Joseph Gomwalk
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please discuss this issue on the talk page or replace this tag with a more specific message. This article has been tagged since June 2006. |
Joseph Dechi Gomwalk (Ngo mwalk) was appointed the first Military Governor of Benue Plateau State, when 12 states were created out of the 4 regions of Nigeria. He was Governor of the state from 1966-1975 when Gowon's regime was toppled in coup d'etat. Joseph is Ngas from Ampang (Pang) in the present Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria.
Joseph attended the famous Boys Secondary School Gindiri where he graduated with distinctions in both academics and sports. He proceeded to the premier University of Ibadan and graduated with a degree in Zoology.
He joined the Nigeria Police and rose to the rank of Police Commissioner.
He is acclaimed one of the most visionary Governors in Nigeria. He sought to liberate the people of the Middle Belt region of Nigeria from the domination of the North. His vision spanned education, communication and information, trade and commerce and infrastructural development. He started the second newspaper (The Nigerian Standard Newspaper) in the north (after The New Nigerian). He also established the second television station (after the one in Kaduna). He started the first University campus, The University of Ibadan, Jos campus, which later became the University of Jos, Jos. He constructed very long intra-state roads. He also started the Benue Plateau Marketing Board.
Gomwalk was implicated in the Buka Suka Dimka attempted coup of February 13 1976 and executed by firing squard.
