Gowon: My Family Almost Became Homeless in London After 1975 Coup

ABUJA — Former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon has revealed that his family came close to becoming homeless in London following the military coup that removed him from power in 1975. The 91-year-old statesman made the disclosure in a candid interview published on Friday.

Gowon said the coup, staged by Brigadier Murtala Muhammed on July 29, 1975, while he was attending an OAU summit in Kampala, Uganda, left him and his family in a precarious financial situation. He said the transition from head of state to private citizen was deeply difficult.

He said his family had been living in London. After the coup, support from the Nigerian government stopped abruptly. Without income or institutional backing, meeting the cost of their London accommodation became a serious challenge.

“My family almost became homeless. We were in a very difficult situation financially after the coup. It was a trying period that tested our faith and our resilience,” Gowon said in the interview.

A Historic Revelation

Gowon led Nigeria from 1966 to 1975, through the devastating civil war and into the oil boom era. His government was credited with keeping Nigeria together and pursuing a reconciliation policy after the war. However, his overthrow came at a moment of growing public frustration over corruption and the slow pace of a promised return to civilian rule.

He eventually returned to Nigeria, pursued academic studies in the United Kingdom, and received a PhD in Political Science from the University of Warwick. He has since become one of Nigeria’s most respected elder statesmen and a prominent advocate for African peace and unity.

Furthermore, his revelation about the near-homelessness of his family adds a deeply human dimension to a story that Nigerians have known primarily through its political and historical lens. It shows that the personal consequences of sudden political change can be devastating even for those who once held supreme power.

A Life of Service After Power

Gowon has spent decades in public service since leaving power. He has observed elections, mediated conflicts, and spoken at major international forums on peace and democracy. His Nigeria Prays movement has brought together religious leaders across denominations for national intercessory prayer.

His statement this week calling on Nigerians to remain hopeful and united has been widely circulated on social media. Many Nigerians said his words carry special weight given the personal hardships he has overcome in his own life.

Younger Nigerians who engaged with the interview online expressed surprise at the vulnerability Gowon showed. Many said the disclosure humanises a figure they had previously known only as a distant historical icon. Several called it one of the most honest interviews by a former Nigerian leader in recent memory.