Honourable Abbas Tajudeen, Speaker of the House of Representatives, has congratulated a former military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, GCFR, on his 89th birthday.
Speaker Abbas praised General Gowon for his incalculable contributions to Nigeria’s peace and unity during and after his military career, stating the former Head of State is one of the patriots that Nigerians look up to.
The Speaker recalled with affection how, after leaving power, General Gowon received a doctorate at the University of Warwick and went on to become a Professor of Political Science at the University of Jos in the 1980s.
He also recounted how the retired General founded the Yakubu Gowon Centre for National Unity and International Cooperation in 1992, a non-governmental and non-profit organization that promoted good governance and health-related concerns.
General Gowon’s life, from achieving the pinnacle of his military career to becoming an elder statesman, is an inspiration to many, according to Speaker Abbas.
The Speaker asked to God for many healthy years so that Nigerians might benefit from his fatherly advice on national concerns.