Former Nigerian Military Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, has become the cynosure of insults due to comments he made while advising President Ola Tinubu on his critics.
While advising the president, Gowon noted that Tinubu should pay no attention to naysayers because they will only distract his administration.
The former military leader warned Tinubu not to worry about Nigerians’ critiques of his performance since taking office in May 2023.
Gowon made the remarks while speaking to journalists after visiting President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday.
“At least, if I remember, I was told that I was too slow to fight the war, that probably Nigeria would not make it, and that we should seek discussion. Well, did we do it or not? They probably did not know the problem on the ground there,” he said.
Reacting to the statement by the former military head of state, Sam Amadi, director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, stated that Gowon’s comment was disgraceful.
He wrote, “What’s bad about Gowon’s comment is that he thinks prosecuting a civil war is an achievement. It is actually a monumental failure that a nation went to war under his watch. To be proud of that failure is disgraceful.
“The war was needless, infantile, and evidence of a lack of wisdom.”
Reacting to the video, Chief Nwachinemelu alleged that plans were made to use Gowon and memories of the Nigerian civil war to cause irritation, which would lead to protests by the Igbos.
Calling for Gowon to be “ignored,” Nwachinmelu said, “Their plans to trigger Ndi Igbo won’t work. They’ve exhausted all their options and felt bringing Gowon to open a healing wound would trigger Igbos to become irritated and irresponsible.”
While Nwa Ada called Gowon “one of the useless leaders in Nigeria,” a man simply identified on X as Uncle Chike stated, “Gowon is proof that stupid young people age and become stupid old people.
“His communities in Plateau are being overran and renamed by the Fulani; his people are being massacred like cattle, just as he is being forced to speak Hausa on National TV.”
In his reaction, Babatunde Gbadamosi argued, “They brought Yakubu Gowon there as a symbol of “Arewa power” because he “crushed” their favourite bogeyman, the Igbos. Speaking in Hausa would have been a dog whistle to start a fresh pogrom against Igbos. It’s interesting to see that he didn’t have the liver for that.” Gbadamosi berated Gowon over his alleged silence despite the bloodlettings in Plateau State.
“He really should be ashamed of himself, because all through the Fulani terrorist Jihadist killings of his people in the Middle Belt, he has been silent. He only found his voice when it was time to talk about his Civil War misadventures.
“This is what happens when you are seduced by the trappings of high office to forget your origins and fool yourself into thinking that you belong with people that actually detest your very existence and only see you as a useful idiot,” Gbadamosi added.
Harry argued that the entire Ndigbo will never forgive the ex-military leader for the role he played in the civil war.
Harry said, “Yakubu Gowon, we have seen what you have done “in the name of God,” you who also once denounced the Vatican for sending relief to dying children of Biafra.
“We have experienced what your Nigeria can do and is doing in the name of God. We know exactly what you did after we once brought our grievances to the table for discussion—after we arrived at a decision and had an agreement.
“We have witnessed what you did to those who love Nigeria more than you can ever understand. We know what you are doing to those who really believe in Nigeria more than you can fathom.
“A true and sincere solution is not difficult to find, provided we refuse, contrary to your morally deficient advice, to “love Nigeria and believe in Nigeria, good or bad, right or wrong.”
“We know you mean this, because you killed millions to make that point, and you still show neither understanding nor remorse today, though you failed and Nigeria failed.
“You are once again willing to see the casualty figures climb into the millions just because you want to see your Nigerian one.
“We will never forgive you.”
