"They told me we were in the middle of a military putsch," he said.
But over the years, as people have grown wealthier and better educated, the military putsch has begun to appear anachronistic.
There is no way of putting the old system back together with a military putsch.
Furthermore, he stated that he and the army never considered military putsch as an option in solving the Yugoslav crisis.
Gowon's government was later overthrown as part of a military putsch by some military officers.
His tenure thus far has been most notable for his having survived without a military putsch.
"It was clear to these men," Foerster says, "that a military putsch would mean civil war and was by no means sure of success."
There was talk in the officer corps of a military putsch, but only talk.
The military putsch in Yugoslavia has altered the political situation in the Balkans.
Despite this military putsch the campaign for the plebiscite was conducted in an atmosphere of political freedom unthinkable in France.