National
Unique Things Gowon Will Learn From ‘Death’ Rumour
By GWG Editor
Whereas nearly all former Nigerian leaders have had the experience of death being falsely speculated, the obituary report on General Yakubu Gowon late on Monday, October 9, 2023 was unique.
Unlike his peers who had governed the country at different times, the unique thing in the false obituary announcement of General Gowon was that for the first time a living former Nigerian leader was able to get a review of his legacy on Twitter.
When the false news of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe was reported on Saturday, November 11, 1989 in many Nigerian newspapers the damage was restricted to the newspapers. Likewise, similar death reports on President Shehu Shagari and Ibrahim Babaginda in subsequent years. Twitter had yet to gain traction in Nigeria.
However, the fake news on the death of Gowon was limited to mostly social media and some online news portals.
The report on social media, however, gave a perception of the legacy that General Gowon would leave behind in the minds of people whenever God calls him home.
Though he has in his last few years immersed himself into the spiritual renewal of Nigeria through his mentorship of the prayer group, Nigeria Prays, what burst out on twitter on Monday, October 9 was that Gowon would be best remembered as the man who forged Nigeria together. For some it was for good. For others it was for bad.
That was the mixed legacy that the news of his death inspired on many on social media handles.
GWG.ng gathered some of the reactions to the fake death rumour on Gowon.
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