₦airaland Forum

Why I Congratulated Gen. Gowon at 90

My felicitation with Nigeria’s former military Head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, on his 90th birthday anniversary, which was celebrated by a cross-section of Nigerians, has been received with mixed feelings by some Nigerians, and some have expressed their sentiments publicly, and privately to me.

I share in some of them, and I feel that as a leader in the vanguard of providing direction for our country to shift base away from all our shortcomings, including the issues that caused our avoidable cruel civil war, I needed to show to the World that the ultimate heroism is forgiving the enemy and moving forward.

Indisputably, the darkest part of our 64-year journey as a nation is the 30 months of civil war from 1967 to 1970 and God almighty whose way is not our way must have a reason why he kept the Chief Prosecutor of the war who is General Gowon alive to be 90 years today and the man who saw the end of the war, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to be there at 87 years super-heading all the moves to see a reconciled and just Nigeria.

There was also a developing new spirit why the same country, Nigeria, gave the Biafra leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, a heroic national burial on 2 March 2012, when he joined his ancestors, coincidentally under my tenure as Governor of Anambra state.

The status of the burial given to Dim Ojukwu remains the boldest indication to the World that Nigeria as a country is disposed to moving forward in the spirit of reconciliation.

There are various ways human beings can respond to acts of evil, especially one that claimed millions of lives.

One is the tragedy of revenge, and another offers the hope of forgiveness in an attempt to forget. The latter conforms neatly with the template I adopted in greeting Gen Gowon at 90 years old.

In all my dealings with human beings, I try to be guided by my faith as a Christian in a strong message preached by Jesus Christ himself and underscored in reflections in St Paul’s letter to the Colossians 3:13: “Bear with each other and forgive one another: if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” And to Ephesians 4: 31-32 “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice”

Whatever reason I will give for joining the rest of Nigerians to greet General Gowon, May never truly conform with some persons, especially direct victims of the war, but anger, hurt, and bitterness are the commonest responses to cruelty.

It fuels sectarianism, it leads to resistance and avoidable blood feuds that we are witnessing across the globe, and even in our country and it does not abate.

There is something about forgiveness, it sets the person doing it free. Forgiveness is more a process than an instinct.

It’s hate that has put our society, blessed by God to be the greatest land in the black World, down, but this hate has to stop.

I was under ten years old when the Nigeria/Biafra war started in 1967. Most of my supporters across the country joining me get a new Nigeria were born after the war, and I didn’t feel I should drag them back to the dark side of our history by being unforgiving.

I feel such an act will derail the message of a New Nigeria that we insist is POssible.

‘Must you greet him? Why didn’t you keep quiet?’ some angrily say to me, but that will still be injurious to our journey to a new Nigeria where all political vices, including but not limited to ethnic, religious, bitterness, and regional segregation, are eliminated.

Various personal experiences of victims of injustice across the globe who have chosen to put ugly things behind them visibly demonstrate the transformative power of forgiveness in healing personal and collective wounds.

Peter Obi

No wonder the agulu fraudster is scared to condemn IPOB terrorists and unknown gun men activities in south east

Peter Obi's supporters are the major reason why he would never be allowed to come close to Aso rock as a president. They are just too bitter and toxic

This is total rubbish from him or it is only igbos that’s supporting him

Some Obidients can be too sensitive for my liking.

Obi was just fulfilling all righteousness by felicitating with Gowon and I don’t think anybody should have issues with it.

If anything, Igbos who know history should be thankful to Gowon for how the war ended.

If not for Gowon, the Igbo haters from Awolowo camp and northern Muslims would have overrun the East and raze it ashes just to make sure Igbos never rise again.

It was Gowon’s policy of “No Victor, No Vanquished” that prevented that from happening. And those bloodsucking Igbo haters could only murmur from distance with their teeth all out like a rabid dog tasting for Igbo blood.

It was the anger of not letting Igbos be disappeared from the face of the earth that made Awolowo give every Igbo man 20 pounds after the war irrespective of how much he had in the bank before the war.

So, I understand that Gowon prosecuted the war against Biafra but those who understand leadership would know that Gowon was merely doing his job and not anything personal.

So, enough of the sulking by some Obidients. We can be more reasonable than that.

Man like Peter Obi

Lol

anything for politics ,














we love you
our role model Princess FChukwu

is is too bad to greet and elderly state man

You see why Obidients are different from Tinubu supporters....

Obi will not be doing something wrong like Tinubu is doing and won't be called to order by Obidients, instead Tinubu supporters will ignore the truth and keep supporting Tinubu...

Obituarists got their advices from the upper iweka maaad man

Most of Obidi0ts are fools

Even pity Obi is tired of his mob

You don't have to explain yourself to anyone Sir

Ok

You are a good man.

Ojukwu himself reconciled with Gowon, let's forgive and move on to a new Nigeria.

The 2 main actors of the civil war reconciled while the rest of the spectators are still bearing grudges.

America bombed and wrecked Germany during g WW2 yet both countries are now best of Friends.

Germany Bombed UK to ruin during WW2 yet both countries are now best of friend

America used atomic bomb to decimate Japan Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the scar remains till this day yet both countries are best of friends

Sore loser
Pandora pathological liar Obi is a Conman. The YES DADDY religious fanatical IPOB terrorist cannibal monkey is delusional.
He needs to explain why to his delusional brainwashed rabid cult followers who are mostly asinine and illogical in their shallow reasoning.
Thr Agulu packaged fraudster is still hoping for a political future in 2027. What a waste of time.

Actually, this was very 'unnecessary'.............

ERROR!

Peter Obi should be fighting for Biafra because he will NEVER be President of Nigeria.

You CANNOT want to be President of Nigeria and turn around to call the man who's responsible for the existence of Nigeria as it is an ENEMY.

Plus, talking about FORGIVING said enemy is STUPID.

The birthday wish was PRUDENT and STRATEGIC.
The explanation of the birthday wish is WEAK and STUPID.

Now, he has succeeded in OFFENDING and ALIENATING more people.

His birthday wish TRIGGERED some people.
His explanation and tacit retraction would TRIGGER another set of people.

Peter Obi is NOT a very smart person.

Smart people learn from their mistakes. He has NOT learned that Twitter is NOT real life. The results of the last general election showed that pepple who are LOUD and BOTHERED on social media do NOT necessarily translate to real life.

He should LEARN!

Explanation! Explanation!! Explanation!!!

Omo

He finished Gowon here too.

But at least we can all reconcile

The only thing is can say is "FORGIVE but don't FORGET!!.....

All I know is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and you cannot get to the Father except by HIM. Also there is no repentance in the grave. Repent and accept Jesus Christ today

His lunatics will say he is a friend to all. Obi will be exposed in due time as a desperate power seeking retarded enemy of Igbo aspirations He is ready to support LGBT and change party like diapers to just to have a shot at Aso rock even as vice. This is same man some idiots want to compare with Azikiwe, Michael okpara, Akanu Indian, Ojukwu, Nnamdi kanu, Soludo and Ngige etc These are the men that you are rest assured that Igbo interest and aspirations are represented if kept in one room with Igbo enemies. Nnamdi Kanu has been fighting for Biafra consistently and relentless for over a decade now.

Three political parties and three different positions in ten years, all in failures. A man who rode on the back of Ojukwu's party to prominence is now hailing Gowon for the "heroism" of keeping Nigeria one. The same Gowon UK daily mail listed as one of the greatest mass murderers in recorded history.

Any Igbo person following Peter Obi should have his head examined.

First and foremost, Peter Obi should stop deluding himself into believing he is a nationalist. Based on everything mentioned, it’s clear that the Obidients movement primarily serves an Igbo agenda.

I fail to understand why his supporters are upset with him for simply wishing a former president a happy birthday.

Not moving on is the reason why Gaza is destroyed almost every 10yrs. Accept your defeat, lick your wounds, seek another alternative & move on. You can't continue to fight someone bigger than you just to proof to others you're brave & stand for what you believe

fergie001:
Peter Obi

Obi has no time to bear old grudges against anyone as a good Christian

It was an official felicitation. Just like US did when the President of Iran died.

Yakubu Gowon doesn't need Obi's greeting to get validated.. Gowon's past is far far bigger than Obi's future.

Happy 90th birthday to General Yakubu Gowon, GCFR.. I salute a great man and one of the finest to come out of Nigeria.

yyba:
No wonder the agulu fraudster is scared to condemn IPOB terrorists and unknown gun men activities in south east

Childish talk. Address the issue at stake. Not infantile posturing.

Be mature for once in your comments!

Did Peter Obi address the issue professionally and maturely is what you should ask your self.