The 48 year legal tussle over the paternity of Jack Musa Gowon, the love child of former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has ended with Gowon accepting that he is Musa’s father after a DNA test confirmed this.
Musa who recently returned to Nigeria after spending 20 years in an American prison, is the love child born from a secret affair Gowon had with late Edith Ike-Okongwu.
In a statement he personally signed and released yesterday March 9th, General Gowon said,
“Following years of doubts and speculation, a DNA test was recently conducted to ascertain the paternity of Musa Gowon who recently returned to the country. The results of the tests were conclusive and they confirm his paternity. We, the family, are working to assist in his rehabilitation following a very difficult period in his life. As we look forward to the future with faith in God, we request that our privacy be respected. Thank you”
Musa and his late mother have been in a long legal battle with Gowon who refused to accept him as his son. He was born to Miss Edith Ike during the Nigeria Civil War in 1968, when Gowon was Head of the Federal Military Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian armed forces.
Edith who later remarried, died of cancer several years ago.
Source: LIB
A historical reunion. Musa must have been through various traumatic life events: lack/loss of identity, feeling of abandonment, bereavement, psycho-social instability and self blame. It is hoped that the reunion will take most of the trauma away and leave him to re-actualise his self identity. Life journey sometimes, takes such turns humans may feel sheer despondency and travel through that road ‘less travelled’. congratulations to the son, and commendations to the honorable and God-fearing father. It is a very testing circumstance for anyone in similar situation but it is certain to survive the test, with time and a lot TLC.