The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has shared a personal story about former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, describing him as a compassionate leader who showed kindness to the family of a military officer killed during the 1966 coup.
Sanusi made the remarks during an interview on Signature TV while reflecting on his childhood days at St Anne’s Secondary School in Kaduna and his friendship with Yusuf Pam, the son of the late Colonel Pam, who lost his life during the political crisis of 1966.
The former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria said he still remembers the gestures Gowon extended to Yusuf after the tragic death of his father. According to him, the late officer’s son regularly received handwritten letters from Gowon, who was then Nigeria’s Head of State.
“What I remember at the age of 8 was that General Gowon as head of state would send a hand written letter to Yusuf signed ‘uncle Joe’. That is a window into the person you are dealing with,” Sanusi said.
The monarch explained that the memory remained fresh decades later because it reflected the humane side of leadership during one of Nigeria’s most difficult political periods. He suggested that Gowon’s relationship with Yusuf Pam demonstrated empathy and personal responsibility toward families affected by the turmoil of the era.
Colonel Pam was among prominent figures who died during the 1966 coup, a development that altered Nigeria’s political trajectory and eventually contributed to years of instability and civil conflict…See More
