Yakubu Gowon, Nigeria’s 🇳🇬 former Head of State, was just 31 when he took power, and his life was shaped by a sad and little-known story. He fell deeply in love with Edith Ike, an Igbo woman, who stood by him during the chaotic 1966 coup led by Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna.
However, their love was torn apart by Nigeria’s escalating ethnic tensions after General Aguiyi-Ironsi’s assassination in July 1966. As pressure mounted from the Northern military and beyond, Gowon’s trust in Edith began to fade. Their relationship couldn’t withstand the intense national crisis.
In 1972, at 34, Gowon married Victoria Zakari, and they celebrated 55 years together in Abuja. But that’s not the end of the story. Edith claimed Gowon was the father of her son, Musa, born a year before his marriage to Victoria. After a long court battle, the Supreme Court ruled in Edith’s favor, yet Gowon denied paternity until 2016, when a DNA test confirmed his fatherhood.
Musa had just been released from a U.S. prison after serving 23 years for a drug-related offense. Sadly, Edith passed away from breast cancer in 2003 while her son was still incarcerated.
Today, Musa is a successful fashion designer and owner of MJG Fashions, with outlets across Nigeria.
His story serves as a powerful reminder of the human cost of Nigeria’s turbulent history, where personal relationships were often shattered by political and ethnic conflicts.
Peoplesmind
