President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, are set to headline the public presentation of the long-awaited autobiography of former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, scheduled for May 19, 2026, in Abuja.
The event, which will take place at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, is expected to attract top government officials, military veterans, diplomats, and dignitaries from across the country.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will attend as the special guest of honour, while Danjuma will officially unveil the autobiography.
Published by Havilah Group, the 881-page book provides a detailed account of Gowon’s life, leadership journey, and reflections on major events in Nigeria’s history, particularly the Nigerian Civil War fought between 1967 and 1970.
The autobiography also explores Gowon’s early life and the circumstances that led to his emergence as Nigeria’s Head of State during one of the country’s most turbulent political periods.
Born in 1934, Gowon became Nigeria’s Head of State and Commander-in-Chief on August 1, 1966, and remained in office for nine years before leaving power in 1975.
Following his time in government, he pursued further studies and obtained a PhD in Political Science from the University of Warwick in 1984.
Since leaving office, Gowon has focused on peacebuilding, national unity, and humanitarian causes. He founded the Nigeria Prays initiative and has also supported advocacy campaigns against diseases such as guinea worm, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and viral hepatitis through the Yakubu Gowon Centre.