Gowon: Strange, but true……

- Gowon was the only person to become Nigeria’s Head of State as a bachelor.
- Gowon was the only Nigerian military officer to have jumped the ranks of Colonel and Brigadier when the Supreme Military Council promoted him from the rank of Lieutenant Colonel to a Major-General on 1st June 1967.
- Gowon was the youngest ever Nigerian to become Head of State at 31 years.
- Gowon was the only one to get married while occupying the office of the Head of State.
- Gowon was the longest serving Nigerian Head of State (9 years at a stretch).
- Gowon, at 90, is Nigeria’s longest surviving former Head of State. Zik, who died at 92, was a ceremonial president.
- Gowon, as Head of State, had a Police ADC whose wife was Mrs Comfort Maimuna Yaroson. Comfort had a sister called Victoria Hansatu Zakari. Gowon married Victoria, so the ADC also became in-law to his boss at the same time !
- Gowon and Victoria had 2 children, Ibrahim Bala Gowon (born 1970) and Saratu Kenkemwa Tani Gowon (born 1972).
- Gowon today is the most senior surviving Nigerian military officer.
Happy 90th birthday, General Gowon !