Peter Obi
Obi reacts to backlash over felicitation with Gowon at 90
The Labour Party presidential candidate in the last General Election, Mr Peter Obi, has reacted to the backlash he faced for congratulating former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, on his 90th birthday.
Obi, who reacted in a post on his social media handle on Sunday, October 20, 2024, explained that Nigeria must move forward with love and forgiveness rather than hate and bitterness.
According to him, “My felicitation with Nigeria’s former military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, on his 90th birthday anniversary, has been received with mixed feelings.”
Obi, who admitted he understood the sentiments, but believes that as a leader, he must promote reconciliation.
He said the conflict, which claimed millions of lives, remains a dark chapter in the nation’s history.
But he said “forgiveness, not revenge, offers the hope of healing.”
Highlighting that his greeting to Gowon at 90 was symbolic of this forgiveness and a step toward a reconciled Nigeria, he referred to the burial of Biafran leader Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu during his tenure as a significant moment in the country’s reconciliation journey.
Obi advised Nigerians to “get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger” and instead embrace the transformative power of forgiveness.
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