• Blames Aburi Accord collapse on Ojukwu’s military autonomy demand
• He didn’t fight for Nigeria’s unity, Igbo women group alleges
Former Nigerian Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), has denied prior knowledge of the July 1966 counter-coup that led to the assassination of then Head of State, Gen. Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, adding that the January 1967 summit in Aburi, Ghana, could have prevented the civil war.
He, however, said the collapse of the Aburi Accord, the last major peace effort before the civil war, was triggered by a demand from the Biafran leader, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu (now the late), for regional control of the military.
Meanwhile, the Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) has criticised Gowon over his recent claim that he fought the civil war to keep Nigeria united. In an interview with Arise TV yesterday, while reflecting on Nigeria’s turbulent past, Gowon recounted that although he had suspicions about growing unrest within the military ranks, he did not receive clear intelligence about the coup on time to avert the crisis.
“I didn’t know about the July counter-coup ahead of time,” Gowon admitted. “When I began to sense something might be wrong, I tried to warn Aguiyi-Ironsi, but it was too late.”
The July 1966 counter-coup, staged predominantly by Northern officers, was a bloody retaliation for the January 1966 coup and ultimately led to the assassination of Aguiyi-Ironsi and then Military Governor of the Western Region, Lt-Col Adekunle Fajuyi, in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Gowon, who was then Chief of Army Staff (COAS), recalled the confusion and fear that enveloped the nation and military leadership then, lamenting that despite his best efforts, the chain of events escalated too quickly.
“When I was informed about Aguiyi-Ironsi’s death, it was a terrible moment for me. I had served under him and respected him. It pained me deeply that we could not stop it,” he said.
Following the counter-coup and a brief power vacuum, Gowon was eventually appointed Head of State, tasked with the arduous responsibility of preventing national disintegration and managing the aftermath of ethnic tension and civil unrest. He defended his post-war policy of “no victor, no vanquished,” saying it was meant to promote unity and healing after the conflict.
Many parts of the country, including the Eastern Region that suffered heavily during the war, he enthused, have since seen progress.
“There is great progress happening in the East. I certainly did not try to stop development. Things are improving as time goes on.
“I want to be remembered as someone who loves his country, Nigeria, who loves Nigerians, who prays; at least if I cannot fight, I pray for Nigeria to continue to be a country that all of us love. I know it is impossible for any country to be absolutely perfect,” Gowon added.
On the Aburi Accord, he said that while both sides had engaged in genuine dialogue during the Aburi summit, the Eastern Region’s insistence on controlling zoned military commands was unacceptable to the Federal Government.
“Although we said the military would be zoned, he wanted those zones to be commanded by the governor. Of course, we did not agree with that one,” he admitted.
Gowon emphasised that the federal delegation never intended the Aburi summit to serve as a platform for constitutional restructuring or military devolution.
“We just went there, as far as we are concerned, to be able to meet as officers, and then to agree to be able to get back home and resolve a problem at home. That was my understanding. But that was not his understanding,” he said.
The former leader also disclosed that he was unwell upon returning from the summit and unable to respond promptly to the terms Ojukwu had announced publicly, which led to confusion. He accused Ojukwu of acting unilaterally by announcing the Accord’s outcome without mutual clarification.
The pan-Igbo women’s organisation urged him to courageously apologise to Ndigbo for what they described as a needless war waged against them, insisting that such an apology is necessary for true healing and reconciliation.
The National President of IWA, Nneka Chimezie, in a statement on Sunday, accused the former military leader of being economical with the truth. Chimezie said: “Even when they declared ‘no victor, no vanquished,’ what did Gowon do to bring about true reconciliation after the war?” she queried. “Till today, have the Igbo not continued to suffer injustice and marginalisation?” she continued.
The group had, last week, challenged Gowon to speak out on all he knew about the civil war and the Aburi Accord he signed with the Biafran leader. She said the counter-coup and the emergence of Gowon as Head of State was confirmation that the desperation to rule Nigeria was Gowon’s real motive for waging the 30-month civil war.
“In military hierarchy, Gowon was not supposed to be Head of State because he wasn’t the most senior officer. Ojukwu was among those who protested against his emergence. During the war, Ojukwu was fighting in defence of his people (Biafrans), who were the targets of pogroms that triggered the conflict. Gowon, on the other hand, was fighting to protect his position.”
