ON this auspicious occasion, my family and I extend very happy felicitations to our former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, psc, jssc, idc, GCFR, on the occasion of his ninetieth birthday. Our paths first crossed in August, 1960 when I was instructed to report at the 4th battalion, Nigeria Army, Letmauck Barrack, Mokola, Ibadan to the then Captain Yakubu Gowon who was the Adjutant of the battalion. He was instructed to make all arrangements for my journey to the Nigeria Army Training School, Zaria to enable me begin my initial training as a cadet officer and further training as a cadet officer at Mons Officer’s Cadet School at Aldershort in the UK.
Even in these early days, Captain Gowon showed poise and exuded charm. More interaction was to follow when I was posted to the Nigerian Army Headquarters as Deputy Quartermaster-General to the then Lieutenant-Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu. At that time, Yakubu Gowon, now a Lieutenant-Colonel was the Adjutant-General of the Nigerian Army. Again, here, he displayed splendid talents. He was disciplined, organized and exemplary. At the onset of the Nigerian civil war, I served as Quartermaster-General of the Nigerian Army under Colonel Yakubu Gowon who was now the Chief of Staff and I remained in that capacity when he became Nigeria’s Head of State. My office as Quartermaster-General was singularly responsible for the provision of all the logistics support to prosecute the civil war. Gowon’s personal integrity was enviable. He gave me absolute support to discharge my duties as the Chief Procurement officer and on no occasion did General Gowon instruct or command or lean on me to award a supply contract to anybody. He remains a man of impeccable integrity.
As the civil war progressed, and millions of Naira spent, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who was then the Commissioner of Finance and his Permanent Secretary, Abdul-Aziz Atta, raised issues regarding the transparency of the military budget. Subsequently, a procurement committee under the late Alhaji Aminu Kano as chairman was established to vet all purchases of military wares. Still, Gowon never for once interfered in the discharge of our duties. He gave me absolute support in the discharge of my duties as the Chief Procurement Officer. He believed in me and in return I gave him unalloyed loyalty in the service of our fatherland.
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Beyond our military duties, we played squash together on many occasions. General Gowon was always a team leader, accommodating and a good sportsman. He never at any occasion used his position to breathe down the neck of his subordinates. He held the most challenging national assignment as Head of State and its leader when the nation was plunged into a civil war. His position was tested for duty, patriotism, command, tolerance, fair play, character and we filed exultingly behind his triumphant banners.
For me and many others, if Nigeria is held today, it is because General Gowon created and held an endearing national developmental motto to keep it so, and also made an unwavering task to doing so. To keep Nigeria one, is a task that must be done, was his clarion call to the nation. This was a guiding motto etched in the consciousness of the nation and one that steeled the nation in very trying circumstances. History will be kind to him. He remains till today widely known and held in high esteem for his humility, modesty and purity of life.
Sir, we wish you many happy returns.
- Ambassador Brigadier-General (rtd) Oluwole Rotimi
