Nigeria, Aug. 1 -- There is something undeniably charming about General Yakubu Gowon. He comes across as unassuming and possessed of a quiet dignity. At 92, a milestone he will reach in October, he is undoubtedly a fortunate man, but time has inevitably taken its toll. There is an unmistakable sense of melancholy that accompanies the sight of a once-formidable military commander, who once appeared in an immaculate, starched uniform, carrying his swagger stick with effortless authority, now looking frail, contemplative, and perhaps quietly preoccupied with the judgment history will ultimately pass on his stewardship.

Unfortunately, such is the fate of all flesh. I know this because there are moments when I catch my own reflection in the m...