A former military head of state, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, says the leader of the defunct Biafra, the late Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, underestimated him by thinking that he (Gowon) would never go to war.

Gowon, who led Nigerian forces to defeat Ojukwu’s army during the Nigerian civil war from 1967-1970, said this at the Diamond Jubilee Lecture of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria in Lagos on Thursday.

The former head of state said he was known to be a ‘Born Again’ Christian and Ojukwu, who was the then premier of the Eastern Region, thought his region could secede from Nigeria without consequences because he thought Gowon would not want to go to war.

He said, “During the crisis, my colleague and brother, Emeka Ojukwu, said, ‘We know Gen. Gowon, he is a Christian and he would not like to fight. Do you know the first thing he puts in his suitcase? His Bible; and that will make him not to engage in a fight’. I think unfortunately, he was proved wrong.

“As a Christian soldier, it was my duty to keep my country together.”

Gowon said he was happy that the new generation of Nigerian leaders were also putting the unity of Nigeria above their political ambitions.

He said despite the predictions that Nigeria would break up in 2015, the elections went on peacefully.

He also commended President Goodluck Jonathan and the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, for the conduct and outcome of the election.

Gowon commended the church, particularly Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, for its role in nation building.

He said, “During the civil war from 1967-1970, it was the prayers of the people of God and the military that helped to keep the country together. It was God that helped to stem the tide of coups so that we could enjoy democracy today.

“Even when many predicted the break-up of Nigeria by 2015, the effective prayers of the people intervened and the elections were peaceful. As an observer, I was impressed by the turnout and camaraderie of all Nigerians.

“I said if the elections could be this peaceful, the end would be glorious. And didn’t it become glorious? It did by the act of good leadership in both parties and the acceptance of the outcome of the election even though it went against one of them.”

Also speaking, the Vice Chancellor, Mcpherson University, Ogun State, Prof. Adeniyi Agunbiade, said the church must be active in nation building.

He, therefore, urged all Christians to show the world the way.

“The church is more than just buildings and edifices; it is the lifeline of any society. It is a unique solution that should inculcate change. The church plays a very significant role in the society. It is meant to be the salt and light in the society, being the only organisation in the world with such high morality level,” he said.

http://www.punchng.com/news/ojukwu-never-imagined-id-go-to-war-gowon/

All these war lords should stop reopening old wounds...You brag about a nation defeating a clan?? who wouldn't expect that?

Go On With One Nigeria...

The easterners are fond of underating and looking down on others; always believeing that they are superior to others. People like Uwazuruike still hasn't learnt his lessons.

G

olaric:
The easterners are fond of underating and looking down on others; always believeing that they are superior to others. People like Uwazuruike still hasn't learnt his lessons.

I guess this is your own moral of this needless story

Funny enough...the core north used the so called middle belters who are tactically avoiding the term "North-Central" to achieve the civil war campaign.

Shortly, Gowon was dumped by these same fulanis who referred to him as an "infidel".

The same fulani herdsman are reducing their population and occupying their lands in the North Central region today.

What goes around come around.

Gowon is a great leader unlike our OBJ... GEJ my HERO! FAYOSE my ROLE MODEL!!

First of all, i must commend Gowon for keeping Nigeria as one. He is truly a statesman.

Having done that, i think the question of our UNITY must be redefined. In a country where some people think it's their birth right to rule the other; where some thinks that they are doing the other a favor by being united; and where many thinks the unity of this country is like that of a forced marriage, where there is a mutual mistrust amongst the stakeholders behoves any sense of patriotism or unity.

Unfortunately, it only shows how 'far' we've gone as a nation. What a pity!

Waiting for my Chest beating Brodas

parrygee:
Funny enough...the core north used the so called middle belters who are tactically avoiding the term "North-Central" to achieve the civil war campaign.

Shortly, Gowon was dumped by these same fulanis who referred to him as an "infidel".

The same fulani herdsman are reducing their population and occupying their lands in the North Central region today.

What goes around come around.

kpom-kwem

olaric:
The easterners are fond of underating and looking down on others; always believeing that they are superior to others. People like Uwazuruike still hasn't learnt his lessons.

Some people really need to outgrow their chauvinistic mentality, for the good of the nation.

Whhat people refuse to know is that silence is differnt from stupidity...being a christain does not stop you from taking action that is beneficial...Nigeria unity cannot be compromised

He thought, he and his people are the only ones that have monopoly of madness.

Maybe, someone forgot to remind him that the crusaders and Knights Templar were also Christians, but were one of the most ruthless and merciless military machine ever seen.

But he finally fought....he never succeeded in it...let forget it

parrygee:
Funny enough...the core north used the so called middle belters who are tactically avoiding the term "North-Central" to achieve the civil war campaign.

Shortly, Gowon was dumped by these same fulanis who referred to him as an "infidel".

The same fulani herdsman are reducing their population and occupying their lands in the North Central region today.

What goes around come around.

The bottom-line is they were defeated, either it was north central or core north...

Gowon has not come out to condenm the decimation of his ethnic group by fulani herdsmen daily, he should continue to talk like *agbaya* while his people are gradually going into extinction

lolaxavier:
A former military head of state, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, says the leader of the defunct Biafra, the late Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, underestimated him by thinking that he (Gowon) would never go to war.

Gowon, who led Nigerian forces to defeat Ojukwu’s army during the Nigerian civil war from 1967-1970, said this at the Diamond Jubilee Lecture of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria in Lagos on Thursday.

The former head of state said he was known to be a ‘Born Again’ Christian and Ojukwu, who was the then premier of the Eastern Region, thought his region could secede from Nigeria without consequences because he thought Gowon would not want to go to war.

He said, “During the crisis, my colleague and brother, Emeka Ojukwu, said, ‘We know Gen. Gowon, he is a Christian and he would not like to fight. Do you know the first thing he puts in his suitcase? His Bible; and that will make him not to engage in a fight’. I think unfortunately, he was proved wrong.

“As a Christian soldier, it was my duty to keep my country together.”

Gowon said he was happy that the new generation of Nigerian leaders were also putting the unity of Nigeria above their political ambitions.

He said despite the predictions that Nigeria would break up in 2015, the elections went on peacefully.

He also commended President Goodluck Jonathan and the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, for the conduct and outcome of the election.

Gowon commended the church, particularly Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, for its role in nation building.

He said, “During the civil war from 1967-1970, it was the prayers of the people of God and the military that helped to keep the country together. It was God that helped to stem the tide of coups so that we could enjoy democracy today.

“Even when many predicted the break-up of Nigeria by 2015, the effective prayers of the people intervened and the elections were peaceful. As an observer, I was impressed by the turnout and camaraderie of all Nigerians.

“I said if the elections could be this peaceful, the end would be glorious. And didn’t it become glorious? It did by the act of good leadership in both parties and the acceptance of the outcome of the election even though it went against one of them.”

Also speaking, the Vice Chancellor, Mcpherson University, Ogun State, Prof. Adeniyi Agunbiade, said the church must be active in nation building.

He, therefore, urged all Christians to show the world the way.

“The church is more than just buildings and edifices; it is the lifeline of any society. It is a unique solution that should inculcate change. The church plays a very significant role in the society. It is meant to be the salt and light in the society, being the only organisation in the world with such high morality level,” he said.

http://www.punchng.com/news/ojukwu-never-imagined-id-go-to-war-gowon/

Only a fool will look at the state of Nigeria now and be proud of the unity as one nation they have now. Gowon must be so proud of leading a war and being victorious. He does not care whether he is right or wrong by that act of war. What is his definition of Christianity? Doing the right thing or winning wars?
Were his people not agitating for Taroch state after the governorship eluded them several times.

This pride he has is what is killing his people in his local government. They keep bragging of having the latest number of generals like their brother Gowon

When you kill 3 milliion to maintain this monumental shame called Nigeria, and you have the guts to defend your gorry actions in a church as if God and not one Lugard and girlfriend that created Nigeria, you only show how confused you are as a 'christian'. In many instances, Gowon has been all over the east saying 'sorry' as he 'prays' for nigeria and nothing can be funnier than that. You can't say sorry and ask for forgiveness from victims when you never accepted you did anything wrong.. That is just a dramatazation of a very straightforward issue. The east didn't even ask to leave, the east wanted a confederation initially. The same thing singarpore, Malaysia and Brunei decided and followed that ultimately led to the emergence of those very successfull countries. Killing 3 million because they wanted a loose federation is a sort of action you can't defend before God or even any gathering of sane humanity.

B-I-A-F-R-A S-H-A-L-L R-I-S-E A-G-A-I-N-N-N-N!!!!!!


[img]http://i./KRG6XGnCYB0L6.gif[/img]

Never take silence for foolishness.

Na lord luggard I blame For forcing dis country on us And his "LovePeddler" for d name nigeria Nufin lag fit take boast for us, we got waters And we fix dem if naija breaks today *lagos is no manz land If u claiming lagosian, u nid to find ya true home

And for those who always isunuated that Biafra went to war first, there you have it. Gowon started a process of ethnic cleansing of the igbo over an issue that could have been avoided if signed aggrements were adhered to.

ehya

Honestly, I wonder what this man was thinking when he signed the Aburi Accord.

Backing out of this accord led to so many atrocities.

Eugenedimgba:
All these war lords should stop reopening old wounds...You brag about a nation defeating a clan?? who wouldn't expect that?

ojukwu

OduaVanguard:
B-I-A-F-R-A S-H-A-L-L R-I-S-E A-G-A-I-N-N-N-N!!!!!!


[img]http://i./KRG6XGnCYB0L6.gif[/img]

you did realise that KING KONG fell and die the moment he rose to that top, right?

well, u knw the rest of the story

olaric:
The easterners are fond of underating and looking down on others; always believeing that they are superior to others. People like Uwazuruike still hasn't learnt his lessons.

You are brain dead! Thats why cant make a point without showing ur bitterness about the Easterners! Anuofia!
Proudly Nwa afo Ala Igbo!

I wish i was one of the nigeria miitary that fought against ojukwu boyz....despite the fact that i didnt want them in my midst,i will still want to teach them a bitter lesson.......very boastful
Rude,crude,illogical and unreasonable set of people.

Ayus34:
I wish i was one of the nigeria miitary that fought against ojukwu boyz....despite the fact that i didnt want them in my midst,i will still want to teach them a bitter lesson.......very boastful
Rude,crude,illogical and unreasonable set of people.

You wish you were of them?

SLIDEwaxie:
you did realise that KING KONG fell and die the moment he rose to that top, right?

well, u knw the rest of the story

Regardless bros, please let's join hands and support the Biafra movement this time around, for the sake of lasting peace, biko. Plus, the noise making will reduce too.