Mention must be made of the indigenisation decree promulgated in December 1972 by General Yakubu Gowon. By December 1974, the Capital issues Commission had fixed prices for the ordinary shares of 24 companies. Ordinary shares totaling 54,051, 000 were transferred to Nigerians—13 companies in the manufacturing sector transferred 18,8331,000 ordinary shares: eight commercial companies transferred 31,987,000 while three services companies transferred 3,233,000 ordinary shares. 

However, the National Youth Service Corps Scheme (NYSC) was established by General Gowon on May 22, 1973 under Decree Number 24.  The concept of the National Youth Service Corps was first broached in the Second 4-Year Development Plan, in which it was announced that the Federal Military Government planned to establish a Youth corps organization during the period covered by the Plan.

General Yakubu Gowon, subsequently announced in the course of his broadcast to the nation on the occasion of the 12th Independence Anniversary Celebration on October 1, 1972, that the proposed NYSC was meant “to transcend political, social, state and ethnic loyalties and to form the basis of fostering loyalty to the nation.” At the various University convocations, he disclosed that a lot of work had already been done on the project and invited the public, the students and university lecturers for discussions and suggestions on the scheme. 

The facts having being collected, the FMG subsequently announced that the scheme would begin at the end of the 1972/1973 academic session. The NYSC was thus created by Decree No. 24 of 22nd May, 1973 and launched by General Yakubu Gowon, on June 4, 1973, at the first meeting of the Directorate of the NYSC. 

The objectives of the NYSC include: to inculcate discipline in Nigerian youths by instilling in them a tradition of industry at work and of patriotic and loyal service to the nation in any situation they may find themselves; to raise their moral tone by giving them the opportunity to learn about higher ideals of national achievement and social and cultural improvement; to develop in them attitudes of mind acquired through shared experience and suitable training, which will make them more amenable to mobilisation in the national interest and to develop common ties among them and promote national unity.

Others are to encourage members of the services corps to seek, at the end of their corps service, career employment all over the country thus promoting the free movement of labour, to induce employers partly through their experience with members of the Service Corps, to employ more readily qualified Nigerians irrespective of their States of Origin: and to enable Nigerian youths to acquire the spirit of self-reliance.

Under the decree, any Nigerian who is up to the age of 30years, and who, at the end of the academic year, unless exempted under section 15 of the decree, has successfully completed his or her first degree at any university in Nigeria, shall be liable to be called upon to serve in the Service Corps. But graduates who have exceed the prescribed age may volunteer for service. The duration of service is one year. 

General Yakubu Gowon established the Federal Housing Authority which built many housing schemes across the country including FESTAC in Lagos. With no debt to pay and with full implementation of the first and second development plan piloted by Professor Adebayo Adedeji (21 December 1930 – 25 April 2018) from Ijebu-Ode and Professor Ojetunji Aboyade (September 9, 1931 -December 31 1994) from Awe, at full speed, the country was moving forward. Suddenly, the movement stopped. And here we are, fifty years after. This great country deserves the best. No doubt Nigeria was designed for greatness. 

Three Newspapers namely Nigeria Tribune, The New Nigeria and The Daily Times wrote different editorials after the fall of General Yakubu Gowon’s government. 

The Nigerian Tribune in its editorial on August 1, 1975, “the tenth reason for the fall of Gowon’s Federal Military Government is that it had over-stayed its welcome. A miliary regime should be a transitional Government and its tenure of office should be short and effective. For, by their very training and temperament, soldiers do not possess qualities of politicians. What Gowon has demonstrated is that it takes much more than money, civil servants and economic plans to govern a country. 

The art of government is purely practical politics. And it is best left for those who have the necessary training, public confidence, temperament, experience, ability and the stomach for it. 

Finally, let it be said to his credit, that General Gowon was not a ruthless dictator. He tried occasionally to respond to public opinion and resisted the temptation to use his authoritarian powers as brutally as some of his sub-ordinate extremists would have wished. There were times when his inaction saved him and the nation from disasters that could have arisen from rash and precipitate action. But the greatest achievement for which he will be remembered is the creation of twelve states in the Federation. 

It was a courageous Act and it has removed for all time the main obstacle to lasting unity”.The Daily Times wrote on August 2, 1975, “Let it be said in fairness to him that General Gowon is a sincere and well-meaning man; the creation of 12 states; the indigenisation of foreign businesses; and the formation of Economic Community of West African States are all credits to his administration. But power is delightful and absolute power is absolutely delightful.” 

In its own Editorial, The New Nigeria wrote, “Foreign commentators who thought that Nigeria was doomed to face a fresh round of violence, and even another civil war, have been proved woefully wrong. The acknowledgement of the change, and the pledge of loyalty to the new government, made in Kampala by the former Head of the Federal Military Government, General Yakubu Gowon, must have sealed their expectations.”

No doubt, that was Nigeria’s golden period but General Gowon’s inability to hand over power was his greatest undoing. The road he took that led to the civil war during which millions died was another stain on his tenure for many still bear today the scars of that civil war especially in the South East. General Gowon had survived till today, it is left for history to judge him accordingly. 

At the beginning of the Civil war the popular slogan was “To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done. At the end of the war it became go on with one Nigeria (Gowon”). I think General Gowon’s lasting legacy is that he kept this great country one for nine years.

On December16, last year, President Bola Tinubu renamed University of Abuja after General Yakubu Gowon. That is a fitting tribute.
Concluded.
Teniola is a former Director in the Presidency.