As the book, There was a Nigeria, a yet-to-be-released literary work of ace writer, Chinua Achebe continues to raise dust; millions of Nigerians have waded into the matter. While some are condemning the work of art, others are equally giving kudos to the literary doyen for the book, which reportedly accused the late Obafemi Awolowo of the brain behind the pogrom and genocide against the Igbos in 1967-1970.

Registering his comment on the issue, former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd) told Vanguard that he has no regret for the civil war which claimed the lives of many Nigerians, adding that Awolowo was not the cause of the secession and he should not be brought into the controversy

Speaking on Professor Achebe’s latest book, the ex warlord said:“Let me read it first. I’m not in the country now.

Let him check himself and of course on our part, we know that, that was not what we were. That was how we were portrayed but, on our part, we know that was not what we were in our actions and all that.

“But would you please go and ask historians about the beginning of the war rather than for you to ask me to comment about whether Awolowo and I actually had hands in what he is talking about? Go and find out from historians?

Gowon added that: “The historians will tell you the correct story. I am not in Nigeria presently and honestly this is a question that I have had to answer several times. You would have asked them if there was a controversy or whoever did what. Let them do their own interpretation of what happened.”

Asking if the late Awolowo actually fingered the 3-year civil, Gowon who is currently in the shores of England affirmed: “If there was no secession, we wouldn’t have the civil war. Awolowo was not the cause of the secession. Why then are they bringing him into this controversy?

“If there was no secession, there wouldn’t have been the war that we had, which was a very unfortunate situation in the life of Nigeria.
That is the answer that I would give to you about this.”

“You can be rest assured that as far as we are concerned, we did everything that was possible. And we have no cause to regret what we did.

“So, I think whoever is saying what I am now hearing that they are saying, the question is; why are they saying what they are saying now? For what reason are they saying it at this time? He wondered

http://dailypost.com.ng/2012/10/13/civil-war-gowon-says-cause-regret/

Dear Sir,

the circumstances that led to the seccessation then, are still very much around with us today.

Emm, find out from your won people: the Berons!

If an imbecilic dolt such Gowon did not usurp the position of Head of State of Nigeria in 1966, there should not have been a secession talk less a war.

Don't you dare insult Gowon. He is more honourable than most nigerian leaders we had. I have understood from history that he did what needed to be done. Ojukwu was a stubborn, proud man and the blame for the war should be put on him.I assure you that if Ojukwu was made head of state there woouldnt be Biafra.

Gowon does not have to
apologise.The contraption
called one Nigeria is already
hunting his people.His home
state of plateau is the hot bed
of violence in Nigeria.See how his people are constantly been
slaughtered.Is there any other
punishment Greater than
this.The major reason we still
have one Nigeria is because of
crude oil,once oil finish.We will have several Nigeria.

More than 2 million people were lost in the war and this wicked man is telling us that 41 years is enuff to heal the wound and now is bragging to us that "there is no cause to regret". This guy is cold men ,"no regret ". Wow. U see why I dislike religious people. I had that he is a christian. Why am I surprised sef. Can anything good come out of christianity ?


Am tired of all this bull/shyte. Let them split this shi/thole meeehn ,so that we will go our separate ways meeehn. Am not in support of awolowo or ujuwu either. All this eediots spoilt this cuntry,instead of bowing their heads in shame ,they come out in public to spew trash and cause dvision with their unguided public utterance.

Awo ended up d
rinking poison and ojukwu ended up molesting peoples daughter in the name of marriage .these are the crop of past leaders we celebrate in nigeria and we the youth of this stewpid cuntry ought to be ashamed of ourselves cuz most of us reason worst than snail. We are just too slow for my liking

Go to china ,they produce and they export to us "black monkeys". We cannot beat our chest and say we have exported more than importing. We import everything ,as in everything from toothpick to religion. And the worst of it is that we fight every fu/cking day over which of the imported religion is better and greater. How I wish a chinese or an european wuld be fighting an killing themselve over ifa religion and the god of iron. I feel pity for myselve and I feel pity for the intelligent people stuck in this cuntry

Am not a happy man today. I don't like typing but am kinda pushed to type some ish meehn,we shuld make efforts to start getting it right. Why shuld it be some pdp,ac and anpp sh/it. Why can't it be conservative party,democrtic party etc. As in parties that wuld represent ideology instaed party that wuld segregate us by tribe and some bloo/dy imported religion. Gosh

The youth of this failed state has equally failed in their ability to think logically . We discuss and reason based on tribe. Painful I wuld say. And instead of thinking up way to solve our problem ,we spend days fasting and talking to ourselves believing that the problem wuld automatically disappear. Am tired of the youth of this miserable cuntry

I guess the only way this moronic ninny called Gowon will regret the civil war is disintegration of Nigeria. The disintegration of the cesspit called Nigeria will leave Gowon’s people to perpetually fight war of survival with Islamic numbskulls in the northern region of Nigeria.

Dede1: I guess the only way this moronic ninny called Gowon will regret the civil war is disintegration of Nigeria. The disintegration of the cesspit called Nigeria will leave Gowon’s people to perpetually fight war of survival with Islamic numbskulls in the northern region of Nigeria.

I don't wish his people any evil ,I wuldnt want evil to befall his children either .I want to see this guy charged for genocide in the international court of law ,this man is trully evil ,people still discuss and cry for the victims of the first and second world wars in advanced cuntries .here we are deceiving ourselves to let sleeping dog lie. The only way to heal the scars caused by the war is to talk about it critically and apportion blames to those that perpetrated this crime .I don't care who is involved justice shuld be served;be it ojukwu or awolowo

The statement made by this old i/diot shuld be taking seriously ,imagine the rubbish he spewd , 2tommorrow an elderly man wuld be telling me that the youth of nowadys do not have respect ,this mad/man didnot respect the dead by his utterance

My condolence to the families that lost their luvd ones in the war ,on both the biafra and nigeria side. Karma wuld mos def catch up with those that perpetrated this evil act. More than 2 million lives were lost and we are busy living our lives as if nothing happened. Ooohhh. This is toooo painful it brings tears to my eyes. Pls we shuld keep talking about it

Am gonna publish a book very soon titled the mechanism. In this book am gonna address issues affecting the african man.


So sad

Why can't we just bury and forget ashes of the past and commune together on possible ways of forging ahead as one entity.

Chidi4u:
Gowon does not have to apologise.The contraption called one Nigeria is already hunting his people.His home
state of plateau is the hot bed of violence in Nigeria.See how his people are constantly been slaughtered.Is there any other punishment Greater than this.

Correct. Gowon's chickens came home to roost a long time ago. I hear he lives in London, escaping the truth does not change the truth