Rubuta ci gaba ga wannan sakin layi - A watan Janairun 1966, ya zama shugaban sojoji mafi karancin shekaru a Najeriya yana da shekaru 31, saboda juyin mulkin soja
da wasu kananan jami'ai karkashin Manjo Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu suka yi, ya kai ga kifar da gwamnatin farar hula ta Najeriya. A yayin wannan juyin mulki, an kashe yawancin shugabannin arewa da na yamma, gami da Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Firayim Ministan Najeriya; Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna na Sokoto kuma Firayim Ministan Yankin Arewa; da Samuel Akintola, Firayim Ministan Yankin Yamma, Lt Col Arthur Unegbe da sauransu. A lokacin Laftanar Kanar Gowon ya dawo daga karatun sa a Kwalejin Haɗin gwiwa, Latimer UK kwana biyu kafin juyin mulkin <unk> isowa da wuri wanda wataƙila ya cire shi daga jerin masu kisan gilla. Nasarar da aka samu a cikin al'amuran duniya na karni na ashirin tun daga 1919 da kuma gazawar da Manjo Janar Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi ya yi (wanda shi ne shugaban kasa bayan juyin mulkin Janairu 1966 - tare da Gowon Shugaban Ma'aikatansa) don biyan bukatun Arewa don gurfanar da masu juyin mulki ya kara tayar da fushin Arewa. Akwai tallafi mai yawa ga masu juyin mulkin daga Yankin Gabas da kuma mafi yawan bangaren hagu na "Lagos-Ibadan".