Nigeria’s second military leader Gen. Yakubu Gowon marks his 83rd birthday this Thursday.
Gowon remains the youngest person to have ruled Nigeria. he mounted the saddle at age 31 on August 1, 1966, after the assassination of the first military leader, Gen. JTU Aguiyi-Ironsi, by northern coup plotters.
He ruled led the country to a 30-month civil war that killed more than 3million people.
He was overthrown after nine years.