Nigeria, June 18 -- Former Nigerian Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has opened up about the heavy burden of leadership thrust upon him at just 31, following the bloody 1966 counter-coup and the assassination of General Aguiyi-Ironsi.

In an interview with Arise News, monitored by The News Chronicle on Wednesday, Gowon recounted the chaos of the era and his unexpected rise to power amid a deeply divided nation. "I was not trained to rule," he admitted, "but my upbringing, military training, and sense of duty prepared me to manage the situation as best as I could."

Gowon denied prior knowledge of the July 1966 coup that toppled Ironsi, saying he only learned of the mutiny through early-morning calls from Abeokuta. "By the time I tried...