Yakubu Gowon, Nigerian general and politician, 3rd Head of State of Nigeria

Yakubu Dan-Yumma "Jack" Gowon is a Nigerian general and statesman who served as the military head of state of Nigeria from 1966 to 1975.

The president of Nigeria is the head of state and head of government of Nigeria, directly elected to a four-year term. Under the Nigerian Constitution, the officeholder leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. After the Independence of Nigeria on 1 October 1960, the first head of state was the queen of Nigeria Elizabeth II, who was also the monarch of other Commonwealth realms; she was represented by a governor-general. Nigeria became a republic under the 1963 constitution and the queen was replaced by a president; Nnamdi Azikiwe, the second governor-general after independence became the first president. Azikiwe shared power with the elected Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. Shehu Shagari was the first elected president of Nigeria. The incumbent president is Bola Tinubu, who assumed office on 29 May 2023. Since the office was established in 1963, 14 men have served in 16 presidencies; the discrepancy arises from two individuals who served two non-consecutive terms; as military head of states and as elected presidents: Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari.