BREAKING: Instead Of Closing The Wounds Of The Conflict, Gowon Reopened Them 56yrs Later – Chidi Odinkalu

Please Kindly Pay Attention: If you’re reading on PHOENIX, please click the “Read Original” button at the top right to view the article.

Chidi Odinkalu, a renowned human rights activist and former chairman of the national human rights commission has questioned the contents of the autobiography of former military head of state, Major General Yakubu Gowon.

According to the statements which were shared on his official X handle on Sunday May 24th, 2026 he pointed out that instead of burying the wounds of the civil conflict in 1967, the former military head of state decided to re-open them.

Reacting to the widely circulated autobiography of Major General Yakubu Gowon, many had lauded the message conveyed by the military general, however, Chidi Odinkalu maintained that certain comments should be questioned.

In his arguments, the former NHRC boss pointed out that Major General Yakubu Gowon had earlier declared that there was no victor or vanquished, but the content of his book suggests otherwise.

He further pointed out that rehabilitation, reconstruction and reconciliation were proposed, but fifty six years later, nothing had been done to reconcile or rehabilitate the affected regions.

The wounds, according to Chidi Odinkalu, instead of being permanently buried, had been exhumed by the same individual who promised to bury them.

Kindly read what Chidi Odinkalu wrote on his official X handle below;