Military head of state of Nigeria from 1966 to 1975
General
Yakubu Gowon
GCFR
Gowon in 2007
3rd Head of State of Nigeria
In office 1 August 1966 – 29 July 1975
Chief of Staff
J. E. A. Wey
Preceded by
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi
Succeeded by
Murtala Mohammed
Chairperson of the Organisation of African Unity
In office 27 May 1973 – 12 June 1974
Preceded by
Hassan II
Succeeded by
Siad Barre
Federal Commissioner of Defence
In office 1966–1975
Preceded by
Inuwa Wada
Succeeded by
Illiya Bisalla
Federal Commissioner for External Affairs
In office 1966–1967
Preceded by
Nuhu Bamalli
Succeeded by
Arikpo Okoi
Chief of Army Staff
In office 16 January 1966 – 29 July 1966
Preceded by
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi
Succeeded by
Joseph Akahan
Personal details
Born
(1934-10-19) 19 October 1934 (age 89) Kanke, Northern Region, British Nigeria (now Kanke, Plateau, Nigeria)
Spouse
Victoria Zakari
(m. 1969)
Alma mater
Barewa College
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Staff College, Camberley
Joint Staff College, Latimer
University of Warwick
Occupation
Military officer
professor
Nickname
"Jack"
Military service
Allegiance
Nigeria
Branch/service
Nigerian Army
Years of service
1954–1975
Rank
General
Battles/wars
Congo Crisis Nigerian Civil War
Yakubu Dan-Yumma "Jack" Gowon[1]GCFR (born 19 October 1934) is a retired Nigerian army general and military leader.[2] As head of state of Nigeria,[3] Gowon presided over a controversial Nigerian Civil War and delivered the famous "no victor, no vanquished" speech at the war's end to promote healing and reconciliation. The Nigerian Civil War is listed as one of the deadliest in modern history, with some accusing Gowon of crimes against humanity and genocide.[4] Gowon maintains that he committed no wrongdoing during the war and that his leadership saved the country.[5]
An Anglican Christian[6] from a minority Ngas family of Northern Nigeria, Gowon is a Nigerian nationalist,[7] and a believer in the unity and oneness of Nigeria.[8] Gowon's rise to power followed the July 1966 counter-coup and cemented military rule in Nigeria. Consequently, Gowon served for the longest continuous period as head of state of Nigeria, ruling for almost nine years until his overthrow in the coup d'état of 1975 by Brigadier Murtala Mohammed.[9]
^"General Yakubu 'Jack' Gowon at 85". guardian.ng. November 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
^"Yakubu Gowon Archives". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
^Cite error: The named reference Britannica was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^247ureports.com (22 September 2013). "Crimes Against Humanity: Why Yakubu Gowon And Accomplices Should Face Trial". News Ghana. Retrieved 14 March 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^"Gowon speaks on civil war, says he didn't commit any crime". Pulse Nigeria. 18 January 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
^"Archbishop welcomes Nigeria's General Yakubu Gowon to Lambeth Palace". The Archbishop of Canterbury. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
^"The National Youth Service Corps: A Bridge to Nationalism in Nigeria". Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
^"Nigeria's unity, not negotiable, says Gowon". Punch Newspapers. 23 October 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
^"Yakubu Gowon – Nigeria's Prodigious War General". Africa 360 Degrees | African Economics | Business | and Political affairs 360 degrees coverage | Independent | Analysis | Insight | africa360degrees.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
Yakubu Dan-Yumma "Jack" Gowon GCFR (born 19 October 1934) is a retired Nigerian army general and military leader. As head of state of Nigeria, Gowon presided...
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was briefly considered as Supreme Commander before the appointment of YakubuGowon. He also masterminded the July 1966 counter coup, which evidently, sparked...
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state of Nigeria by age. The youngest person to become head of state was YakubuGowon, who at the age of 31, assumed office after the assassination of Johnson...
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Mohammed which ousted General Aguiyi Ironsi replacing him with General YakubuGowon. Following the outbreak of the civil war, Babangida was recalled and...
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the federal government. Under the military administration of General YakubuGowon, the country was further divided into nineteen states in 1976 and Plateau...
the live and reign of General Aguiyi-Ironsi and see the succession of YakubuGowon as Head of State of the Republic of Nigeria. In 1967, he was promoted...
Bank of Nigeria from 1967 to 1975 during the military regime of General YakubuGowon. He was later elected governor of Cross River State (1979–1983) in the...
General YakubuGowon assumed power on 1 August 1966 in a coup that deposed General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi. In May 1967 he reorganized the four regions in...
chief of staff, Lieutenant Colonel YakubuGowon as the head of the new military government. In 1975, General YakubuGowon was deposed and Brigadier Murtala...
longer recognize Lt. Colonel YakubuGowon as head of the federal military government on March 2, 1967. Lt. Colonel Gowon assumed full powers as commander-in-chief...
Yola to Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, with stops at YakubuGowon Airport in Jos and Kaduna International Airport in Kaduna. On 13 November...
when Nigeria moved its capital from Lagos to Abuja. It is located at YakubuGowon Crescent, The Three Arms Zone, Asokoro, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria. Several...
Government Chief Whip in the Federal House of Representatives. During YakubuGowon's administration, he served as the Federal Commissioner for Communications...
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