I don’t mind being called Abraham Lincoln of Nigeria, Gowon says as he clocks 90

A former Nigerian military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retired) has said that he does not mind being labelled Abraham Lincoln of Nigeria.

Speaking on the circumstances surrounding the 1967 civil war, Gowon there are similarities between the Nigerian and the American civil wars.

The Nigerian civil war took place between 1967 and 1970 during the time that Gowon ruled while the American Civil War happened from April 1861 to April 1865 during the presidency of Lincoln.

Speaking in an interview with Daily Trust, the former head of state said his experience at that time mirrored the dynamics of the American Civil War.

He said, “I remember this question of comparing me with Abraham Lincoln (at the end of the Civil War) — I remember that during the time, somebody called Mr Martin Dent and gave me a book about the American Civil War, but because of what was happening, I had no time to read it until towards the end.”

According to Gowon, the only difference between the two wars is that he was able to continue with the reconciliation process and still had Nigeria as one country.

“So, sometimes I say to myself that I don’t mind being called the Abraham Lincoln of Nigeria because we had a similar situation and we were able to achieve the same result,” Gowon noted.