BY NIYI ABORISADE
On 13 February 1976, a vital and critical incident happened in the history of
Nigeria, the Nigerian Military Head of State, General Murtala Ramat
Mohammed was brought down by the assassins in military uniform.
He was assassinated by Colonel Bukar Sukar Dimka led group of dissidents
in a failed bloody coup the country will never forget.
Akintunde, his aide de camp was also killed in the attack. Akintunde hailed
from Ogbomoso , Oyo State. The handsome Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo, the
them military governor of Kwara State was also killed on that day by the
military conspirators.
It was on a Friday when General Muhammed was coming from the mosque
that he fell into the hands of the wicked people, Murtala was a beloved man
and did not believe much in elaborate military escorts. When he came to
power, he introduced radical and progressive ideas into the government
which endeared him to the hearts of many Nigerians.
Colonel Dimka was later caught and arrested, staying with a prostitute when
the coup was foiled. General Theophilus Danjuma ordered Colonel Ibrahim Babangida
who later became Nigeria’s Head of State in 1984 to stop Dimka and the rebels .
Babangida was a friend of Dimka but he did not allow their friendship to
come between his job as a professional soldier under command. However,
he allowed Dimka to escape of course.
During Dimka’s interrogation, he mentioned General Yakub Gowon as the
brain behind the coup. He claimed that he met Gowon in London where the
whole coup was planned . He said Gowon told him ” you boys must not fail ”
.
Murtala seized government from Gowon though he himself did not participate
in the coup but he was aware of it. Obasanjo was also aware of the coup led
by young officers who happily handed power to Murtala and Obasanjo. By
Military intake Obasanjo was senior to Murtala but due to the politics and
military demographic , Murtala led the government.
“He was an outstanding soldier who set good example to his
subordinates. He was like a Crown Prince from the North and was initially
tipped to become the Head of State ahead of General Yakubu Gowon (Retrd) but theBritish government preferred Gowon to him.”
Before Murtala became Head of State in a bloodless coup on 29 July 1975,
he previously served under the United Nations (UN) umbrella in Congo and was regarded as a
fearless soldier. He was an outstanding soldier who set good example to his
subordinates. He was like a Crown Prince from the North and was initially
tipped to become the Head of State ahead of General Yakubu Gowon (Retrd) but the
British government preferred Gowon to him. Thus, the rivalry between him
and Gowon was always present even when Gowon was head of State.
The death of Murtala was a blessing to Olusegun Obasanjo who happened to
be next in line to be his successor. Obasanjo became Military head of State
in 1976 after the death of Murtala in a meeting attended by Nigerian senior
military officers at Dodan Barracks, when it was apparent that Dimka Coup
has failed . Obasanjo initially rejected it, he was overwhelmed and prepared
to resign but he was prevailed upon by Danjuma and others. Obasanjo later
returned as a civilian Head of State in 1999.
That Nigerians loved Murtala was a fact, though Murtala has dark history of
looting the bank during the Nigeria/ Biafra civil war of 1967 to 1970. He was
also known for wasting live of soldiers under him during the Civil war in his
attempt to cross Onitsha Bridge. He was warned by retired General Alani
Akinrinade but he did not heed the warning. On three occasions, he
attempted to cross the bridge but failed losing more than two thousand
soldiers. He managed to escape and was recalled to Lagos where he was
given another assignment to lecture young officers.
He became a different man as Head of State of Nigeria. A discipline soldier
who was resolute in his commitment towards uplifting of fundamental human
rights. He believed in justice and fairplay. It is on record that no one had his
fundamental human rights trampled upon throughout his months of rule. He
did not oppress those who had criticised him in the newspapers. He
believed in the rule of law and as a military leader when Dr Obarogue
Ohonbamu wrote critical things against his personal lifestyle, instead of
using his might as head of State, Murtala instructed his Solicitors to sue him
for libel. Such was his belief in the rule of law and due process. He cannot
be compared with the present regime even in this so called democratic
settings. It is very clear the the current president, Muhammadu Buhari has
no respect for the rule of law.
Murtala fought against corruption and sought accountability from the
previous governors under a transparent scrutiny. Amongst the 12 governors,
only Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson ( former governor of Lagos state) and
Brigadier Oluwole Rotimi ( former governor of the western state) were cleared.
The remaining 10 governors had some of their assets confiscated within the
confines of the law.
General Murtala was unarguably the best Military Head of State, that Nigeria
ever had. The day he was assassinated , all schools were immediately
closed down around 2.00 p.m and parents went to collect their wards from
school s thinking there will be war. The University trooped out enmasse to
condemn the coup. The University lecturers and Civil Servants united in
condemning the coup that took the life of the revolutionary leader. Murtala
was a true revolutionary whose life was cut short in his prime.
Generation of Nigerians have a lot to learn from him. He was very brilliant,
ambitious and very brave. He did not embezzle any money and I have doubt
whether he has a personal house to himself. He was killed at the age of 36,
having been born on 8 November 1938.
Adieu, General Murtala Mohammed.
Niyi Aborisade is a legal Practitioner in the UK and the President of the
National Movement for Positive Change (NMPC).
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