Gen. Yakubu Gowon, the former military leader of Nigeria, has shared the reasons behind his decision not to align with any political party throughout his life.
Speaking on Wednesday in Abuja, the 90-year-old elder statesman addressed members of the League of Northern Democrats (LND), a political group led by former Kano State governor, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau.
Gowon explained that his primary loyalty has always been to Nigeria, not to any political group.
“I have always believed in taking the best from all ideologies, be it socialism, capitalism, or others, and applying them for the greater good,” he said. This belief, he explained, was shaped by his background in the military, where the focus was on serving the nation above all else.
The former Head of State emphasized that differences of opinion are natural but should never divide the country. “I’ve always encouraged others to think beyond regional interests and focus on Nigeria as a whole,” he added, stressing the importance of unity among Nigerians despite their varying views.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s political history, Gowon mentioned how, during his time in government, there was a strong emphasis on considering diverse perspectives while making decisions that would benefit the entire nation. He also spoke about the importance of state creation in Nigeria, explaining that it was designed to prevent any single region from becoming too dominant and threatening the unity of the country.
Gowon explained that the decision to create more states was made after careful consideration of the fears of various regions, particularly the South, who feared the North’s dominance. “If we had allowed it, what would we call ourselves today? We might have ended up with separate nations— whether Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, or otherwise,” he said, stressing that the intention was to prevent Nigeria from breaking apart.
The former military leader also shared his concerns about the current challenges facing the North, such as the rise of extremist groups like the Lukurawa from Mali. He lamented that these groups were worsening the problems in the region.
Gowon’s leadership spanned from 1966 to 1975 when he ruled Nigeria as a military head of state before being ousted by a military junta.
