Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has explained his decision to congratulate General Yakubu Gowon, former Nigerian military leader, on his 90th birthday.
In a statement posted on his official X handle on Sunday, Obi acknowledged the mixed reactions his gesture elicited, particularly from those still grappling with the consequences of the 30-month Nigerian Civil War sanctioned under the leadership of Gowon between 1967 and 1970.
Read also: Peter Obi’s supporters kick over message to Yakubu Gowon at 90
Obi highlighted that his decision was grounded in his Christian faith and the principle of forgiveness. Drawing from biblical teachings, he emphasized the importance of moving forward and fostering reconciliation.
He referenced St. Paul’s letters, noting how forgiveness offers a path away from bitterness and toward healing. Obi urged Nigerians to embrace forgiveness as a tool to rebuild the nation and eliminate the hate that has contributed to divisions in society.
Acknowledging the pain of the war, Obi expressed empathy for those who were directly affected. However, he underscored that perpetuating anger would be detrimental to the nation’s progress.
He also recalled the national honour given to Biafran leader Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu after his death in 2012, an event that took place during Obi’s tenure as governor of Anambra.
For Obi, these gestures serve as symbols of Nigeria’s readiness to reconcile its past and move toward a just and unified future.
Obi concluded by calling on Nigerians to focus on the urgent need for good governance, which he believes can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace and justice.
He urged those angered by his congratulatory message to Gowon to understand the broader mission of fostering a new Nigeria built on unity, forgiveness, and progress.
Read the full statement below.
“Why I Congratulated Gen. Gowon at 90
“My felicitation with Nigeria’s former military Head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, on his 90th birthday anniversary, which was celebrated by a cross-section of Nigerians, has been received with mixed feelings by some Nigerians, and some have expressed their sentiments publicly, and privately to me.
“I share in some of them, and I feel that as a leader in the vanguard of providing direction for our country to shift base away from all our shortcomings, including the issues that caused our avoidable cruel civil war, I needed to show to the World that the ultimate heroism is forgiving the enemy and moving forward.
“Indisputably, the darkest part of our 64-year journey as a nation is the 30 months of civil war from 1967 to 1970 and God almighty whose way is not our way must have a reason why he kept the Chief Prosecutor of the war who is General Gowon alive to be 90 years today and the man who saw the end of the war, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to be there at 87 years super-heading all the moves to see a reconciled and just Nigeria.
“There was also a developing new spirit why the same country, Nigeria, gave the Biafra leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, a heroic national burial on 2 March 2012, when he joined his ancestors, coincidentally under my tenure as Governor of Anambra state.
“The status of the burial given to Dim Ojukwu remains the boldest indication to the World that Nigeria as a country is disposed to moving forward in the spirit of reconciliation.
“There are various ways human beings can respond to acts of evil, especially one that claimed millions of lives.
“One is the tragedy of revenge, and another offers the hope of forgiveness in an attempt to forget. The latter conforms neatly with the template I adopted in greeting Gen Gowon at 90 years old.
“In all my dealings with human beings, I try to be guided by my faith as a Christian in a strong message preached by Jesus Christ himself and underscored in reflections in St Paul’s letter to the Colossians 3:13: “Bear with each other and forgive one another: if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” And to Ephesians 4: 31-32 “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice”
“Whatever reason I will give for joining the rest of Nigerians to greet General Gowon, May never truly conform with some persons, especially direct victims of the war, but anger, hurt, and bitterness are the commonest responses to cruelty.
“It fuels sectarianism, it leads to resistance and avoidable blood feuds that we are witnessing across the globe, and even in our country and it does not abate.
“There is something about forgiveness, it sets the person doing it free. Forgiveness is more a process than an instinct. It’s hate that has put our society, blessed by God to be the greatest land in the black World, down, but this hate has to stop.
“I was under ten years old when the Nigeria/Biafra war started in 1967. Most of my supporters across the country joining me get a new Nigeria were born after the war, and I didn’t feel I should drag them back to the dark side of our history by being unforgiving. I feel such an act will derail the message of a New Nigeria that we insist is POssible.
“‘Must you greet him? Why didn’t you keep quiet?’ some angrily say to me, but that will still be injurious to our journey to a new Nigeria where all political vices, including but not limited to ethnic, religious, bitterness, and regional segregation, are eliminated.
“Various personal experiences of victims of injustice across the globe who have chosen to put ugly things behind them visibly demonstrate the transformative power of forgiveness in healing personal and collective wounds.
“With these explanations, I like to admonish all those angered by my greetings to the elder statesman to bear with me and join me in this mission to create a country where hate, unforgiving spirit, and other vices will give way for justice.
“What Nigeria needs badly and urgently to survive going forward is good governance, which can only germinate and grow in true peace and the presence of justice. Thanks and God bless.”
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