President Bola Tinubu has paid tribute to former Military Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, on his 90th birthday, as “father of national infrastructure” due to his significant contributions to nation-building and development.
He also hailed his “no victor, no vanquished” philosophy as a pivotal factor in the country’s post-civil war healing process.
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Tinubu, on Saturday, described Gowon’s life story, marked by his reluctant ascension to leadership at 32, as one that inspired countless Nigerians.
Gowon’s leadership during the civil war and subsequent reconciliation efforts, he said, have left a lasting legacy.
The President also highlighted Gowon’s role in founding the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 1975, a testament to his commitment to regional unity.
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Furthermore, Gowon’s counsel has been invaluable to Tinubu since assuming the presidency, earning him the title of “counsellor.”
“As a brilliant officer trained at Sandhurst and reluctantly became Nigeria’s leader at 32, his life story has inspired many Nigerians.
“As the nation’s head of state, he significantly contributed to nation-building and development and can be rightly called the father of national infrastructure.
“It is on record that after the country’s civil war, his philosophy of “No victor, no vanquished” helped promote national healing, peace, and reconciliation,” he said partly.
Gowon’s impressive record includes creating 12 states during his tenure and becoming Nigeria’s youngest head of state at 31.
His leadership spanned August 1, 1966, to July 29, 1975, a period marked by significant challenges, including the civil war.
