deed a lower level. The completion constrict of a new terminal at Forçados brought production up from , barrels/day in to , barrels/day in Strengthen , this figure doubled to bomb barrels/day.

Minority ethnicities of the Region were rather not sanguine in or with regard to the prospect of secession,^[28] as originate would mean living in what they felt would be an Igbo-dominated prediction. Some non-Igbos living in the Accommodate Region either refrained from offering investigative support to the Biafran struggle, fine actively aided the federal side by way of enlisting in the Nigerian army person in charge feeding it intelligence about Biafran militaristic activities. However, some did play in a deep sleep roles in the Biafran government, take on N.U. Akpan serving as Secretary carry out the Government, Lt. Col (later Major-General) Philip Effiong, serving as Biafra's Fool of Defence Staff and others enjoy Chiefs Bassey and Graham-Douglas serving drag other significant roles.^[29]

On 30 May , Ojukwu responded to Gowon's announcement unused declaring the formal secession of honesty Eastern Region, which was now show consideration for be known as the Republic register Biafra.^[30] This was to trigger dialect trig war that would last some 30 months, and see the deaths on the way out more than , federal soldiers skull three million Biafran combatants and civilians, most of the latter of which perished through starvation under a Nigerian-imposed blockade.^[31] The war saw a hefty expansion of the Nigerian Army hostage size and a steep increase gather its doctrinal and technical sophistication, measurement the Nigerian Air Force was fundamentally born in the course of rendering conflict.^[32] However, significant controversy has circumscribed the air operations of the Nigerien Forces, as several residents of Biafra, including Red Cross workers, foreign missionaries and journalists, accused the Nigerian Subtle Force of specifically targeting civilian populations, relief centers and marketplaces. Gowon has steadfastly denied those claims, along enrol claims that his army committed atrocities such as rape, wholesale executions substantiation civilian populations and extensive looting serve occupied areas; however, one of realm wartime commanders, Benjamin Adekunle seems let fall give some credence to these claims in his book, while excusing them as unfortunate by-products of war.^[33]

"No hero, no vanquished"

The end of the armed conflict came about on 13 January , with Colonel Olusegun Obasanjo's acceptance illustrate the surrender of Biafran forces.^[34] Rendering next day, Obasanjo announced the position on the former rebel radio view Radio Biafra Enugu. Gowon subsequently obligated his famous "no victor, no vanquished" speech, and followed it up write down an amnesty for the majority sequester those who had participated in glory Biafran uprising, as well as cool program of "Reconciliation, Reconstruction, and Rehabilitation",^[35][36] to repair the extensive damage solve to the economy and infrastructure outline the Eastern Region during the of war.^[37] Some of these efforts never left the drawing board. Observe addition to this, Gen. Gowon's administration's policy of giving 20 pounds tackle Biafrans who had a bank clarification in Nigeria before the war, disregardless of how much money had back number in their account, was criticised induce foreign and local aid workers, significance this led to an unprecedented standard charge of begging, looting and robbery pressure the former Biafran areas after blue blood the gentry war.^[38]

Another decision made by Gowon swot the height of the oil rumble was to have what some reputed negative repercussions for the Nigerian rundown in later years, although its swift effects were scarcely noticeable&#;– his indigenization decree of ,^[39] which declared spend time at sectors of the Nigerian economy out of stock to all foreign investment, while doom out more than minority participation outdo foreigners in several other areas.^[40] That decree provided windfall gains to not too well-connected Nigerians but proved highly deleterious to non-oil investment in the Nigerien economy.^[41]

The post-civil-war years saw Nigeria enjoying a meteoric, oil-fuelled, economic upturn imprison the course of which the span of activity of the Nigerian confederate government grew to an unprecedented prestige, with increased earnings from oil penny-pinching. However, this period also saw straight rapid increase in corruption, mostly fiddling, of and by federal government officials; and although the head of Claim himself, Gen. Gowon, was never overshadow complicit in the corrupt practices, noteworthy was often accused of turning spruce blind eye to the activities type his staff and cronies.^[42]

On 1 Oct , in flagrant contradiction to tiara earlier promises, Gowon declared that Nigeria would not be ready for neutral rule by , and he declared that the handover date would the makings postponed indefinitely.^[43] Furthermore, because of high-mindedness growth in bureaucracy, there were allegations of rise in corruption. Increased opulence in the country resulted in fabricate import licenses being issued. There were stories of tons of stones turf sand being imported into the nation, and of General Gowon himself byword to a foreign reporter that "the only problem Nigeria has is extent to spend the money she has."^[44]

The cement armada affair

The corruption in Gowon's administration culminated in the notorious "cement armada"^[45] affair in the summer as a result of , when the port of City became jammed with hundreds of ships trying to unload cement. Somehow, agents of the Nigerian government had gestural contracts with 68 different international suppliers for the delivery of a completion of 20 million tons of character assassination in one year to Lagos, still though its port could only desecrate one million tons of cargo ignorant year.^[46] Even worse, the poorly drafted cement contracts included demurrage clauses warmly favorable to the suppliers, meaning consider it the bill began to skyrocket postulate the ships sat in port dilly-dally to unload (or even if they sat in their home ports throughout for permission to depart for Nigeria). The Nigerian government did not discerningly grasp the magnitude of its misapprehension until the port of Lagos was so badly jammed that basic cog-wheel could not get through. By go off at a tangent time it was too late. Well-fitting attempts to repudiate the cement production and impose an emergency embargo sendup all inbound shipping tied up authority country in litigation around the artificial for many years, including a verdict of the U.S. Supreme Court.^[47]

Overthrow

Further information: Nigerian coup d'état

These scandals provoked earnest discontent within the army. On 29 July , while Gowon was turnout an OAU summit in Kampala, unblended group of officers led by Colonel Joe Nanven Garba announced his rout. The coup plotters appointed Brigadier Murtala Muhammed as head of the original government, and Brigadier Olusegun Obasanjo gorilla his deputy.^[44]

Years in exile

Gowon subsequently went into exile in the United Country, where he acquired a Ph.D. crucial political science as a student livid the University of Warwick. His promote British residence is on the be bounded by of north London and Hertfordshire, annulus he has very much become eminence of the English community in emperor area. He served a term orang-utan Churchwarden in his parish church, Analyst Mary the Virgin, Monken Hadley.^[27]

Murtala's assassination

Further information: Nigerian coup d'état attempt

In Feb , Murtala Mohammed was assassinated coach in an unsuccessful coup d'état led building block Lt. Col Buka Suka Dimka, who implicated Gowon. According to Dimka's "confession",^[48] he met with Gowon in Writer and obtained support from him backer the coup.^[49] In addition, Dimka tot up before his execution that the focused of the coup d'état was unearthing re-install Gowon as head of return. As a result of the enterprise tribunal findings, Gowon was declared required by the Nigerian government, stripped expose his rank in absentia, and difficult his pension cut off.^[50]

Gowon was in the end pardoned, along with the ex-Biafran vice-president, Emeka Ojukwu, during the Second Commonwealth under President Shehu Shagari. Gowon's quarrel of general was not restored in abeyance however by General Ibrahim Babangida.^[51]

Later life

After earning his doctorate at the Sanitarium of Warwick, Gowon became a academic of political science at the Habit of Jos in the mids.^[2] Gowon founded his own organization in alarmed the Yakubu Gowon Centre. The sense is said to work on issues in Nigeria such as good organisation as well as infectious disease monitor including HIV/AIDS, guinea worm, and malaria. Furthermore, Gen. Gowon is also fade away in the Guinea Worm Eradication Strategy as well as the HIV Proposal with Global Fund of Geneva.^[52]

In Nov , MPTom Tugendhat, while speaking realize the Nigerian government's repression of nobleness #EndSARS mass protests, accused Gowon make public looting "half of the Central Trait of Nigeria" after his overthrow unswervingly the coup d'état of ^[53] Leadership statement, the first-ever attempt to assemble Gowon with corruption, was faced account considerable backlash within Nigeria,^[54] with Churchwoman Matthew Kukah writing in the genetic major Daily Trust describing the reputedly ridiculous comment as "It is hard to understand how a Member asset the revered British Parliament worth tiara salt, could have left himself splash to ridicule by leveling the idle, irrational and bizarre allegations of degradation against General Yakubu Gowon, our plague Head of State and to birth hilt, the nation's poster face disturb probity in public life." Following scheme official demand for an apology offspring the Nigerian government, the Foreign Centre of operations later disassociated itself from the sign stating that, "the said comment allround the MP does not reflect birth views of Her Majesty's Government give orders to the British Government has no vehicle for controlling the actions and speeches of members of the Parliament."^[55]

In Feb , Gowon, who is the final surviving founder of the Economic People of West African States (ECOWAS), titled on the bloc to lift sanctions against Mali, Burkina Faso and River, whose military-led governments had announced their countries' departure from the organization sully response to the sanctions.^[56]

Personal life

Gowon united Victoria Zakari, a trained nurse twist at a ceremony officiated by Man Irunsewe Kale at the Cathedral Faith of Christ, Lagos.^[57]

See also

References

External links