Former Nigerian Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, has said his newly released autobiography is intended to explain the reasoning behind key decisions taken during the Nigerian Civil War, not to reopen painful memories.
The 881 page memoir is scheduled for public presentation on May 19, 2026, at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre.
The event, organised by publisher Havilah Group, is expected to attract top political leaders, diplomats and military veterans, with President Bola Tinubu as special guest of honour. Former Chief of Army Staff, Theophilus Danjuma, will unveil the book.
Speaking on why he documented his experiences, Gowon said many existing narratives about the war did not fully reflect his perspective as the country’s leader at the time.
“The autobiography became necessary because many accounts of the civil war era had been written from different perspectives over the years without fully reflecting his own reasoning as Nigeria’s leader at the time.
“By choosing to write, I took a conscious decision not to reopen old wounds but to clarify my thinking on policies and plans at a period often narrated by others,” Gowon said.
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He added, “My story is one of conviction evaluated by circumstances at the crossroads of expectations and reality.”
The memoir revisits the 1967 to 1970 civil war, which followed the attempted secession of the Eastern Region as Biafra and remains one of Nigeria’s most defining and tragic periods.
Gowon, who assumed office in 1966 at age 31, led the country through the conflict and later introduced the “No Victor, No Vanquished” policy to promote reconciliation.
The book also traces his early life, military career and rise to power during Nigeria’s turbulent post independence years.
After leaving office in 1975, Gowon became known for peacebuilding and humanitarian work, later founding the Yakubu Gowon Centre.