Former Vice President Abubakar Atiku on Friday described Nigeria’s former military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, as a refined and uncontroversial public figure with an unwavering commitment to national unity and integrity.
This was disclosed in a congratulatory message by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, to mark Gowon’s 90th birthday anniversary.
The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate praised Gowon as a great statesman who has demonstrated leadership acumen, finesse, and sagacity in handling exigencies, including the Nigerian Civil War.
Atiku also commended him for introducing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), which he said has fostered national integration by allowing youths from different cultural backgrounds to interact with others outside their ethnic zones.
Happily, the NYSC has gone a long way in encouraging intermarriages, thereby breaking down the barriers of cultural, ethnic, and religious prejudices.
“Similarly, Gowon was instrumental in the founding of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has helped forge socioeconomic and political integration in the sub-region”, he stated.
He further praised Gowon’s humility and integrity, saying that his modesty and simplicity are some of the remarkable virtues for which he is widely respected.
