Dr. Joseph N. Gowon, a former Nigerian soldier who fought during the Nigerian Civil War, has recounted the extreme conditions he endured on the battlefield, revealing that he once drank his own urine to survive because of a severe shortage of water.
Speaking on The Yellow Podcast on Sunday, June 28, 2026, Gowon reflected on the hardships faced by soldiers during the 1967–1970 conflict between the Nigerian government and the secessionist Biafran forces.
“During the Nigerian and Biafran war, personally I drank my own urine to get something so that my mouth would not dry completely,” he said, describing one of the most difficult moments of the war.
Gowon also acknowledged the technological ingenuity displayed by the Biafran side during the conflict, saying the Igbo people demonstrated significant technical knowledge that enabled them to improvise and sustain military operations despite the blockade and limited access to resources.
His remarks offered a firsthand account of the physical and psychological challenges experienced by soldiers during the civil war.
