Yakubu Gowon

Yakubu Gowon, a retired Nigerian Army general and statesman, was the country's head of state from 1966 to 1975. He played a significant role in the Nigerian Civil War, which lasted from 1967 to 1970.

Gowon was born in 1934 in Pankshin, Plateau State, Nigeria. He attended Government College Keffi and then the Nigerian Military College in Kaduna. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Nigerian Army in 1955.

Gowon served in various capacities in the Nigerian Army, including as commander of the 4th Battalion of the Nigerian Army and as chief of staff of the Nigerian Army. In 1966, he was appointed head of state following a military coup that overthrew the civilian government of President Nnamdi Azikiwe.

As head of state, Gowon faced the challenge of leading Nigeria through the Nigerian Civil War. The war began in 1967 when the Igbo-dominated Eastern Region of Nigeria declared independence as the Republic of Biafra. Gowon led the federal government's forces in the war, which lasted for three years and resulted in the deaths of an estimated one million people.

Gowon was overthrown in a military coup in 1975. He was succeeded by General Murtala Mohammed. Gowon went into exile in the United Kingdom, where he lived for many years. He returned to Nigeria in 1983 and has since been involved in various peace and development initiatives.

Gowon is a controversial figure in Nigerian history. He is praised by some for his leadership during the Nigerian Civil War, but he is also criticized for his role in the human rights abuses that occurred during the war.

Despite the controversy surrounding him, Gowon remains a respected figure in Nigeria. He is a recipient of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR), Nigeria's highest national honor.