A former
Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, has described Nigeria as a difficult country
to govern because of its ethnic diversity and sectional interests.
He said this on Thursday at the Ikenne country home of the Awolowos, while fielding questions from journalists.
Gowon led other members of the Board of Trustees,
Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, to pay a condolence visit to the family on the
death of their matriarch, Chief Hannah Awolowo.He said this on Thursday at the Ikenne country home of the Awolowos, while fielding questions from journalists.
He noted that with these
complexities, Nigerians needed to be patient with the leaders.
Making specific reference to the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, he called on Nigerians to be patient and allowed him to put things right.
He said, "Whenever any government comes in, give them time to be able to really put things right. Nigeria is not an easy place to govern.
"I can assure you there are as many problems as there are Nigerians in the world and everybody wants to do things in a particular way, in his own way and probably for his own interest.
"And you think of that, how are you are going to get all that put together and put things right? I think we have got to be patient and then we got to cooperate with the government to do the right thing."
Gowon, however, advised Nigerians not to be tired in telling the government what needed to be done in order to improve on things.
He recalled that when he was head of state, it was such a difficult task, having had to prosecute a civil war, which lasted for about three years.
He said, "Let me tell you this; it was not easy. When I became Head of State, I hoped that three months, six months the most, we would be done.
"But when you have problems in a nation, it is not easy to do them overnight. So, you have always got to give time and you have got to be patient for leaders to be able to get things in order."
Paying tribute to deceased, he describing her as a wonderful woman, who did not only look after her husband but also the children.
Gowon said it was HID Awolowo, who convinced her late husband, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, to join the National Executive Council of his government as the Federal Commissioner for Finance.
He also recalled that he was the one who released the late sage from Calabar prisons, where he was being incarcerated on the charge of treasonable felony.
He said, "God used me to bring him back. What people may not know; it was through Mama that I was able to get the services of Papa Awolowo to join the government at that time and to be the Vice- Chairman of our Executive Council and the Minister for Finance.
"And you all knew what he did to ensure that we were able to survive as a nation during those two and half years of crisis in Nigeria.
"And Mama's contributions really have been tremendous and I will always thank her for that because if we had not approached her to prevail on Papa to join the government, probably he may not have but he then accepted and he did exceptionally well and may God bless him and may God bless his soul."
Responding on behalf of the family, Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu, thanked the former head of state for the visit, stressing that since he knew their father, he had been very close to the family.
Making specific reference to the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, he called on Nigerians to be patient and allowed him to put things right.
He said, "Whenever any government comes in, give them time to be able to really put things right. Nigeria is not an easy place to govern.
"I can assure you there are as many problems as there are Nigerians in the world and everybody wants to do things in a particular way, in his own way and probably for his own interest.
"And you think of that, how are you are going to get all that put together and put things right? I think we have got to be patient and then we got to cooperate with the government to do the right thing."
Gowon, however, advised Nigerians not to be tired in telling the government what needed to be done in order to improve on things.
He recalled that when he was head of state, it was such a difficult task, having had to prosecute a civil war, which lasted for about three years.
He said, "Let me tell you this; it was not easy. When I became Head of State, I hoped that three months, six months the most, we would be done.
"But when you have problems in a nation, it is not easy to do them overnight. So, you have always got to give time and you have got to be patient for leaders to be able to get things in order."
Paying tribute to deceased, he describing her as a wonderful woman, who did not only look after her husband but also the children.
Gowon said it was HID Awolowo, who convinced her late husband, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, to join the National Executive Council of his government as the Federal Commissioner for Finance.
He also recalled that he was the one who released the late sage from Calabar prisons, where he was being incarcerated on the charge of treasonable felony.
He said, "God used me to bring him back. What people may not know; it was through Mama that I was able to get the services of Papa Awolowo to join the government at that time and to be the Vice- Chairman of our Executive Council and the Minister for Finance.
"And you all knew what he did to ensure that we were able to survive as a nation during those two and half years of crisis in Nigeria.
"And Mama's contributions really have been tremendous and I will always thank her for that because if we had not approached her to prevail on Papa to join the government, probably he may not have but he then accepted and he did exceptionally well and may God bless him and may God bless his soul."
Responding on behalf of the family, Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu, thanked the former head of state for the visit, stressing that since he knew their father, he had been very close to the family.
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