By Eteteonline
Brigadier General Murtala Ramat Muhammad was the former military head of state of Nigeria. He is well-known for his audacious reform, nationalist leadership, and decisive governance, even fifty years after his assassination. Although his tenure in office was short, it had a significant impact.
Born in Kano to Mohammed Riskuwa and Uwani Ramatu in 1938, he was the leader of the 1966 Nigerian counter-coup that toppled Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi’s government. He commanded the Second Infantry Division and played a significant role in the Nigerian Civil War. After General Yakubu Gowon, the military head of state at the time, was overthrown, General Mohammed became Nigeria’s third military leader in July 1975.
In order to enhance governance and lessen ethnic conflicts, he reorganized Nigeria’s political landscape. In accordance with the panel’s proposal, which was presided over by Justice Ayo Irikefe, General Mohammed established seven more states on February 3, 1976, increasing the total from 12 to 19. He intended to improve representation for minorities and decentralize authority. The new states are Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Imo, Niger, Ogun, and Ondo, with Abuja serving as the new Federal Capital Territory.
His decision to move the capital from Lagos to Abuja is among his most enduring choices. Abuja was selected because of its central location and ethnic neutrality. Under succeeding administrations, the relocation process persisted. In 1991, the federal capital was formally relocated to Abuja by General Ibrahim Babangida.
During his brief tenure in power, Murtala Mohammed implemented numerous reforms. reduced government waste in order to address the problem of government inefficiency. He is credited with starting one of Nigeria’s most effective anti-corruption campaigns.
He forced the retirement of judges, military officers, and civil servants, purged over 10,000 public officials who were suspected of corruption or inefficiency, restructured the civil service to increase efficiency, encouraged accountability and discipline in governance, and nationalized foreign-controlled oil companies. Nigerians’ expectations of leadership were shaped by his reputation for honesty and his zero tolerance for corruption.
He pledged to cede control by 1979 and started the process of returning to civilian administration. However, he was killed in a botched coup d’etat in 1976. His successor as head of state, General Olusegun Obasanjo, aided in the democratic transition and on October 1, 1979, ushered in the Second Republic.
He took a strong stance against apartheid, affirmed Nigeria’s independence from Western influence, bolstered Nigeria’s leadership role in African affairs, and established Nigeria as a major voice in Africa. He also supported liberation movements in Southern Africa.
Murtala, 37, and his Aide-De-Camp (ADC), Lieutenant Akintunde Akinsehinwa, were assassinated on February 13, 1976, when their black Mercedes Benz saloon automobile was attacked on the way to their office at Dodan Barracks in Lagos.
Lt. Col. Buka Suka Dimka of the Nigerian Army made the announcement of the coup, which was aborted.
Members of the family of the late former Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, attended the ceremonial Wreath-Laying and Remembrance Ceremony to mark 50 years since his death, together with Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. The General Murtala Ramat Muhammad Cenotaph in Ikoyi, the location of the General’s murder, served as the venue for the memorial service.
“We stand here not just to lay wreath, but to lay down our gratitude. Fifty years is a long time in the life of a nation, and also in the lives of the children who lost their father that day. This moment is about gratitude,” Dr. Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode said.
She went on to say that the late General was a man who truly felt that leadership is a sacred obligation and that he was a timeless icon of bold and principled leadership.
“General Murtala Muhammed stood for courage, decisive leadership and an unshakeable belief in Nigeria’s potential. Today’s remembrance is not only about honoring his memory, but about recommitting ourselves to the ideals he lived and died for – service, integrity, and national unity,” she said.
The late General was a unique and remarkable Pan-Africanist whose leadership helped transform Nigeria’s political and administrative landscape, according to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos State, who paid tribute to him.
“He was a leader who governed with courage, compassion, dignity, and an unwavering sense of purpose, always putting Nigeria first. We lost one of Africa’s finest Pan-Africanists and a leader who achieved so much within an incredibly short time,” Sanwolu-Olu said.
The Murtala Muhammed Highway, Calabar, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and Murtala Muhammed Square are among the significant national landmarks that bear his name.
When talking about strong government and anti-corruption, many Nigerians still bring up his leadership.
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