By Abubakar Yunusa
Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday hailed former Head of State Yakubu Gowon for laying the foundation for national healing after the Nigerian Civil War through his famous declaration of “no victor, no vanquished.”
Jonathan spoke in Abuja during the unveiling of Gowon’s autobiography, where he described the elder statesman as a leader whose legacy continued to shape national unity and reconciliation decades after leaving office.
According to him, the autobiography offers younger Nigerians a rare opportunity to understand the difficult choices and leadership decisions taken during one of the country’s most turbulent periods between 1967 and 1970.
He said Gowon’s post-war message helped calm tensions and promoted reconstruction and reintegration across the country after the civil war.
“Today’s event is not merely the unveiling of a book. It is the presentation of a living testimony. It reflects a leader who stood at the centre of some of the defining moments in our national journey,” he said.
Jonathan also praised Gowon for introducing policies that strengthened national unity, especially the establishment of the National Youth Service Corps.
The former President noted that the NYSC scheme was created to bridge ethnic divisions and encourage peaceful coexistence among young Nigerians.
Sharing a personal experience, he recalled how NYSC teachers posted to his secondary school in 1973 played a major role in his education at a time many rural schools lacked graduate teachers.
“The vision of the NYSC was great and it will continue to remain great. The youth corps scheme was meant to unite our nation and help us live as one Nigeria,” he stated.
Jonathan further commended the late former Vice President Alex Ekwueme for supporting reforms that contributed to nation-building during Gowon’s era.
He stressed the need for Nigerian leaders to document their experiences, saying memoirs remained important tools for preserving the nation’s history for future generations.
The former President added that Gowon had continued to distinguish himself through peace-building efforts and service to humanity long after leaving power.
Jonathan described the autobiography as timely, especially at a period when many nations were battling insecurity, division and political polarisation.
He urged present-day leaders and young Nigerians to embrace the values of courage, patriotism, reconciliation and vision reflected in the book.
