President Muhammadu Buhari has described former military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon as “a gallant patriot whose commitment to national unity is beyond comparison in the annals of our chequered history.”
In a statement issued by his senior special assistant on media and publicity Garba Shehu on Sunday to mark the occasion of his 86th birthday anniversary, President Buhari said “the role General Yakubu Gowon played in our political history and infrastructure development is etched in stone and cannot be rewritten.”
Buhari said “as young military officers, many of us regarded General Gowon as our role model because of his patriotism, commitment to unity and his humility.”
According to the President, “the Nigerian civil war brought out the most brilliant qualities of General Gowon as a visionary leader who put the interest of Nigeria before his own personal interest.”
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He noted that “the former Head of State led a very impressive national reconciliation effort at the end of the civil war in order to heal the bitter emotional and psychological wounds of the fratricidal conflict.”
President Buhari added that “General Gowon is one of the fairest leaders he has ever known who has inspired so many future leaders.”
President Buhari noted that as General Gowon marks 86 years of age, Nigerians cannot forget his immeasurable contributions to the unity and development of Nigeria.
The Nigeria’s leader prayed that God continues to bless him with more good health and the needed strength in understanding his ongoing spiritual engagements and service to humanity.
(Editor Nkoli Omhoudu)
