Yakubu Gowon has explained that his long-awaited autobiography was written to provide clarity on key decisions made during his time in office, especially during the Nigerian civil war, rather than to reopen past divisions.
Speaking ahead of the public launch of the book, Gowon said the memoir presents his personal perspective on historical events that have mostly been told through the views of others over the years.
The 881-page autobiography is scheduled to be unveiled on May 19 at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre.
Bola Tinubu is expected to attend the event as the special guest of honour, while Theophilus Danjuma will officially unveil the book.
The event is expected to attract political leaders, retired military officers, diplomats, and senior government officials from different parts of the country.
According to Gowon, the decision to write the autobiography became necessary because several accounts of the civil war period did not fully capture his reasoning and actions as Nigeria’s leader at the time.
“The autobiography became necessary because many accounts of the civil war era had been written from different perspectives over the years without fully reflecting my own reasoning as Nigeria’s leader at the time,” he said.
“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. My story is one of conviction evaluated by circumstances at the crossroads of expectations and reality.”