Former President Goodluck Jonathan reflected on his experience growing up during General Yakubu Gowon’s rise to power, emphasizing the challenges of speaking about someone like Gowon. He acknowledged his age, humorously noting that discussing Gowon feels like carrying a heavy load, as he was only in Primary 4 at St. Michael’s School during the January 1966 coup that brought Gowon to power.
He stated that the limited access to information at the time, recalling that there were no social media platforms and few televisions, especially in rural areas. He mentioned that even in villages, having more than two radios was rare, underscoring how disconnected many were from national events compared to today. His comments reflect the generational gap and the transformation in access to information since those times.
He said in a live coverage by Symfoni from 2:25, “When somebody like me, just like the Reverend Dr. Ben said, we are all old. But when I’m asked to speak about Gowon, it is something like carrying a load too heavy for you. When Gowon became head of state during the January 1966 coup, I was in Primary 4 at St. Michael’s School. So what would I know about such a person? There was no social media at that time, and in the rural areas, there were no televisions. Even in a village, you may not have more than two radios.”