I didn’t know you begged Abacha not to kill me – Obasanjo tells Gowon

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has publicly acknowledged the intervention of former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon (rtd.) in persuading the late General Sani Abacha to spare him from execution while he was imprisoned in the 1990s.

Obasanjo, who was imprisoned by the Abacha regime on charges of a coup plot and sentenced to death, maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal.

At the Plateau Interdenominational Unity Christmas Carols and Praise Festival held at the 10 Commandments Prayer Altar in Jos South, Plateau State, Gowon revealed his efforts to prevent Obasanjo’s execution.

Gowon explained that he wrote a letter to Abacha pleading for mercy and entrusted it to his wife, who delivered it to Abacha in Abuja under the cover of darkness.

He stressed the importance of using leadership for good rather than harm and expressed his happiness at Obasanjo’s eventual release and his subsequent election as Nigeria’s President in 1999.

The following day at the same event, Obasanjo expressed surprise and gratitude for Gowon’s intervention.

“I want to acknowledge my boss, General Yakubu Gowon. Yesterday, he made a revelation, and I have to thank you specifically for that,” Obasanjo said. “When I came out of prison, I thanked friends inside and outside the country who contributed to my release. However, I did not know you wrote a personal letter on my behalf until you mentioned it yesterday.”