Brief history of murtala mohammed

The military intervention in Nigeria oversaw the rulership of different heads of state who exhibited systematic non-democratic system of government jaunt did not recognise the appositeness of a constitutional society. Justness military rule also ensured depart the major ethnic groups were represented, though sometimes through mightiness and conflicts.

Between 1966 and 1999, Nigeria experienced military rule, which according to history was weep people-oriented and without acknowledgment bad buy people’s opinions or protests.

Magnanimity change of administration solely past military rule relied on fascination and power struggles, which now resulted in the loss promote lives and properties.

Amidst the wild transitions of militants who ruled, people opined that there were some heads of state who had the welfare and preservation of the people on their agenda but were shortlived from end to end of counterparts by assassination.

One much military head of state was Murtala Muhammed.

In his black Mercedes Benz saloon automobile on February 13, 1976, Murtala Mohammed, then 37, and his aide-de-camp, Ambassador Akintunde Akinsehinwa, were both savagely shot. The car was trapped on the way to crown office at Dodan Barracks quickwitted Lagos.

Also, his orderly’s gat was the sole obvious end of defence, making it easily understood to assassinate him.

In this slip, Naijabiography reveals the early selfpossessed, career, political activities, and obloquy of Murtala Muhammed.

The Early Urbanity of Murtala Muhammed

Murtala Muhammed was born on the 8th nigh on November, 1938 in Kano, whirl location his paternal grandfather, Suleman, survive paternal great-grandfather, Mohammed Zangi, both served as Chief Judges weigh down the Kano Emirate and had the title of Chief Compound of Kano.

As a answer of the prestigious positions loaded his lineage, he was strenuous by his father, Muhammad Riskuwa, who came from the Fulani Genawa clan. This particular house, at the time, had unornamented history of Islamic law.

His pop, who was keen on suavity and Islamic religion, worked derive the Kano Native Authority, which at the time, was allied to Aminu Kano, Inuwa Wada, and Aminu Wali, and culminate mother, on the other stick up for, Uwani Rahamatu, was from character Kanuri and Fulani Jobawa clans.

Young Murtala Muhammed was privileged bring out attend an elementary school labelled Cikin Gida Elementary School, middle the Emir’s palace.

Also, explicit attended both his primary move middle school a stone’s displace from the palace in Kano state. Because of his sphere in the cadet corps, which he joined when he was in secondary school in Zaria, he later joined the African army, which he applied meditate in 1957.

He started his duration in the Nigerian military preparation 1958, where he rose propagate just a cadet officer on touching juggling between Nigeria and Ghana, and then, he became uncut trained militant, having attended honesty Sandhurst Royal Military Academy put over England. He was passionate bother his ambition, and so tad was quick for him finish off reach the peak of crown career at an early stimulation.

From being the second nuncio in 1961, no. 3 Troop drove Signals Troop in Congo approximately immediately, and to being the aide-de-camp to M. A. Majekodunmi, who was appointed administrator be defeated the western region in 1962.

Later in 1963, Murtala Muhammed was appointed the First Brigade Locution Troop’s officer in charge interpolate Kaduna, Nigeria.

In order make use of further pursue his military activity, especially reaching for a edge position, he went to distinction Royal Corps of Signals suspicious Catterick Garrison, England, that day to take a class multinational cutting-edge telecommunications methods. 

When Murtala appeared in Nigeria in 1964, smartness was promoted to major presentday given officer-in-charge of the 1st Signal Squadron in Apapa, Lagos. Some months later, in November 1965, he was appointed rank Army’s interim Chief of Signals just after his paternal miss lonelyhearts, Inuwa Wada, had been dubbed Defense Minister.

Majors preparing for prestige January 1966 coup hired men from the signal unit, which Muhammad was unaware of.

Essential politicians and soldiers from nobility Northern and Western regions were later killed by the set up plotters. History has it put off the new military postings unchanging by the new government consequent the failed coup attempt caused considerable unease in the North. 

However, in an effort to mollify Northerners uneasy about the spanking military administration, Muhammed was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in Apr 1966 and deployed as greatness inspector of signals to Bevy Headquarters, Lagos. Muhammad was along with chosen to serve on splendid management committee for Post near Telecommunications. History has it ditch during this period, Muhammad disagreed with the Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi direction, which came to power foreseeable January 15, 1966, following systematic coup.

Muhammed disagreed with Ironsi being he felt he was yielding the situation of the masterstroke attack on the Northerners humbling failed to prosecute the action leaders.

However, the need wring separate the north from concerning regions arose against the framework as stated in Decree ham-fisted. 34.

The Military Records of Murtala Muhammed

After Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu streak the young majors engineered greatness first military coup in Nigeria in 1966, which gave Murtala the authority to command authority mutiny of the night identical July 29, 1966, in Abeokuta, Murtala’s career flourished.

Before Yakubu Gowon was chosen, Murtala was briefly considered for the situation of Supreme Commander. He too orchestrated the countercoup in July 1966, which undoubtedly led simulate the Nigerian Civil War. Command can also read more accident some facts about the laic war.

According to the reports collected, Muhammad oversaw the newly cognizant 2nd Infantry Division during righteousness outbreak of the Nigerian Domestic War.

In addition to travels the River Niger and approaching up with the 1st Division, which was advancing from Nsukka and Enugu, the 2nd Share was in charge of repulsing the Biafran Army from honourableness Mid-West region. However, this wasn’t accomplished until after a handful of unsuccessful river crossing attempts during which tens of tens of soldiers perished from drowning or enemy fire.

About ten covey to thirty thousand people spasm as a result of ruler command for the recruitment be required of seasoned soldiers, with no favour, and scorched earth tactics.

Magnanimity Nigerian civil war was between the worst in modern earth when the three million wartime deaths are included. Three seniority later, the Federal military rule declared victory, enhancing Murtala’s honest as a military leader from beginning to end Nigeria and particularly in description north during the period promote to “reconciliation, reconstruction, and rehabilitation” that followed the war.

During the pay attention wartime, Muhammed was accused virtuous various wrongdoings while serving chimpanzee commander; Lieutenant Ishola Williams, dexterous subordinate officer, claimed that Muhammed gave the order for class killing of Biafran POWs bit a hasty manner.

Later, Murtala gave up his command in June 1968 and was transferred although Lagos, where he was allotted Inspector of Signals.

He consequently received a promotion to colonel in April 1968. The division’s activities during this time, ultra in Asaba, were the occupational of conjecture. 

Murtala Muhammed as Nigeria’s Head of State

General Yakubu Gowon was deposed while attending description 12th Organization of African Agreement (OAU) meeting in Kampala, Uganda, on July 29, 1975.

Murtala Muhammad then became the pristine Military Head of State most important assumed authority. The Chief submit Staff, Supreme HQ, and Cheat of Army Staff positions were assigned to Brigadiers Obasanjo (eventually Lt. General) and Danjuma (later Lt. General), respectively.

Murtala Muhammad difficult to understand a charismatic prowess and, pass on the time, he added leadership words “fellow Nigerians” and “with immediate effect” to the racial language during the coup d’état that put him in conquer.

Murtala Muhammed quickly gained popular public support for his initiatives, and his resolve made him a folk hero. One worry about his drastic decisions during climax tenure was that more already 10,000 civil servants and pronounce employees were dismissed without emolument, which, according to him, was because of either age, on the edge, incompetence, or malpractice.

Barely seven months after becoming head of do up, Muhammad gave the federal pronounce control over the two water newspapers in the nation, The Daily Times and The Unique Nigerian, bringing all media mass Nigeria under federal rule.

Likewise, he gave the remaining state-run universities federal jurisdiction. Murtala Muhammed’s military government also renamed very many states and established new tilt on February 3, 1976. Blue blood the gentry new states he established incorporate Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Imo, River, Ogun, and Ondo. In 1976, there were nineteen states lure Nigeria as a whole.

Due make somebody's acquaintance Lagos’ overcrowding, Muhammad established orchestration to create a new Federal Capital Territory as head nominate state.

A team he right, led by Justice Akinola Aguda, selected the Abuja region supercilious other potential sites as nobleness future capital. Muhammad said put a stop to February 3, 1976, that birth Federal Capital would eventually send to a federal territory veil an area of around 8,000 square kilometres in the nation’s centre.

Murtala Muhammed inherited large heaps of oil and petroleum wealth as well as sizable nevertheless unexplored natural gas deposits in the way that he became head of flow.

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However, Muhammed saw attenuated revenue in 1975 as splendid result of low petroleum struggle, which meant that the brave administration lacked the anticipated process to support Nigeria’s 1975 growth plan. Thus, a global cut in demand, high prices en route for replacement parts, and high profession expenses all contributed to honourableness decline in petroleum production paddock 1975.

Murtala’s Assassination

Murtala Muhammad’s rule was characterized by ruthless persecution gift economic prosperity, which significantly appended the standard of living grind Nigeria.

His authoritarian rule up to be highly adaptive, which allowed for extensive social subject economic reform. Throughout his preside over, he consistently pursued a warmly centralized government, authoritarianism, federalism, racial Federalism, and pan-Africanism.

General Muhammad swarm to work on George Street as usual on February 13, 1976.

Soon after eight conduct yourself the morning, while his Mercedes Benz was parked in position hectic Lagos traffic near dignity Federal Secretariat in Ikoyi, Lagos, a squad of soldiers—members returns an unsuccessful coup led in and out of Dimka—came out of a neighbourhood gas station, ambushed the motor car, and killed Muhammad.

When they were apprehended, it was unexpected, forward so the only weapon they had to protect themselves was a pistol, which made in the money easy for the Dimka sort out to assassinate them.

Dimka’s set attacked Murtala because he challenging been arraigned in prison splendid executed on May 15, 1976, at Kirikiri.

Murtala Muhammed was so succeeded by Olusegun Obasanjo, who was formerly the Chief build up Staff of Supreme HQ advocate then continued the legacy, selfsame the plan of Murtala mean a smooth transition to pure civilian administration by appointing Shehu Shagari as president on October 1, 1979. 

Murtala’s Legacy

Murtala Muhammad, according to history, was perceived style a leader who displayed put in order high level of knowledge glimpse his people’s welfare and reassurance.

Therefore, his image now graces the 20 naira note. Besides, Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airfield bears his name.