Critics have stormed social media to lambaste former presidential candidate of Young Progressives Party (YPP), Kingsley Moghalu, for describing General Yakubu Gowon [retired] as humane.
WuzupNigeria recalls that Gowon, who just turned 85 years old, was Nigeria’s president during the civil war. The war was fought by the Nigerian Army and the secessionist Biafran Armed Forces from 6 Jul 1967 to 15 Jan 1970. About 500,000 and two million Biafran civilians died of starvation in the conflict.
Many Nigerians, especially Igbo, blame the Federal Government for the deaths, which has been described in some quarters as a genocide. So, when Moghalu, in his congratulatory message to Gowon on his 85th birthday, described the ex-president as “our humane former Head of State”. He touched many sour nerves.
Moghalu had written on Twitter yesterday,
Happy 85th birthday H.E. Gen. Dr. Yakubu Gowon, GCFR! Our humane former Head of State, you have been a friend of many years. I recall your visit to us in my hometown Nnewi in December 2005 as Chairman of the inauguration of the Isaac Moghalu Foundation in memory of my father.
Your unique role in our national life is a unifying one, and I know your heart from our many conversations. May God give you many more years, and may He give you the grace and strength to continue to labour in His Vineyard and play an important role in healing our country,
bringing to a close the bitter divides of our historical past and charting a new future as a nation based on equity and justice, a future in which all Nigerians are equal and there is no victor and no vanquished. You are uniquely placed to play this role. God bless you, Sir.
Happy 85th birthday H.E. Gen. Dr. Yakubu Gowon, GCFR! Our humane former Head of State, you have been a friend of many years. I recall your visit to us in my hometown Nnewi in December 2005 as Chairman of the inauguration of the Isaac Moghalu Foundation in memory of my father.1/2 pic.twitter.com/EyHv62f7h5
— Kingsley Moghalu (@MoghaluKingsley) October 19, 2019
Angry reactions trailed Moghalu’s tweet, with many calling him a sell-out.
One Dr. Mbamalu, who described himself as a medical officer and nationalist, noted that history will never forget Gowon’s exploit during the civil war.
He wrote,
This is for Moghalu’s Gowon.
No tribute so beautifully written can erase the chronicles of Gowon.
He who hath watched on with keen disinterest while Igbo officers were butchered in the army coupled with the 30,000 Igbo pogrom in the Northern cities of Kano and Kaduna…
Failed to intervene in the incessant killings for months but suddenly realised that there’s a concept called National Unity when the nearly extinct region decided to secede.
No, no article or epistle can erase that.
The evil that men do will continue to live after them
He who also watched with keen disinterest while innocent women and children were being butchered by his men during the unnecessary Biafran War of Civil Defence.
No, history will never forget that.
He who preferred war heroism to proffering simple solutions to the discord.
Someone said we should be fair in our judgements. That he was fair during the post war era.
He was fair.
Fair with policies he couldn’t see through.
Fair. A man trying to erase his guilt.
Fair. In all fairness, he should have been prosecuted for war crimes
This is for Moghalu’s Gowon.
The only thing politics permits is a “Happy Birthday to the former military head of state”.
And end it there.
There’s nothing humane about his tenure and reign.
This is for Moghalu’s Gowon.
No tribute so beautifully written can erase the chronicles of Gowon.
He who hath watched on with keen disinterest while Igbo officers were butchered in the army coupled with the 30,000 Igbo pogrom in the Northern cities of Kano and Kaduna…
— Dr Mbamalu (@Mbamaluike) October 20, 2019
Shey I told y’all then, that Moghalu was a scam, after he pulled that dishonourable stunt and cost Nigeria another four years. @Asincole was it you that was defending him?
— The Smith! ?️ (@mykeels) 20 October 2019
It is only a hopeless Igbo person that will see nothing wrong with Moghalu praise on Gowon.
— MinM (@maximusinmotion) 20 October 2019
The other day my friend in USA was talking about bad governance in Nigeria & how the youths contributed by voting in old men with stale ideas instead of young men like Kingsley Moghalu with fresh ideas.
I just hope he can see how kingsley’s young fresh idea led him to join APC.
— ?EZE_IMO©️? (@AkiMarlin) 20 October 2019
If he wants to take offense, he is highly welcome. The person I blame more is Moghalu for ascribing ‘humane’ to Gowon just because he’s seeking for political relevance. Bunch of ndi efulefu!
— Zeus PhD (Cambridge Affidavit) (@_izunnaya) 20 October 2019
See some tweets below:
Make I see person wey go suggest Kingsley Moghalu name as our next governor for Anam state ka agu dowa d person agba
— Chief Ezekwueche ? (@FBanks7) 20 October 2019
I’m certainly sure that Prof., Moghalu will not visit Asaba or Isheagu West Niger Igboland of Anioma, where a family lost between 11 to 21 member in a night without getting harassed.
What a disappointment in Prof. Moghalu#IgboWillOutLiveYouAll
— MinM (@maximusinmotion) 20 October 2019
Happy birthday humane Gowon, apologies to Kingsley Moghalu.
May we never, amongst us, lack brave hearts who mouth history and who mouth it as it happened. pic.twitter.com/kHopV0cMtw
— Okparaolu Chris (@Okparaoluchris) 20 October 2019
This man right here killed over 3 million of our people. I do not know how unifying that could be. Never forget that.
— Sammy (@samstrongng) October 19, 2019
You called Gowon Humane? I mean this was a man who reneged on a written agreement he signed at Aburi to avoid the war. And what did he do in response, he starved almost 3million women and kids to death because they needed to secure crude oil for Britain. That was wicked!
— Ogbuefi Aikay (@OAikay) October 20, 2019
Gen. Ibrahim Babangida has several times apologized to the yorubas about his mistakes in annuling June 12. But "IGBO EFULEFUS" like you will never ever allow Gen. Yakubu Gowon tender apology because of political blindness.
— Adunguke (@Adunguke1) October 20, 2019
You should have also sent a DM to him since it's a "personal" message sir. In issues like that, elites like you are expected to thread circumspectly! Nigeria, and the man in question, still owe Biafrans deep apology, and you spoke of him "working in God's vineyard," I wonder…
— Nwike Okpala (@CNOkpala) October 20, 2019
