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Why Aburi Accord Collapsed – Gowon

A former Nigerian Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has said that a key reason for the collapse of the Aburi Accord, the last major attempt to prevent Nigeria’s civil war, was a fundamental disagreement with Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu over who should control military forces in the country’s regions.
Speaking in an interview on Arise TV on Wednesday, Gowon explained that although both parties engaged in sincere dialogue during the January 1967 summit in Aburi, Ghana, the eastern region leader, Ojukwu, later pushed for a form of regional autonomy that the federal side could not accept.
Gowon said, “Although we said that the military would be zoned, you know, but the control… he wanted, you know, those zones to be commanded by the governor. Say you have a military zone in the north, it would be commanded by the governor of the military in the east, it would be commanded by, you know, by him.
“And, of course, we did not agree with that one”, Gowon said.
He further explained that the Federal delegation never viewed the Aburi meeting as a forum for constitutional restructuring or military devolution.
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“We just went there as far as we are concerned to be able to meet as officers now, and then to agree to be able to get back home and resolve a problem at home. That was my understanding. But that is not his understanding”, he added.
Gowon also revealed that upon returning to Nigeria after the summit, he was ill and unable to immediately respond to the terms Ojukwu had publicly announced. This delay, he said, created space for misunderstanding and unilateral declarations.
“Unfortunately… I was having a serious attack of a kind of fever or whatever it is, and I could not make a decision”, the former Head of State said.
He accused Ojukwu of making unauthorised statements about the Accord without waiting for joint clarification.
READ ALSO: How Abacha Would Have Executed Obasanjo – Gowon
“Ojukwu was one who, when he came, he went and made… a statement about the Aburi Accord”, Gowon said.
To address the confusion, Gowon said the federal government convened a follow-up meeting in Benin, inviting all regional governors to agree on the path forward — but Ojukwu declined to attend.
“We had to organise that, you know, a meeting of all the governors. And he was invited to attend so that we can deal with the Accord. And we met at Nifo in Benin. And he did not turn up”, he said.
Gowon insisted that had Ojukwu attended the Benin meeting, the parties might have been able to avoid escalation.
READ ALSO:Biafra Civil War: You’re A Genocidist – IPOB Fires Back At Gowon
Gowon said the government was willing to work in the “spirit of Aburi,” but would never concede national military control to regional governors, nor accept the possibility of secession.
“The only thing that I added was that no region, you know, will, you know, can secede from the country.”
The collapse of the Aburi Accord is widely regarded as a decisive moment that led to the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War in July 1967, a conflict that lasted until 1970 and claimed over a million lives.
Gowon’s remarks shed new light on the irreconcilable differences between both sides and reveal that the push for regional military control, rather than just political autonomy, was a red line for the federal government.
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‘We Cure Madness With Madness’: Five Things To know About Taye Currency
The name ‘Taye Currency’ has continued to trend on social media following the Fuji music artiste’s performance at the coronation of the 44th Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, on Friday.
Taye Currency, during his performance at the coronation event which took place at Mapo Hall in Ibadan, rendered a line in Yoruba, “Were la fi n wo were,” which translates to “we cure madness with madness.”
The line, which seems not to have sat well with many Nigerians, particularly those of Yoruba heritage, has continued to generate a lot of criticism, with many opining that such lyrics were not befitting for the occasion, which had in attendance dignitaries including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, governors, ministers, traditional rulers, and other crème de la crème of society.
Reacting to the development, the Olu of Kemta Orile in Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State, Oba Adetokunbo Tejuosho, criticised Taye Currency for what he described as “classless and unbefitting lyrics.”
According to him, the musician failed to accord the coronation its due respect, describing his lyrics as unbefitting of the sacred ceremony.
READ ALSO:Ogun Monarch Slams Taye Currency Over Performance At Olubadan Coronation
He said, “The throne of our ancestors is not a stage for mockery, nor the coronation of a great monarch a subject for careless entertainment.
“Kingship is sacred, adorned with honor and guarded by tradition. It demands reverence, dignity, honor, class and the utmost respect from all who stand in its presence.
“Listening to the musician (Taye Currency), who was invited to render music before the Crown, as a matter of fact before the entire world, to serenade the audience and sing in a way to express admiration, singing songs like (were lafi n wo were) We use madness to cure madness.
“Such lyrics were classless and unbefitting of such occasions, it is insulting to the sacredness of the gathering.”
While Taye Currency is well known among Fuji music lovers, especially those from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, his performance at the Olubadan coronation has made people want to know more about him.
READ ALSO:BREAKING: Ladoja Crowned 44th Olubadan, Set To Receive Staff Of Office
In this article, Tribune Online takes a look at five things to know about the trending Fuji musician.
1. Full Name and Age
His full name is Taye Akande Adebisi. Apart from his popular stage name, Taye Currency, he is also known as ‘Apesin.’ He celebrated his 50th birthday on December 17, 2024.
2. Appointment as Special Adviser on Culture and Tourism
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, appointed him as Special Adviser on Culture and Tourism in 2019 during the governor’s first tenure.
READ ALSO:Olubadan Unveils Economic Plan For Ibadanland
3. Father of a Lawmaker
In 2019, Taye Currency’s son, Yusuf Oladeni Adebisi, was elected into the Oyo State House of Assembly to represent Ibadan South-West Constituency 1, which earned Taye Currency another nickname, ’Baba Honorable’ (Honourable’s father). He was re-elected in 2023 as a lawmaker on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
4. Financial Setback
In April 2025, Taye Currency publicly lamented that he lost N10 million to CBEX, a crypto/investment scheme many now regard as a collapsed Ponzi platform. He explained that he was convinced to invest by close associates, only to see the scheme crumble shortly after.
5. Affiliation with Pasuma
Taye Currency has often maintained that although he never learnt Fuji music from his senior colleague, Wasiu Alabi Odetona, popularly known as Pasuma, whom he first met in 1993, he still considers him a boss.
News
JUST IN: PENGASSAN Strike May Trigger Nationwide Blackout, Thermal Plants Shut Down
Nigerians may face a nationwide blackout from Monday as power generation companies have raised the alarm over an imminent shutdown of thermal plants following directives from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary of the Association of Power Generating Companies, Joy Ogaji, raised the alarm over the imminent blackout in a WhatsApp message on Sunday.
She revealed that gas suppliers had issued notices to halt supply to thermal power stations in line with PENGASSAN’s strike resolution.
READ ALSO:Why We Rejected Govt’s Plan To Sell Assets – PENGASSAN President
“Good day, all. Thermal GenCos have received notification from our gas suppliers to shut down our thermal power plants following directives from PENGASSAN. The Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company has specifically requested GenCos to comply,” Ogaji said in the post.
She warned that the development could plunge the country into darkness, as hydroelectric dams alone cannot sustain the national grid.
“Please all be notified of the imminent darkness, as hydros alone cannot sustain the system,” she added.
READ ALSO:PENGASSAN Shuts OML-18 Over Labour Dispute With NNPC Subsidiary
The warning comes hours after PENGASSAN announced that it would commence a nationwide strike on Monday to protest the dismissal of over 800 workers at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The oil workers’ union, after an emergency National Executive Council meeting on Saturday, directed its members in all oil and gas installations to down tools until the sackings were reversed.
The action could cripple crude production, fuel supply, gas distribution and now electricity generation, worsening the hardship faced by Nigerians.
With thermal stations accounting for more than 70 per cent of Nigeria’s electricity supply, industry experts say the shutdown will trigger widespread outages, stretch hydro plants beyond capacity and heighten the risk of a nationwide system collapse.
News
Customs Launches One-stop-shop To Cut Cargo Clearance To 48 Hours
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has officially introduced its ‘One-Stop-Shop (OSS)’ initiative aimed at reducing cargo clearance time to 48 hours.
NCS spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Maiwada said the initiative was unveiled recently during a meeting between NCS management and Customs Area Controllers, chaired by the Comptroller-General (C-G), Adewale Adeniyi, in Abuja.
He said the meeting deliberated on the service’s modernisation agenda and the role of leadership in driving reforms across commands.
READ ALSO:10 Things Candidates Should Know About Customs Recruitment CBT Exams
Maiwada quoted the C-G as describing the OSS as a “transformative shift” which aligned with global best practices and the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business policy.
Adeniyi said the reform was designed to sanitise operations, reduce duplication of efforts and ensure predictability in customs procedures.
“The OSS initiative will not only shorten clearance time from 21 days to 48 hours, but it will also strengthen trader confidence, restore transparency and make our operations more business-friendly,” Adeniyi said.
The C-G acknowledged the role of technology in customs operations but also emphasised the importance of physical engagement with officers.
READ ALSO:Customs Seize N905m Rolls Royce, Other Contrabands In Ogun
“As much as technology has helped us, it has its limits. There are moments when physical presence, coming together under one roof, adds weight and value to our deliberations,” he said.
The NCS boss said the reform would be piloted at Apapa, Tin Can Island and Onne Ports before being rolled out nationwide.
He added that the initiative was constitutionally supported by the NCS Act 2023 and aligned with the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).
“This is not just a policy. It is a statement of intent that reflects our determination to build a modern, transparent and trader-friendly Customs Service,” he said.
READ ALSO:Customs Intercepts N5.1b Illicit Drugs From India, Canada At Lagos Airport
The spokesperson said that under the OSS framework, all customs units would work jointly on flagged declarations, eliminating multiple checks and reducing delays.
According to him, consignments cleared under the OSS will not be subject to re-interception, thereby reducing costs and enhancing trade facilitation.
He said the meeting also provided a platform to review the NCS accountability framework, including a new central dashboard that tracks clearance times, interventions and stakeholder satisfaction.
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