General Yakubu Gowon, in his recent memoir My Life of Duty & Allegiance, presents a questionable account of the 1966 countercoup. He claims that during the crisis on July 29, 1966, he ordered a Major Paul Dickson to fly a helicopter from Lagos to Ibadan to rescue General Aguiyi-Ironsi. Historical records, however, indicate that no officer by that name held such a rank or authority at the time. Paul Dickson was merely a staff sergeant serving at Ikeja Airport, where he reportedly led forces in the targeting and killing of Igbo military officers.
Furthermore, Gowon’s narrative concerning his role during the January 15, 1966 coup is disputed by eyewitnesses. While Gowon portrays himself as a decisive hero who single-handedly suppressed the mutiny, contemporary accounts from officers like Colonel Hilary Njoku and Major Hans Anagho suggest otherwise. They detail how General Aguiyi-Ironsi and his subordinates were the actual figures orchestrating the response to the coup plotters. Critics argue that Gowon’s continued refusal to acknowledge the contributions of these officers is a deliberate attempt to frame the January 15 event strictly as an ethnic plot.
The memoir also touches on the sensitive subject of Northern secession plans following the July 1966 countercoup. Although Gowon denies that he or his faction intended to break away from Nigeria, documents from British archives and testimonies from figures like Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi suggest that secession was indeed the primary goal, prevented only by intervention from foreign diplomats. Observers contend that by choosing to prioritize his own legacy over historical accuracy, Gowon has missed a significant chance to promote true national reconciliation.
