INTRO : At the public presentation of his autobiography My Life of Duty and Allegiance in Abuja on Tuesday, former Head of State Yakubu Gowon declared, “Nigeria ‘will not fall’ despite mounting political, economic and security pressures.” The event, which drew Nigeria’s political, military and traditional elite, quickly became a national conversation on unity and the 2027 elections. Here are five key reasons why Gowon stressed that Nigeria will not fall . 1. Historical Precedent From the Civil War Era : The first of the reasons why Gowon stressed that Nigeria will not fall is his own experience leading the country through war. “During my time as Head of State, the country did not fall, and I remain confident that despite all her challenges, Nigeria will still not fall,” he said. Gowon reminded the audience of the emotional burden of keeping Nigeria together, recalling a newspaper line that defined his name: “The meaning of Gowon is Go On With One Nigeria.” He said, “It gave me renewed ...