A former Minister of FCT, Engr Muhammed Abba-Gana, has congratulated Nigeria’s former Head of State, Gen Yakubu Gowon, on his 85th birthday.
In a congratulatory message he personally signed, Abba-Gana, described Gowon as a patriot and a man with good intentions.
The statement reads in full:
Our Dear beloved General Gowon, GCFR.
On behalf of my entire family, I want to join the millions of your admirers and well-wishers to rejoice with you and extend our congratulations on your 85th birthday.
Your good intentions, good and patriotic actions/deeds and humane/kind character are the hallmark of your Godly personality. You left behind an unequaled and lasting legacy of a united Federal Republic of Nigeria.
After Lord Lugard’s amalgamation of 1914, we are lucky and grateful that God used you to strengthen and keep Nigeria one and united, like in a referendum, in the form of Biafran war.
At the end of the unfortunate Biafran war of Nigerian unity, your famous declaration of ‘no victor no vanquished’ provided the national and political framework for the reintegration of the large and enterprising Igbo ethnic group from the Biafran side into the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Your reconciliation, reconstruction and rehabilitation program integrated the Igbo ethnic group back to their former status in the Nigerian political economy.
Following your patriotic/nationalistic footsteps, just 9 years after the end of the unfortunate Biafran war, an Igbo man, Dr. Alex Ekweme, became the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And soon after, the Biafran leader, Ojukwu, was pardoned by the then President Shehu Shagari; thus concluding the reconciliation /reintegration of the Igbo ethnic group politically, economically & socially.
All this was made possible by the excellent and states manly framework and roadmap you provided after the surrender of Biafran soldiers.
This is the reason why the Good Lord has kept you all along for us. At the age of 85 years you look like 50 years old. Your good counsel and worthy examples are still needed.
Therefore we pray to God our Creator and Sustainer, to give you many more years in good health. Amin.
