Funny: How Yakubu Gowon Found Himself in the Army

How Yakubu Gowon decided to enter the Army is quite interesting. Encouraged by his British Principal and Vice-Principal to go military, he was nevertheless torn between a career in the Army and competing options as a teacher, engineer, or physician. So he wrote out the options on little pieces of paper placed them inside a Bible and prayed. Then, with his eyes closed, he opened the Bible and picked one at random. It was the Army.

Throughout his military career he would repeatedly approach issues with a r!fle in one hand and a Bible in the other. Years later he would come to be regarded by most as a model of a “kinder, gentler” soldier. Some have nicknamed him “The Preacher”.

In 1954, after passing an entrance examination, he attended several interviews before being sent to the Regular Officers Cadet School at Teshie in Ghana – along with Patrick Anwuna, Alexander Madiebo, Michael Okwechime and Arthur Unegbe. This was followed by a course at Eton Hall in Chester, UK, followed by formal cadet training at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst (RMAS). He was a Cadet Sergeant at the RMAS and was commissioned 2/Lt in December 1956. It was at the RMAS that he acquired the nickname “Jack,” the closest sound to “Yakubu” his British instructors could think of.

The above is part of a piece put together by Nowa Omoigui, Nigerian military historian and cardiologist.

Gowon later became Head of State and had one of the most troubling dispensation in the history of Nigeria. He was removed from office in 1975 by Murtala Muhammed.

On how he survived immediately after his removal from office, he said in an interview:

“I can say with absolute authority that I may not have anything today, but honestly, at least I have a clear conscience. I thank Idi Amin and (Gnassingbé) Eyadema for the help they gave me to have money to start off with.”