Former Nigerian Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has opened up about the heavy burden of leadership thrust upon him at just 31, following the bloody 1966 counter-coup and the assassination of General Aguiyi-Ironsi.
In an interview with Arise News, monitored by The News Chronicle on Wednesday, Gowon recounted the chaos of the era and his unexpected rise to power amid a deeply divided nation. “I was not trained to rule,” he admitted, “but my upbringing, military training, and sense of duty prepared me to manage the situation as best as I could.”
Gowon denied prior knowledge of the July 1966 coup that toppled Ironsi, saying he only learned of the mutiny through early-morning calls from Abeokuta. “By the time I tried to intervene, it was already too late,” he recalled.
He explained that his elevation to head of state was driven by fellow officers who believed he could unite the fractured military, despite being junior to some in rank. “They trusted me to stabilise the country,” he said.
On the creation of 12 states from the original four regions, Gowon clarified it wasn’t a unilateral decision. “It was a response to people’s wishes after the 1966 crisis,” he said, citing growing demands from ethnic minorities for autonomy.
Addressing the 1966 anti-Igbo pogroms in the north, Gowon said the military tried to contain the violence but struggled as tensions spiraled beyond control. “I called leaders to stop the killings. I told soldiers it was not their role to allow civilians to be harmed,” he said.
Gowon concluded by crediting Nigeria’s survival in the 1960s to collective effort, humility, and a willingness to listen.
“It wasn’t about individual brilliance,” he said. “It was about adapting together in tough times.”
