Gowon, an haife shi a ranar 19 ga Oktoba 1934. Shi ne shugaban ƙasa, shugaban gwamnatin mulkin soja na tarayyar Najeriya daga 1966 zuwa 1975. Ya karbi mulki bayan juyin mulkin soja da aka yi. A lokacin mulkinsa, gwamnatin Najeriya ta yi nasarar hana ballewar yankin Biafra a lokacin yaƙin basasa na 1967-70.
Karatun Gowon
Yakubu Gowon ya halarci Jami’ar Warwick a shekarar 1983 da kuma Royal Military Academy Sandhurst a shekarun 1955 – 1956 da Kwalejin Ma’aikata da Kwalejin Tsaro ta Haɗin gwiwar Camberley.
Tasowa da girma
Gowon ɗan asalin ƙabilar Angas ne, daga Lur, wani ƙaramin ƙauye a ƙaramar hukumar Kanke a jihar Filato. Iyayensa, Nde Yohanna da Matwok Kurnyang, sun koma Wusasa, Zariya a matsayin masu wa’azin mishan na cocin (CMS) a farkon rayuwar Gowon. Mahaifinsa ya yi alfahari da cewa ya yi aure a ranar da Sarauniya Elizabeth ta auri sarki George na VI. Gowon shi ne na biyar a cikin yara goma sha ɗaya da aka haifa a ɗakinsu. Ya girma a Zariya kuma ya yi rayuwarsa ta farko da karatunsa a can.
A makaranta, Gowon ya tabbatar da cewa shi ƙwararren ɗan wasa ne; shi ne mai tsaron ragar ƙwallon ƙafa na makarantar, ɗan wasan ƙwallon ƙafa ne kuma ɗan wasan tsere mai gudu. Ya karya tarihin gudu na makarantar a shekararsa ta farko. Shi ne kuma kyaftin ɗin dambe.
Shigar Gowon aikin soja
Yakubu Gowon ya shiga aikin sojan Najeriya ne a shekarar 1954, inda ya samu muƙamin Laftanar na biyu a ranar 19 ga Oktoban 1955, wato a lokacin da ya cika shekaru 21 da haihuwa.
A watan Janairun shekarar 1966, ya zama hafsan soja mafi ƙarancin shekaru a Najeriya, lokacin yana da shekaru 32, saboda juyin mulkin da sojoji suka yi a ƙarƙashin Manjo Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu ya kai ga kifar da gwamnatin farar hula ta Najeriya. A wannan juyin mulkin, an kashe akasarin shugabannin arewa da na yamma, ciki har da Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, firaministan Najeriya; Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardaunan Sokoto kuma firimiya na yankin Arewa; da Samuel Akintola, firimiyan yankin yamma, Laftanal Kanal Arthur Unegbe da dai sauransu. Daga nan sai Laftanar Kanal Gowon ya dawo daga kwas ɗinsa daga Kwalejin Haɗin gwiwar Ma’aikata, Latimer UK.
A ranar 29 ga Yulin 1966, yayin da Ironsi ke zama a gidan gwamnati da ke Ibadan, sojojin arewa ƙarƙashin jagorancin Manjo Theophilus Ɗanjuma da Kyaftin Martin Adamu suka kutsa kai cikin ginin, suka kama Ironsi da mai tsaronsa, Laftanar Kanal Adekunle Fajuyi, sannan suka yi wa mutanen biyu tsirara da dukan tsiya, daga karshe kuma aka harbe su. Sauran sojojin Arewa ƙarƙashin jagorancin Laftanar Kanal Murtala Mohammed, wanda shi ne jagoran juyin mulkin na hakika wanda kuma ya gaji Yakubu Gowon a matsayin shugaban ƙasa, daga nan ne suka ƙwace filin jirgin saman Ikeja da ke Legas. An kashe wasu ‘yan tsirarun ƙabilar Igbo da na gabashin ƙasar a lokacin da aka yi juyin mulkin.
Gwagwarmayarsa a yaƙin Biafra
A yunƙurin ballewar yankin gabas (Biafra), Gowon ya yi gaggawar raunata goyon bayan yankin ta hanyar ba da umarnin kafa sabbin jihohi goma sha biyu da za su maye gurbin yankunan huɗu da ake da su. Shida daga cikin waɗannan jahohin sun ƙunshi ’yan tsiraru waɗanda suka buƙaci a kirkiro jihohi tun a shekarun 1950. Gowon ya yi daidai a cewarsa, ‘yan tsiraru na gabas ba za su goyi bayan ‘yan kabilar Igbo ba, duba da yadda za su samu jihohinsu idan aka ci nasara a yunƙurin ɓallewa. Da yawa daga cikin sojojin gwamnatin tarayya da suka yi yaƙin basasa, wanda aka fi sani da yaƙin Biafra, don dawo da yankin gabas cikin tarayya, ‘yan ƙalilan ne. Yaƙin dai ya ɗauki tsawon watanni 30 ana gwabzawa, sai a watan Janairun shekarar 1970 ya zo ƙarshe.
Sake gina yankin Biafra
Juyin mulkin da aka yi a watan Yuli ya yi ta’adi ga mutanen gabas sama da 50,000 a duk fadin yankin Arewa. Daruruwan Inyamurai ne aka kashe a lokacin tawayen a Arewa, kasancewar kwamandojin ko dai sun rasa ikon dakarunsu ko kuma sun yi ta kai ruwa rana da su wajen cin zarafin ‘yan ƙabilar Igbo, ba a dauki lokaci mai tsawo ba ‘yan Arewa daga kowane ɓangare suka shiga hannu. An kashe dubban ‘yan kabilar Igbo a duk fadin Arewa. Wannan ya sa ‘yan kabilar Igbo da yawa suka koma zuwa yankunansu da ke gabashin Najeriya. Laftanar Kanal Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, gwamnan soji na yankin gabas a lokacin, wanda bai yarda da yunƙurin da sojojin Arewa da ke yankinsa suka yi na maimaita kisan kiyashin da aka yi wa jami’an ƙabilar Igbo ba, ya ce idan gwamnatin Najeriya ba za ta iya kare rayukan Inyamurai ba, to ’yan ƙabilar Igbo sun tanadi mayar da martani da kuma kafa ƙasarsu da za a mutunta haƙƙinsu.
An samu rashin jituwa tsakanin yankin gabas da gwamnatin tarayya da ke ƙarƙashin jagorancin Gowon. A ranakun 4-5 ga watan Janairun 1967, bisa buƙatar Ojukwu na tattaunawa, an gudanar da taron ƙoli da Gowon, Ojukwu da sauran mambobin majalisar ƙoli ta soja suka halarta a birnin Aburi na ƙasar Ghana, inda aka bayyana manufar taron don warware duk wasu rigingimun da ake fama da su tare da tabbatar da Najeriya a matsayin ƙasa ɗaya. Sakamakon wannan taro dai shi ne yarjejeniyar Aburi.
Yarjejeniyar Aburi ba ta samu kulawa ba, domin gwamnatin Gowon ta mayar da hankali sosai kan yadda za a samu kuɗaɗen shiga, musamman kuɗaɗen shigar man-fetur da ake sa ran za su ƙaru idan aka yi la’akari da cewa a tsakiyar shekarun 1960 ne aka gano ma’adanai a yankin. An rawaito cewa, Gowon da Ojukwu ba su da masaniya kan dimbin albarkatun man da ke yankin Neja Delta a wancan lokacin, wanda a yau ya zama jigon tattalin arzikin Najeriya.
A wani mataki na duba tasirin gwamnatin Ojukwu a gabas, Gowon ya sanar a ranar 5 ga Mayun 1967 cewa an raba yankuna 3 na Najeriya zuwa jihohi 12: Jihar Arewa maso Yamma, Jihar Arewa maso Gabas, Jihar Kano, Arewa ta Tsakiya, Benue, Jihar Plateau, Jihar Kwara, Jihar Yamma, Jihar Legas, Jihar Tsakiyar Yamma, da kuma yankin Ojukwu, Jihar Ribas, Jihar Kudu-maso-Gabas. da kuma Jiha ta Gabas ta Tsakiya. Jihohin Kudu-maso-Gabas da na Ribas da ba na Igbo ba, wadanda ke da arzikin man fetur da kuma teku, an saka su ne domin ware yankunan Igbo a matsayin jihar Gabas ta Tsakiya.
Juyin mulkin farko
Dalilan da suka sa aka yi juyin mulkin na farko, sun shafi rashin jin daɗin da ake fama da shi a duk faɗin ƙasar dangane da ‘yan siyasa masu cin hanci da rashawa da son kai, da kuma rashin iya tabbatar da doka da oda da tabbatar da tsaron rayuka da dukiyoyi. A farkon matakin, Nzeogwu da abokan aikinsa an yaba da su a matsayin jaruman ƙasa. Amma irin yadda aka yi kashe-kashen a juyin mulkin ya sanya shi nuna ɓangaranci; an kashe firaminista, ɗan arewa, firimiya na yankin arewa, da manyan hafsoshin sojojin arewa; ɗan ƙabilar Igbo ɗaya ne ya rasa ransa. An kuma kashe firaministan yankin yammacin kasar wanda ke da alaka da jam’iyyar NPC.
Gowon a matsayin jagoran yaƙi
A ranar 30 ga Mayun 1967 Ojukwu ya mayar da martani ga sanarwar Gowon inda ya ayyana ɓallewar yankin gabas a hukumance, wanda a yanzu ake kiran shi da Biyafara. Wannan ya kasance abin da ya haifar da yaƙin da ya ɗauki kimanin watanni 30, da kuma mutuwar sojoji fiye da 100,000 da kuma fararen hula fiye da miliyan ɗaya, wanda mafi yawansu suka halaka saboda yunwa.
An kawo ƙarshen yaƙin ne a ranar 13 ga watan Janairun 1970, inda Kanal Olusegun Obasanjo ya amince da miƙa wuya na sojojin Biafra. Washegari Obasanjo ya sanar da halin da ake ciki a tsohon gidan rediyon ‘yan tawayen wato Rediyon Biafra, Enugu. Daga baya Gowon ya bayyana jawabinsa na “Babu mai nasara, ba a ci nasara ba”, sannan ya ɗora da yin afuwa ga akasarin waɗanda suka taka rawa wajen fafutukar kafa ƙasar Biafra, da kuma shirin “Sabuntawa, sake ginawa da gyarawa”, na ɓarnar da aka yi wa tattalin arziki da ababen more rayuwa a yankin gabas a cikin shekarun yaƙin.
Shekarun bayan yaƙin
Shekarun bayan yaƙin dai Najeriya ta ci gaba da samun ci gaba mai ma’ana, a fannin man-fetur da bunƙasar tattalin arziki, a yayin da ayyukan gwamnatin tarayyar Najeriya ya ƙaru zuwa wani mataki da ba a taɓa ganin irinsa ba, tare da samun ƙarin kudin shiga daga kuɗaɗen shigar man-fetur. Sai dai kuma abin takaicin shi ne, a wannan lokaci ma an samu ƙaruwar cin hanci da rashawa, galibin cin hanci da rashawa daga jami’an gwamnatin tarayya ne; kuma duk da cewa shi kansa shugaban ƙasa, Janar Gowon, ba a taɓa samun shi da hannu dumu-dumu cikin ayyukan cin hanci da rashawa ba, amma ana yawan zarginsa da rufe ido kan ayyukan ma’aikatansa da muƙarrabansa.
Kafa dokar Indigenization Decree 1972
Wata shawarar da Gowon ya yanke a daidai lokacin da ake ci gaba da samun haɓakar arzikin man-fetur, ita ce, samun abin da wasu ke ganin zai haifar da mummunan sakamako ga tattalin arzikin Najeriya a shekarun gaba masu zuwa, duk da cewa ba a iya ganin illar shi nan take ba, dokar da ya yi ta kasuwancin ‘yan asalin ƙasar a shekarar 1972, wato (Indigenization Decree 1972), wadda ta bayyana sassa da dama na tattalin arzikin Nijeriya, hana duk wani saka hannun jari a ƙetare, tare da rage shigar da ‘yan ƙasashen waje da yawa a wasu yankuna da dama. Wannan doka ta samar da nasarorin da aka samu a ‘yan Najeriya da dama, amma ta yi matuƙar illa ga rashin masu zuba jari a tattalin arzikin Najeriya.
Hamɓarar da gwamnatin Gowon
A ranar 1 ga Oktoban 1974, wanda ya saɓa wa alkawuran da ya yi a baya, Gowon ya bayyana cewa Nijeriya ba za ta shirya mulkin farar hula ba nan da 1976, kuma ya bayyana cewa za a ɗage ranar miƙa mulki har abada. Bugu da ƙari, an yi zargin ƙaruwar cin hanci da rashawa. Dalilin ƙaruwar arziki a ƙasar ya sa aka riƙa ba da lasisin shigo da kaya na jabu. Akwai labaran da aka ce ana shigo da ɗimbin duwatsu da yashi cikin ƙasar, kuma Janar Gowon da kansa ya shaida wa wani ɗan jarida na kasar waje cewa “Matsala ɗaya tilo da Najeriya ke da ita ita ce ta yadda za ta kashe kuɗin da take da shi.” Cin hanci da rashawa a gwamnatin Gowon ya shahara sosai da sosai.
A ranar 25 ga Yulin 1975, yayin da Gowon ke halartar taron OAU a Kampala, wata tawagar hafsoshin soja ƙarƙashin jagorancin Kanal Joe Nanven Garba ta sanar da hamɓarar da shi. Masu yunƙurin juyin mulkin sun naɗa Birgediya Murtala Muhammad a matsayin shugaban sabuwar gwamnati, sai kuma Birgediya Olusegun Obasanjo a matsayin mataimakinsa.
Rayuwar Gowon bayan sauka daga mulki
Gowon ya tafi gudun hijira a Birtaniya, inda ya sami digiri na uku a fannin kimiyyar siyasa a jami’ar Warwick. Ya zauna a arewacin London, Hertfordshire.
A watan Fabrairun 1976, Gowon ya kasance yana da hannu a juyin mulkin da Laftanar Kanal Buka Suka Dimka ya jagoranta, wanda ya yi sanadiyar mutuwar Janar Murtala Mohammed. A cewar Dimka, ya gana da Gowon a Landan, kuma ya samu goyon bayansa kan juyin mulkin. Bugu da kari, Dimka ya bayyana kafin a zartar da hukuncin kisa gare shi cewa maƙasudin juyin mulkin shi ne sake naɗa Gowon a matsayin shugaban ƙasa. Sakamakon binciken da kotun ta yi na juyin mulkin, gwamnatin Najeriya ta bayyana Gowon, inda ta tuɓe muƙaminsa ba ya nan, aka kuma yanke masa fansho. Daga ƙarshe an yi wa Janar Gowon afuwa tare da tsohon shugaban ƙasar Biafra, Emeka Ojukwu a lokacin jamhuriya ta biyu ƙarƙashin shugaba Shehu Shagari.
Gowon ya dawo Najeriya a shekarar 1983, sannan a shekarun 1990 ya kafa wata kungiya ta addini mai suna Nigeria Prays.
Bugu da ƙari, Janar Gowon yana da hannu a cikin shirin kawar da cutar Guinea worm da kuma shirin HIV tare da Asusun Duniya na Geneva. Gowon ya kafa wata kungiyarsa a shekarar 1992 mai suna Yakubu Gowon Centre. An ce ƙungiyar ta yi aiki a kan batutuwan da ke faruwa a Najeriya kamar shugabanci nagari da kuma yaƙi da cututtuka da suka haɗa da HIV/AIDS, guinea worm, da zazzabin cizon sauro.
Nasarorin gwamnatin Gowon
- Ƙirƙirar sabbin manyan hanyoyi bibiyu. Wato samar da ƙarin hanyoyin sufuri daga Arewa zuwa Kudu masu hannu bibiyu.
- Gina titin mai hannu biyu daga Legas zuwa Ibadan da kuma Ibadan zuwa Jebba zuwa Kaduna zuwa Kano zuwa Daura.
- Samar da gine-ginen gwamnati, ciki har da sakatariyar gwamnatin tarayya da ke Legas da sakatariyar gwamnatin tarayya a kowane babban birnin jiha.
- Samar da gidaje ga ma’aikatan gwamnati musamman manyan benayen Legas don gudanar da bikin fasaha da al’adu na Afirka duka a 1976.
- Kafa hukumar kula da gidaje ta ƙasa a ƙarƙashin ofishin majalisar zartarwa domin samar wa jama’a gidajen bayan bikin FESTAC.
- Kafa babban bankin bayar da lamuni na tarayya.
- Zartar da ƙayyadaddun iyakokin Najeriya/Dahomey (Benin). Tun daga wannan lokacin babu wata taƙaddama kan iyaka tsakanin ƙasashen biyu.
- Canja tsarin tuƙi daga hannun hagu zuwa hannun dama.
- Kafa kamfanin mai na Najeriya.
- Aiwatar da tsarin ilimin bai-ɗaya na firamare kyauta a duk faɗin Najeriya, 1974.
- Samar da hukumar ‘yan hidimar ƙasa, wato National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
- Ƙirƙirar dokar inganta kamfanonin Najeriya (Indigenisation Decree), 1972 wacce ta buɗe kofar kasuwanci da masana’antu ga ‘yan Najeriya.
- Samar da kamfanonin haɗa motoci da suka haɗa da:
(a) Volkswagen da ke Legas
(b) Leyland da ke Ibadan
(c) Peugeot da ke Kaduna
(d) DaimlerBenz da ke Enugu. - Kafa Cibiyar Noma ta Duniya a Ibadan.
- Bunƙasa asibitocin ƙwararrun likitoci a dukkan jihohin.
- Samar da bankin kasuwanci da masana’antu na Najeriya.
- Kafa kamfanin inshora na ƙasa.
- Kirkirar kotun tattara haraji ta tarayya (wacce a yanzu ta zama babbar kotun tarayya).
- Samar da kotun ɗaukaka kara ta tarayya
- Kirkirar kotun masana’antu.
Ƙalubalen gwamnatin Gowon
• Cin hanci da rashawa
Gwamnatin Gowon ta fuskanci ƙalubale masu yawa da suka shafi cin hanci da rashawa da kuma rashin iya aiki. Yawan kwararar arzikin man-fetur ya haifar da rashin gudanar da ayyukan ta’addanci tare da ɓullo da ayyukan cin hanci da rashawa a tsakanin jami’an gwamnati.
• Rashin mutunta tsarin siyasa
Duk da cewa an samu nasarar tabbatar da haɗin kai a lokacin yaƙin basasa, amma gwamnatin Gowon ta fuskanci ƙarin tabarbarewar harkokin siyasa da rashin gamsuwa, lamarin da ya janyo cece-kuce tsakanin ƙabilu daban-daban da kuma ƙungiyoyin siyasa.
• Rashin cika alkawarin miƙa mulki ga farar hula
Da farko Gowon ya yi alƙawarin komawa mulkin farar hula, inda ya bayyana shirin miƙa mulki ga dimokradiyya a shekarar 1979. Sai dai kuma ya jinkirta wannan miƙa mulki, wanda ya haifar da suka da tashe-tashen hankula a ƙasar, wanda a ƙarshe ya taimaka wajen hamɓarar da shi a shekarar 1975.
• Take hakkin ɗana’dam
An soki gwamnatinsa da take hakkin bil’adama a lokacin yaƙin basasa, musamman game da yadda aka mu’amalanci dakarun Biafra da fararen hula. Matsalolin da suka haɗa da yunwa, sun janyo Allah wadai ga gwamnatin Gowon daga ƙasashen duniya.
Manazarta
Nigeria, G. (2017, June 7). ‘Failure of Gowon’s three Rs, cause of separatist groups.’ The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News.
The Gowon Legacy – THISDAYLIVE. (2024, October 23).
What is the achievement and failure of Gen Yakubu Gowon as Nigeria’s head of state? (n.d.). Quora.
Wiki, C. T. M. (n.d.). Yakubu Gowon. Military Wiki.