On June 7, 2025, former military Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, reignited controversy surrounding Nigeria’s brutal Biafra civil war by vehemently denying that the devastating conflict was his choice.
Speaking at the 5th Convention of the Christian Men’s Fellowship, Abuja Anglican Diocese June 7, where he was honored with a Lifetime Integrity and Achievement Award.
Gowon insisted that the war, which raged from July 6, 1967, to January 15, 1970, was a tragic necessity rather than a deliberate act of aggression.
Gowon Denies Responsibility for Civil War Outbreak
He stressed that the civil war was never his personal decision.
“It was not my choice,” he declared emphatically,
“but I had to be there, and had to do what I did in order to keep this country together.”
This statement, delivered to a largely sympathetic audience in Abuja, has nonetheless drawn sharp criticism from many quarters who accuse him of evading accountability for one of Nigeria’s bloodiest chapters.
The former Head of State explained that his decision to prosecute the war was driven by an urgent need to preserve Nigeria’s unity, not by hatred or ethnic animosity.
“It was never a hatred against any people, I can assure you,” he said, seeking to distance himself from accusations of ethnic bias and brutality that marked the conflict.
The Civil War Period Was Described as the Most Difficult of Gowon’s Life
The civil war years were described by Gowon as the most difficult period of his life, a time marked by immense personal and national tragedy.
Yet, many Nigerians, especially from the Igbo ethnic group, have viewed his leadership during the war as deeply divisive and responsible for untold suffering, starvation, and displacement.
Gowon’s assertion that the war was a reluctant necessity has been challenged by historians and survivors who argue that political miscalculations, ethnic tensions, and military aggression all played roles in escalating the conflict.
Critics contend that Gowon’s government was responsible for policies and military actions that prolonged the war and worsened humanitarian crises.
In a bid to heal old wounds, Gowon called for forgiveness, reconciliation, and unity across faiths and ethnicities.
“As far as this heart is concerned, everything that I do, it is through prayers,” he said, emphasizing that his post-war decisions have been guided by a desire to act with integrity and compassion.
He urged Nigerians to embrace the principle of “no victor, no vanquished,” suggesting that the country must move beyond the bitterness of the past to build a united future.
However, this message has been met with skepticism by those who feel that genuine reconciliation requires more than words, it demands justice, acknowledgment of past atrocities, and reparations.
Gowon’s leadership during the civil war has been subjected to intense scrutiny, with many accusing him of authoritarianism and suppressing dissent.
The war itself was marked by widespread famine, mass casualties, and alleged war crimes, including blockades that starved millions in Biafra.
Despite Gowon’s claims of acting out of necessity, the civil war is often remembered as a catastrophic failure of leadership and political will, with long-lasting scars on Nigeria’s national psyche.
The former Head of State’s recent remarks have reignited debates over historical accountability and the need for a more honest reckoning with the past.
Is Gowon’s Denial an Attempt to Rewrite History?
Many Nigerians and historians have accused Gowon of attempting to rewrite history by downplaying his government’s role in the conflict.
His insistence that the war was not his choice has been criticized as an evasion of responsibility that glosses over the complex causes and consequences of the war.
Survivors and descendants of victims have demanded a more candid admission of mistakes and a formal apology, arguing that true national healing cannot occur without confronting uncomfortable truths.
His framing of the war as a reluctant necessity has been called a convenient narrative that absolves leadership of accountability.
Reflecting on his life after the war, he stated that his actions have been shaped by prayer and a commitment to doing what he believes is right.
“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,” he said.
Yet, many Nigerians question whether such spiritual justifications can compensate for the tangible human cost of the war, which left an estimated one to three million dead and millions more displaced.
The legacy of the conflict continues to fuel ethnic tensions and political divisions in Nigeria today.
His statement sparks renewed debate on Nigeria’s Civil War Legacy have reopened old wounds and sparked renewed controversy over Nigeria’s civil war legacy.
While Gowon has defended his actions as necessary and devoid of hatred, many Nigerians remain unconvinced, demanding deeper accountability and reconciliation.
As Nigeria continues to grapple with ethnic and regional tensions, Gowon’s refusal to fully acknowledge the complexities and failures of his wartime leadership may hinder efforts to build lasting peace.
The civil war’s shadow still looms large, and the debate over its causes and consequences remains as contentious as ever.
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