Fact Check
FACT-CHECK: Did former Head of State Gowon say Nigeria may ‘die if Igbos keep silent’?
Claim:Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) said Nigeria may ‘die if Igbos keep silent’.
Full Text:
In a post on July 4, a Facebook page claimed that a former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon sought the attention of “Igbos” to bring Nigeria to “limelight”.
The error-riddled post featured a quote purportedly by the former Head of State.
The post has garnered reactions online, with at least 10 Facebook users sharing it.
It was observed that Facebook users shared mixed reactions under the comment section: while some people approved the claim in the post, others probed its veracity.
READ ALSO:FACT-CHECK: Do photos show Wizkid, Burna Boy, Portable at Davido’s wedding party?
Verification:
Ripples Nigeria conducted keyword searches but found no news report in any mainstream media related to the claim.
Instead, we found reports from February wherein the apex Igbo socio-cultural group Ohanaeze Ndigbo sought apology from the former Head of State, Gowon over recent comments on the civil war experience.
Gowon, a retired army general led Nigeria between 1966 to 1975 within which period the country was enmeshed in a bloody civil war (1967 – 1970).
Meanwhile, the Facebook page handler is yet to respond to enquiry on the source of the claim.
Despite posting spurious claim, the page ironically claims to ‘bring facts and true news stories [and] counter fake news and hate speeches’.
Conclusion:
The Facebook post proclaiming that Gowon “cried out and sought” the attention of the “Igbos” is untrue.
By: Quadri Yahya
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