Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has clarified the rationale behind his congratulatory message to former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd), on his 90th birthday, a gesture that has drawn mixed reactions from Nigerians.
In a statement on Sunday, Obi acknowledged the sentiments expressed both publicly and privately by some Nigerians, particularly those who suffered during Nigeria’s civil war which was fought under Gowon’s leadership.
“I share in some of these sentiments,” he said, “but as a leader in the vanguard of providing direction for our country to move past our historical shortcomings, including the issues that led to the avoidable civil war, I felt the need to show the world that the ultimate heroism lies in forgiving the enemy and moving forward.”
Obi reflected on the 30-month civil war which he described as the darkest chapter in Nigeria’s 64-year journey. He noted that both Gowon, the chief prosecutor of the war, and Olusegun Obasanjo, who saw its end, are still alive and continue to play significant roles in fostering reconciliation and unity in Nigeria.
Obi also recalled that under his tenure as governor of Anambra State, Nigeria gave the Biafran leader, Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, a national burial in 2012, which he believes was a bold indication of the country’s willingness to move forward in the spirit of reconciliation.
While recognising that forgiveness is difficult for many, particularly those directly affected by the war, Obi argued that holding onto bitterness only fuels division and sectarianism, leading to further conflict.
“There is something about forgiveness – it sets the person doing it free,” he remarked, adding that forgiveness is a process that can help heal personal and collective wounds.
Obi, who was a child during the war, emphasised that most of his supporters were born after the war and that dragging them back into that dark history by harbouring unforgiveness would derail the message of hope for a new Nigeria.
“I believe such an act would derail the message of a new Nigeria that we insist is possible,” he stated.
Addressing critics who questioned his decision to publicly congratulate Gowon, Obi explained that silence would have been detrimental to the journey towards a new Nigeria, one where political vices such as ethnic and religious divisions, bitterness, and regional segregation are eliminated.
He urged those angered by his gesture to understand his motivation and join him in the mission to build a country where forgiveness and justice prevail, paving the way for peace and good governance.
“What Nigeria needs urgently to survive and thrive is good governance, which can only flourish in true peace and justice,” Obi concluded.
