Gowon Descends On Ojukwu - Over His Comments On Civil War

Johnson Babajide, Lokoja - 07.11.2009

Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has warned the Ikemba of Nnewi, Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, to refrain from beating war drums as he vowed to give him force-to-force if he attempts leading Nigeria to another civil war.

Gowon, who was in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Thursday, told newsmen in an interview over the recent media reports credited to the former warlord.

Ojukwu had been reported, early this week, to have raised a war signal over the imbroglio in Anambra State, warning that he might be forced to lead another civil war if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should impose Uba as its standard-bearer in the coming Anambra State governorship elections.

Gowon, who was the Head of State at the time Ojukwu led Igbos to a three-year civil war, said that Ojukwu might have been quoted out of context because, according to him, Ojukwu had since realised that the first civil war was not in the best interest of his people and Nigeria and will not therefore wish for a repeat of that event.

Besides, Gowon said he and Ojukwu had agreed in December, 2008 in Abuja not to do anything that would dismember the country as the unity of the nation is more important than individual interests.

The elder statesman, who was reacting to the report, however, warned Nigerians to be wary of the way they reacted to sensational media reports.

He said that the Federal Government, under his administration, did not create service medals for soldiers who fought during the civil war so that the medals would not be a source of constant reminder of the bad past.

The former head of state, who was on tour of Kogi to monitor the guineaworm infection at Dekina Local Government Area of the state, said that the Yakubu Gowon Centre had spent over N193 billion to fight the scourge of guineaworm disease in the country since 1987.

He expressed delight that Nigeria, with over 65,000 cases of guinea-worm in 1987/1988, was now at the verge of being certified as a guineaworm-free country by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which, according to him, could be realised if the nation could work towards achieving it in three years.

Gowon, who is also the Chairman of Yakubu Gowon Centre, said that Nigeria had not recorded a single case of guinea-worm in the last one year, urging the federal, state and local governments to do more in the area of provision of drinkable water for the people.

He also appealed to communities to be honest enough to report fresh cases of guineaworm in their areas, saying that the Carter Foundation had agreed to pay N10, 000 to any victim of fresh guineaworm report .