*As Nigerians express disappointment in him
*Pix above: Peter Obi and Gen Yakubu Gowon
Former Anambra Governor and presidential candidate of the Labour |Party, Peter Obi, has come under heavy criticism over his birthday message to General Yakubu Gowon on his 90th birthday. Gowon is a former Head of State and statesman who led the federal military government war efforts during the Nigerian-Biafran war during which millions of Igbos were massacred.
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, praised a former military ruler, Yakubu Gowon, as the latter clocked 90 years. Obi honoured Gowon via a social media post. The Nigerian civil war is listed as one of the deadliest in history, with some accusing Gowon of crimes against humanity and genocide.
In a birthday message shared on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Saturday, October 19, the Labour Party chieftain said Gowon’s “exemplary leadership and statesmanship remain an inspiration to younger and many generations of Nigerians.”
“I share in some of the outcomes of the civil war, 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 to 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.”
But many, especially the easterners, who did not see Peter Obi’s remarks as funny, took to their social media handles to express their disappointments.
While some said they have lost hope in him, others said he was playing politics with a serious thing such as massive bloodshed as was superintended by Gowon himself. Find below some of their altercations:
@nkechi_first wrote: “As an Igbo person who deeply understands the pain and trauma inflicted on our people during the Biafran War, it is truly disheartening to read this message coming from Peter Obi, someone who should know better. “While I respect the need for civility, let’s not rewrite history. Gowon’s actions during the war led to the deaths and suffering of millions of Igbo men, women, and children. The scars of that period still run deep in the hearts of many of us. Celebrating his “unity” and “peace” without acknowledging the atrocities and starvation policies imposed on our people feels like a betrayal.
@chiditweets042 commented: “Starting to look like you are desperate to be Nigeria’s president sha! Anyways, Tinubu till 2031.” Among several others.///
