I Regret Supporting One Nigeria – Major Paul Omu Says, Reveals What Gowon Means

Retired Nigerian Soldier who was a key player during the Nigerian civil War, Major General Paul Omu has opened up about his regrets during his youthful age when he fought to keep the country one.

The 80-year-old made the statement during an interview section with TVC reporter.

READ ALSO: Mother Devastated As All 8 Of Her Children Die In Lagos Building Collapse (Photos)

According to him, the country might have been better if it disintegrated then. Because now, Politicians practice marginalization, and the South is at the brunt of it all. 

He also revealed that one Nigeria was the former head of state, Yakubu Gowon's slogan. Stating the full meaning of the name, Gowon. 

Here's what he said; 

“The East was a city, So we were fighting to keep Nigeria one. That was why the slogan of “keep Nigeria one” is a task that must be done. It was Gowon’s slogan. “His name gowon means ‘Go on with one Nigeria’. So as young people, this is what we carried on our heads and we fought to keep Nigeria one to integrate the country.

“Reflection, there are some regrets. If we didn’t fight the war, the country won’t have been together. We would have disintegrated. Only God knows whether is disintegration that would have helped.

“The components, various components would have faired better or not. That is one aspect of the matter. 

“But when we look at it deeply, the regret is that we have not learnt a lesson. People are behaving as if we did not fight a war. And even in government things that are happening, you begin to find that sectionalism, tribalism is still been entrenched and so things you fought for during the war are not been practiced. 

“Now in some aspects we are more divided than we were then. but even those who fought the war are not thinking as if they fought the war. I don’t think they’ve learnt any lesson with what am seeing.

“My people are being marginalised as you know. From what we produced to the coffers of the country. Oil was discovered as far back as 1958. There is no access road to the community.

“So that is an extreme marginalization which even if you ask me as a soldier. I cannot even explain. Politicians can explain but I can’t understand why people behave or think that way.” 

READ ALSO: Protests Rock Enugu Over Recent Murder Of Chief By Fulani Herdsmen (Video)

Major General Paul Ufuoma Omu was the Military Governor of South-Eastern State, Nigeria (renamed Cross River State in February 1976) between July 1975 and July 1978 during the military regimes of Generals Murtala Muhammed and Olusegun Obasanjo.