The bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Kukah has said that former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon’s autobiography is a narrative open to future contestation, shaped by memory, perspective, and incomplete historical records.
Following the public presentation of former Head of State Yakubu Gowon’s autobiography which held on Tuesday in Abuja, Bishop Kukah, while speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS, stressed that the memoir reflects one interpretation within an ongoing national history.
“All that General Gowon has done is to tell the story as he saw it. So he was literally writing from memory. So the result is that it’s a book that is literally storytelling but largely from the heart and out of heart. My argument is that no book has any finality, and field history has no finishing post. So it is the business and responsibility of others—it’s a pity that Ojukwu is dead, for example. It’s a pity that some of the key actors are not here with us, because their contestation and resetting those narratives would have been what would help us to get closer to what the real issues are,” he said.
Addressing concerns over the absence of sensational revelations, Kukah argued that a memoir’s value lies in preserved perspectives and experiences, while noting it still offers meaningful insight into Nigeria’s history through personal reflection.
“It doesn’t—nothing takes away the seriousness of the book. And that’s why I said if you look at the book, it gives you different angles of Nigeria’s history,” he noted.
Stressing the need for unity, Bishop Kukah said Nigeria’s present realities do not reflect the sacrifices made to keep the country together, arguing that the foundations required for true unity are still lacking.
“What Nigeria is today is evidence that we haven’t the necessary ingredients to inspire a sense of unity.”
Kukah also warned that constructive criticism should not be dismissed as disloyalty, noting that public frustration deepens when leaders alter their stance after leaving office.
“That’s why this country must open itself up to constructive criticism. That you don’t simply say that those who say things are not the way they should be are necessarily unpatriotic,” he said.
In his review of Gowon’s book, Kukah said the focus now should be interpretation, not opening old wounds, stressing that Nigeria’s history still contains issues that require careful study rather than division.
“You can say that we have enough raw material; there’s nothing else that needs to be said. There’s no new evidence. What we can only deal with now is interpretation. And that is why I think that the strength of this book and other books of this nature is that now we have enough raw material to start working through some of the difficulties because there are so many black spots in Nigeria’s history. And this is where, in my view, schools of diplomacy, the military—people should be going back to continue to revisit some of these conversations. Not to generate bitterness, because there can’t be closure in terms of how people feel—the experiences, loved ones that were lost,” he urged.
He said Gowon’s leadership style reflected moral strength rather than political weakness, arguing that his decisions were shaped by faith, discipline and a sense of divine purpose rather than a desire to cling to power.
“I would put it down to moral strength, because he has all the ingredients of Jesus Christ at his most difficult moments. ‘I’ve got all these resources, how do I deploy them?’ If you have an idea about where Gowon had come from—the nature of his formation, the moral foundation of his formation—and the feeling that ‘Look, God’s will should be done.’ I think that for me, Gowon represents a moral lodestar by taking that approach. So for me, it was not a representative of political weakness.”
In his closing remarks, Bishop Kukah said he wonders where Gowon draws his moral strength from, pointing to his consistency, restraint and modest lifestyle after leaving office.
“I would look at him and say, ‘What was the source of your strength, moral strength?’ Because you can see the records. A man who had formerly been head of state—and guess what? Only one or two people came out—the gentleman from Arochukwu—he’s the only one who is able to offer General Gowon his house, a house in London. And I went to his house in London, and for over 30 years, he was still living in the same house that had probably about three bedrooms or whatever the case may be. So, I think the question is that when you face such treachery, it is to ask General Gowon, ‘Where did you find the moral strength to remain so steady and firm?’”, he concluded.
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