RismadarVoice Reporters
May 19, 2026
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has described the autobiography of former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, as an important national document capable of guiding Nigeria’s future, strengthening unity and deepening regional cooperation.
Speaking on Tuesday at the public presentation of Gowon’s memoir, My Life of Duty and Allegiance, at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, the President said the book should enjoy wide circulation across the country as a civic inheritance for Nigerians.
President Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, noted that reflections from leaders who witnessed critical moments in Nigeria’s history remain essential to national stability and democratic growth.
“A nation that misplaces its memory soon begins to quarrel with its own reflection. A society without memory becomes an orphan in time,” the President said.
He stressed the need for Nigeria to preserve its historical memory in order to avoid repeating past mistakes, warning that societies that fail to learn from history risk division and uncertainty.
Tinubu observed that Gowon’s memoir was being published at a period when Nigeria and the West African sub-region face insecurity, economic challenges and social fragmentation, making the lessons of reconciliation and statesmanship more relevant.
The President praised Gowon’s post-civil war policy of “No victor, no vanquished,” describing it as a defining principle that helped preserve Nigeria’s unity after the civil war.
“The decisions of that period cannot be understood by those who examine them with the arrogance of comfort. Every generation that inherits peace must learn to speak gently about the choices made in the season of peril,” he stated.
Tinubu also highlighted the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as one of the enduring legacies of Gowon’s administration, noting that the scheme has continued to bridge ethnic, cultural and religious divides among Nigerians.
According to him, Gowon’s life remains a strong response to divisive narratives seeking to reduce Nigeria’s diversity into regional or religious stereotypes.
“His story teaches us that the Nigerian project becomes stronger when a citizen refuses to become a weapon in the hands of sectarian entrepreneurs,” he added.
On regional integration, the President commended Gowon’s role in the establishment of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), describing the bloc as a vital platform for economic cooperation and collective security in the region.
“We need cooperation against insecurity. We need trade that empowers our young people. We need diplomacy that prevents conflict from becoming contagious,” Tinubu said.
Earlier, Gowon said the memoir was his modest effort to document his service to Nigeria, insisting that he wrote the book not to judge anyone but to tell his side of history.
“Our story and that of Nigeria became intertwined,” the former Head of State said.
He urged Nigerians not to listen to “naysayers” ahead of the 2027 elections, expressing confidence that Nigeria would overcome its present challenges.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, who chaired the occasion, described the memoir as a significant contribution to preserving Nigeria’s institutional memory and understanding critical moments in the nation’s history.
Also reviewing the book, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, described the autobiography as a vivid account of Nigeria’s turbulent past and Gowon’s personal journey through the civil war era.
