According to report by Vanguard on Thursday, May 21, 2026, former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), has revisited major and sensitive episodes of the Nigerian Civil War in his autobiography, My Life of Duty & Allegiance, shedding light on key battlefield decisions, leadership tensions, and personal interventions that shaped the conflict.…....
Gowon disclosed that the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo once intervened at a critical moment to prevent him from removing Gen. Murtala Mohammed from command after Murtala sent him an insulting message from the battlefield.
Gowon said the message, delivered during intense fighting, angered him so much that he considered sacking Murtala immediately. However, Awolowo reportedly stepped in and appealed for restraint, helping to defuse the situation.
The former Head of State also recounted a controversial military operation in which Murtala pushed for a risky river crossing from Asaba to Onitsha.
Gowon said he had warned the plan was dangerous and preferred a safer land route already secured by federal troops.
He described the attempt as disastrous, leading to heavy losses of soldiers and equipment, although he still acknowledged Murtala’s bravery and determination.
Gowon further reflected on the war’s emotional weight, stating that he never intended for Biafran leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu to be captured or killed, insisting the conflict was not about personal revenge.
He maintained that post-war reconciliation guided his decision to adopt the “No Victor, No Vanquished” policy after the war ended in 1970.
He also revisited failed peace efforts, including the collapse of the Aburi Accord, noting that mistrust on both sides made compromise impossible.
Gowon added that battlefield exhaustion later affected commanders like Col. Benjamin Adekunle, whose unit suffered declining morale and setbacks, including the loss of Owerri.
