Aburi Accord: At That Point, Gowon Was About 32 Years Old, He Was As Naive As The Rest Of Us-Udenwa

Former Imo State Governor, Chief Achike Udenwa has reflected on the events surrounding the 1967 Aburi Accord, describing then Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon as young and inexperienced at the time.

Speaking during an interview on the Edmund Obilo Show, Udenwa said the crisis that followed the Aburi meeting in Ghana was largely influenced by the inexperience of Nigeria’s leaders at the time.

“How old was Gowon? At that point, Gowon was about 32 years old. Gowon was as naive as the rest of us,” Udenwa stated.

The former governor noted that both military and political leaders were relatively young and lacked the depth of experience needed to handle the country’s complex political challenges following the January and July 1966 coups.

According to him, the Aburi Accord which was meant to resolve tensions between the federal government and the Eastern Region failed not only because of mistrust but also because the key actors were learning leadership under crisis.

Udenwa emphasized that Nigeria’s political and military instability at the time was a product of youthful impulsiveness and lack of strategic foresight. He added that the inability of the country’s leaders to interpret the true implications of the Aburi resolutions contributed to the escalation of the conflict that led to the civil war.

“The truth is, none of them had the kind of exposure or mentorship that leadership requires. Everyone was reacting to situations rather than thinking them through,” he explained.

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