Gowon Memoir: Jonathan, Sultan, rally Nigerians to preserve history

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Sa’ad Abubakar, and other prominent Nigerian leaders have called for national reconciliation and the preservation of institutional memory.

They made the call on Tuesday in Abuja during the public presentation of former Head of State Yakubu Gowon’s autobiography titled “My Life of Duty and Allegiance”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the gathering drew top government officials, traditional rulers, diplomats, and elder statesmen.

The dignitaries highlighted the importance of leaders documenting their experiences to prevent historical distortion and inspire future generations.

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They also celebrated Mr Gowon’s enduring legacy of unity, humility, and post-civil war reconciliation.

Mr Jonathan, who chaired the event, described the autobiography as a “living testimony” from a leader who steered Nigeria through its most turbulent post-independence chapter.

He noted that Mr Gowon’s magnanimity at the end of the Nigerian Civil War in 1970, famously encapsulated in his “No Victor, No Vanquished” declaration, laid the foundational blocks for national healing, reconstruction, and reintegration.

”As younger generations study our nation’s history, it is important that they hear directly from those who bore the burden of leadership during difficult times.

”Memoirs such as this help preserve institutional memory, deepen public understanding, and enrich the national conversation on governance and leadership,” Mr Jonathan said.

He lamented that valuable chapters of Nigeria’s history are frequently lost because key actors fail to write accounts of their stewardship, and he also indicated that he intends to publish his personal reflections in due course.

”By sharing his story, General Gowon has rendered yet another important service to Nigeria and to the historical record of Africa.

“I believe this is a debt I also owe Nigerians and humanity. Someday, it will be my turn to present personal reflections at a programme like this,” he said.

Corroborating Mr Jonathan’s stance, the Sultan of Sokoto said that writing an autobiography while alive is crucial for safeguarding personal integrity.

”Launching your own biography while you are still alive is one of the most important things to do.

”It is not after someone’s death that people write lies and lies about the person when he is not alive to defend himself.

“We thank Allah, you are alive, and you presented to us your own true words,” the Sultan said.

The royal father described Mr Gowon as an honorary member of the Sultan Abubakar family, commending his lifelong commitment to humility, spirituality, and peace-building between Christians and Muslims.

In his goodwill message, the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, noted that while public infrastructure and state policies inevitably change, a leader’s character remains permanently etched in public memory.

Recalling a personal childhood memory from Kaduna, Mr Sanusi recounted how Mr Gowon, as a sitting head of state, would write affectionate, handwritten letters signed “Uncle Joe” to Yusuf Opam, the young son of his late friend, Col. Opam, who was killed in the 1960s.

”That is a window into the person that you’re dealing with.

“As head of state, commander-in-chief, he would write a handwritten letter to the son of his dead friend, so that the boy would continue to feel he had a father,” the Emir said.

He hailed Mr Gowon as a lasting role model for leadership integrity.

Reviewing the book, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, captured the essence of the work as a masterclass in selfless stewardship.

”If this book achieves anything, let it be to show that public service is never a call to gain glory, but an aspiration to guardianship by those who lead with conscience and conviction,” he said.

While noting that no single autobiography can encapsulate the entirety of history, Kukah urged those who might disagree with the narrative to write their own accounts.

READ ALSO: Kukah recounts Gowon’s post-exile life after ouster from power

”Nobody tells all the truth, because a point of view is a point for review.

“The author has written things as he saw them. And if you respond negatively to autobiography, the answer is go and write your own,” he added.

Earlier, the Group Chief Executive of Hailsham Group and publisher of the memoir, Akogun Adesuyi, warned that nature abhors a vacuum in historical narratives.

”If you do not tell your story, the void will be filled with versions told by persons with vested interest to undermine the essence of all that you embody,” he said.

The event drew top government officials, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, former heads of state, governors, ministers, and members of the diplomatic corps.

(NAN)