At Gowon’s 90th Birthday Lecture, Adesina Calls for Nigeria’s Renaissance

*Tinubu, Obasanjo, Babangida, Jonathan, Buhari, others pour encomium on former Head of State

Olawale Ajimotokan, Deji Elumoye, Chucks Okocha in Abuja, Seriki Adinoyi in Jos and Nume Ekeghe in Lagos

President of the Africa Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, yesterday, called for Nigeria’s reawakening as the economic hope of Africa and the black world, lamenting that the country was not where she should be after 64 years of nationhood.

Adesina in his keynote remarks during a public lecture organised to mark the 90th birthday of former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, began by praising the elder statesman, describing him as a leader to be emulated and praising his contributions towards promoting a united Nigeria.
He demanded attitudinal change in his keynote address at the ECOWAS secretariat, Abuja.

Adesina’s speech titled, “History Beckons on Nigeria, We Can’t Disappoint,” was delivered in between fitting tributes to Gowon, by President Bola Tinubu and former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida and Goodluck Jonathan.

“One question we don’t ask ourselves enough is what are we supposed to be after 64 years of independence. Sixty-four years after independence, Nigeria should not be a developing country, but a developed nation,” Adesina said.

The President of AfDB noted that Nigeria carries with it the hope of all black people all over the world as the biggest nation in the black world, to become an inspiration that will elevate the whole of Africa.

In a stirring lecture, Adesina urged Nigerians to “start thinking of Nigeria not in terms of what we currently are, but where we should be”.

“When the Gulf region was to evolve, it was Saudi Arabia that took the case, today three Arab countries have risen to become global giants.
“When Europe started to develop it made a journey with UK, Germany and France to spur the growth of the continent.

“When Asia started to develop it took China, Japan and South Korea to spark wider growth to Singapore, India and Indonesia.

“For Africa to develop it needs Nigeria to develop first. History beckons on Nigeria and we can’t disappoint, Nigeria must become a global powerhouse. That is our responsibility. Today, poverty is extremely pervasive. The National Statistics report 2022 estimated that 63 percent of persons living within Nigeria, that’s 133 million people at the time, are poor. Poverty is particularly extreme in rural areas where millions of people have been forgotten and abandoned, ” Adesina said.

His lecture detailed the unfulfilled Nigerian dream, rising poverty, particularly in Northern Nigeria which stands at 65 per cent of the population, lack of electricity which is hampering businesses across the country, over-dependence on crude oil, the country having to import more while manufacturing accounts for only three per cent of production and the problem of congestion at the ports.

President Bola Tinubu congratulated the former Head of State, in a two-page birthday tribute.

He described the celebrant as a gentleman extraordinaire who served Nigeria meritoriously in different capacity.
Tinubu said he cherished Gowon’s advice to him since he became President in May, 2023.

The President in the tribute personally signed by him stated, inter alia: “On his 90th birthday (October 19), I pay special tribute to our elder statesman and former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon.

“General Gowon is a gentleman extraordinaire, one of the longest-serving Nigerian leaders.

“He did a lot for our country and served meritoriously in various capacities within and outside the military.

“As a brilliant officer trained at Sandhurst and reluctantly became Nigeria’s leader at 32, his life story has inspired many Nigerians.

“As the nation’s head of state, he significantly contributed to nation-building and development and can be rightly called the father of national infrastructure.

“It is on record that after the country’s civil war, his philosophy of “No victor, no vanquished” helped promote national healing, peace, and reconciliation.
“His most incredible legacy was the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) founded in 1975.

“Since I became President, General Gowon has been my counsellor, offering advice when needed.

“He was there for us when we had a misunderstanding with some of our Sahelian states, calling for moderation from all sides for the sake of ECOWAS unity.

“General Gowon’s life outside the office is also remarkable. After stewardship of the country, he acquired more knowledge, demonstrating that age and status are never barriers to seeking to be the best we can be.

“I pray that God Almighty will imbue General Gowon with more wisdom and grant him good health and more years to continue to be useful to Nigeria and humanity”.
For his part, former President Olusegun Obasanjo also described General Gowon, as a statesman worthy to be nationally celebrated whole still alive.
Obasanjo stated: “This is a national celebration, and you are worthy of being celebrated while you’re still with us.

” Very few can claim to have witnessed your time in government or the army. But by God’s grace, you have lived long enough for us to honor you today.”
He humorously remarked on Gowon’s milestone, saying, “God has made you a big 90. If I were from Calabar, I would say, ’90 no be yoke.'”
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, who chaired the occasion also highlighted the values of community and respect for authority that were central to Gowon’s leadership.

“In our time, children were everyone’s responsibility, regardless of tribe or religion,” he noted. “Honesty, hard work, and selflessness were the benchmarks of our society. The civil service was efficient, and society lived in peace and harmony.”

The Sultan praised Nigeria’s fortune in having a statesman like Gowon with his “exceptional longevity” and “institutional wisdom” to guide the nation.
“Not many countries are fortunate enough to have such leaders live so long, with full consciousness and insight,” he added.

In his goodwill message, former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, also lauded Gowon for his decency and unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s development.

“I will continue to pray for him. The greatest thing he did for this country was to keep us as one.

“The younger generation should learn from his life story, as he started leading this country at a tender age. They should study his life,” Babangida said.
Also former President Jonathan said Gowon provided leadership for the country during the time of war, saying he has continued to work for the unity and peace of the country ever since.

Former Vice President of Nigeria and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, described Gowon as a refined and uncontroversial public figure with unwavering commitment to national unity and integrity.

In a statement on the occasion of Gowon’s 90th birthday anniversary, Atiku joined Nigerians and others to celebrate the statesman.

According to Atiku, “healing the wounds of the civil war through national reconciliation was one of General Gowon’s greatest and indelible achievements.”

He explained that the introduction of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was a shining example of Gowon’s commitment to national integration by encouraging our youths from different cultural backgrounds to interact with other people outside their own ethnic zones.

In his congratulatory, former President Muhammadu Buhari said the former military ruler’s far-sighted leadership and commitment to the nation’s unity and future development was praiseworthy.

Also, Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang joined other Nigerians and leaders within the country and beyond in celebrating the former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd) on the occasion of his 90th birthday.

Mutfwang extolled Gowon’s exceptional leadership qualities, which he noted have played a critical role in maintaining Nigeria’s unity and fostering its growth as a sovereign nation.

Mutfwang  in his message to celebrate Gowon said: “It is with profound humility and immense joy that I join the global community in celebrating your remarkable 90th birthday. You are not only a cherished father figure and a beacon of peace to millions of Nigerians but also an iconic statesman whose life and legacy continue to inspire transformative change. Your unwavering commitment to a unified and peaceful Nigeria has left an indelible mark on our nation’s history.”