Yakubu Gowon

**Yakubu Gowon: Biography of a Former Nigerian Head of State** **Early Life and Education** General Yakubu Gowon GCFR, often referred to by the nickname "Jack," was born on October 19, 1934, in Kanke, located in what is now Plateau State, Nigeria. His father was an early convert to Christianity. Gowon grew up in Zaria, where he attended school and demonstrated remarkable athletic abilities, excelling as a football goalkeeper, pole vaulter, long-distance runner, and boxing captain. His formal military education began in 1954. He attended the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom, followed by the Staff College, Camberley, and the Joint Staff College, Latimer. **Career Progression and Rise to Power** Gowon began his military career in the Nigerian Army in 1954. His early service included participation in the Congo Crisis. By January 1966, he had achieved the rank of Chief of Army Staff under Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, Nigeria’s first military head of state following the 1966 coup. His ascent to power came in July 1966 after a counter-coup staged by northern officers, following which Aguiyi-Ironsi was assassinated. Lieutenant Colonel Gowon emerged as the compromise head of the new government, cementing military rule in Nigeria. He ruled as Head of State and Federal Commissioner of Defence from 1966 to 1975, the longest continuous period for any Nigerian head of state. He was promoted to the rank of General. **Major Achievements and Notable Works** Gowon’s tenure was dominated by his efforts to preserve Nigeria’s unity amidst severe ethnic and political tensions. A defining event was the Nigerian Civil War (also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War) from 1967 to 1970, which resulted from the secession of the Eastern region as the Republic of Biafra. Gowon successfully led the Federal Republic of Nigeria to victory, concluding the war abruptly in January 1970. A major achievement of his administration was the post-war policy of "no victor, no vanquished," which helped reconcile the former Biafran states and reintegrate them into Nigeria. He is credited with attempting to resolve the ethnic tensions that threatened to divide the country. His government also initiated significant development projects following the oil boom. **Overthrow and Current Status** In 1974, Gowon postponed the planned return to civilian rule from 1976. This decision led to his overthrow in a bloodless coup d’état by Brigadier Murtala Mohammed in July 1975. Following his removal from office, Gowon went into exile in the United Kingdom. During this time, he pursued further education, earning a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Warwick in 1983. Upon his return to Nigeria, Gowon attained the status of an elder statesman and became a professor of political science at the University of Jos in the mid-1980s. He remains a respected figure in Nigerian politics and is actively involved in philanthropic and peace-building initiatives. His main residence is often cited as being on the border of north London and Hertfordshire in the UK.