Revisiting Gowon’s Aburi Decision and Ojukwu’s War: Who Was at Fault?

Was General Gowon justified in overriding the Aburi accord without wider consultation? As a military head, he had no electoral mandate and arguably exceeded his authority by signing alone. Did Colonel Ojukwu have enough cause to wage war over state creation for Eastern minorities? Creating new states for minorities was a national trend, yet he chose conflict instead of demanding a referendum or restoring democracy by peaceful means. The real tragedy lay in the blockade that led to over half a million civilian deaths. Both federal and Biafran forces share responsibility: the former for the humanitarian siege, the latter for refusing to surrender when their territory was negligible. If General Gowon’s actions mirrored common wartime strategy, should he alone bear the villain label? Or did his eventual relief by subordinates reflect respect for his character despite policy disagreements?

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