In a statement released ahead of the public presentation of his long‑awaited memoir, former Nigerian head of state Yakubu Gowon explained that the 881‑page autobiography was written to clarify the reasoning behind major decisions taken during his administration, especially those made during the Nigerian Civil War.
He emphasized that the goal was not to reopen old wounds, but to offer his personal account of events that have often been told from other perspectives over the decades.
Gowon said he felt the book was necessary because many existing narratives of the civil‑war period did not fully capture his own thinking as the country’s leader at the time.
“By choosing to write, I took a conscious decision not to reopen old wounds but to clarify my thinking on policies and plans at a period often narrated by others,” he stated. Describing his story as “one of conviction evaluated by circumstances at the crossroads of expectations and reality,” he presented the memoir as both a historical record and a reflection on leadership under intense pressure.
The autobiography is scheduled to be unveiled on May 19 at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, where President Bola Tinubu is expected to attend as special guest of honour and former minister of defence Theophilus Danjuma will formally present the book.
The event is expected to draw political leaders, military veterans, diplomats, and senior government officials from across Nigeria.
