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Former Nigerian Military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (Retired) has released an autobiography that provides an insight into his thinking, policy direction and key reasons for taking the country through the 30-month civil war.
Gowon, according to a statement on Tuesday by Havilah Group, the book’s publisher, said his intention was to provide clarity on his government’s decisions and policies during the Nigerian Civil War, and stressed that the book was not intended to relive painful memories of the conflict.
Gowon was speaking ahead of the public presentation of his 881-page autobiography scheduled for May 19, 2026, at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Center in Abuja
The event is expected to attract political leaders, military veterans, diplomats and government officials, and President Bola Tinubu will be invited as a special guest of honour.
Former Minister of Defense and former Chief of Army Staff, Theophilus Danjuma, will officially unveil the book.
Speaking about the motivation behind the memoir, Gowon said, “The autobiography is important because many stories about the civil war era have been written from different perspectives over the years without fully reflecting his own thoughts as Nigeria’s leader at the time.
“By choosing to write, I made a conscious decision not to reopen old wounds but to clarify my thoughts on the policies and plans of a period that is often narrated by others,” said Gowon.
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He added, “My story is one of faith judged by circumstances at the intersection of hope and reality.”
This autobiography is expected to provide Gowon’s personal reflections on some of the most defining moments in Nigeria’s post-independence history, particularly the 30-month civil war that occurred between 1967 and 1970.
The conflict, which followed the attempted secession of the Eastern Region as the Republic of Biafra, remains one of the most sensitive and important periods in the country’s history, with millions displaced and many lives lost.
Gowon, who took office on August 1, 1966, at the age of 31, led the country through the war and then introduced the postwar policy of “No Winners, No Losers,” aimed at promoting reconciliation, reintegration and national unity after the conflict.
The former military leader is also expected to recount his early years, his military career and his unexpected rise to power following the political crisis and coup that rocked Nigeria in 1966.
Born in 1934 in present-day Plateau State, Gowon became one of Nigeria’s youngest leaders and remained in office for nine years before he was overthrown in a bloodless military coup in July 1975 while attending an Organization of African Unity summit in Uganda.
During his tenure in government, Gowon built a reputation as a statesman committed to peacebuilding, interfaith dialogue, and humanitarian causes.
After leaving office, he earned a doctorate in Political Science from the University of Warwick in 1984 and later founded the Yakubu Gowon Center to promote peace, leadership and national development.
Through initiatives such as the “Nigeria Prays” movement, Gowon also championed campaigns against diseases including guinea worm, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, while serving as National Ambassador for viral hepatitis control in Nigeria.
Group Chief Executive Officer of Havilah Group, Lanre Adesuyi, described the autobiography as an important contribution to the documentation of Nigeria’s history and national discourse.
“We consider this project an important milestone in our journey, reflecting our commitment to preserving history, promoting thought leadership, and making a meaningful contribution to the national discourse,” Adesuyi said.
