Friday, February 13, 1976, will be indelible in the memory of all progressive Nigerians, pan-Africanists and whoever that has the progress of the African continent at heart.
Today, Thursday 13th February, 2014, Nigerians remember that that day, which in a way marked the end of an era when the patriotic General lost his life in the hands of some retrogressive elements in the Nigerian Army.
The General’s contribution to the realisation of Nigeria as one political entity cannot be overemphasised as he fought gallantly during the civil war to keep the country one.
Indeed, the country lost a rare gem, because he took over the reins of power to deliver the country from bad governance at a time that the country was adrift. Murtala’s brief stay at the Dodan Barracks brought about leadership reawakening and sense of responsibility among Nigerians who had been looking for such a leader after the assassinations of almost all the first generation of Nigerian leaders in the military putsch of January 15th 1966, that toppled the elected civilian administration and launched Nigeria on a cycle of military coups d’état.
Murtala’s doggedness in the fight against official sloth and corruption and other societal malaise was one of his distinguishing characteristics for which he is known and acclaimed. This endeared him to Nigerians irrespective of ethnicity and religious inclination.
As the popular saying goes his emergence as Nigeria’s Head of State gave the nation a new lease of life. The coup that brought him to power on July 29, 1975, was the first of its kind in the history of Nigeria in which not even single shot was fired.
When the young officers that staged the coup learnt that the leadership of the country was going wrong, they shopped for the young, fearless and bold General Murtala Muhammad.
Not being a power monger, he was persuaded by his fellow officers to accede to their request to rescue the country from the hands of anti-democratic elements.
The democracy that the country is enjoying today can be traced to the transition to civilian which was set in motion, courtesy of Murtala’s vision and determination to send soldiers to the Barracks on 1st October 1979.
In those momentous days when he took office, Murtala said the vision the administration laid out: ‘’we do not Intend to stay a longer than necessary; we intend to hand over power to a democratically elected government on 1st October, 1979.’’ There was no hedging, no deviation, a fact that gave no room for manoeuvre but for his successor General Olusegun Obasanjo to honour those immortal words and fulfil that pregnant pledge.
The consciousness of African freedom fighters was aroused when General Murtala arrived on the scene of the meeting of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa.The General appeared determined to spearhead the drive towards accelerating the decolonisation and the emancipation Africa and Africans from the clutches of Western economic and political domination and interests as represented by the United States and its allies during the stewardship of President Gerald Ford.
His ringing popular speech titled Africa has come of Age to the forum became a battle song for many liberation movements, and resonated very strong among the General’s admirers and many other Nigerians, and reverberated in fields far off the shores of Africa as well.
The summit was then chaired by Field Marshall Idi Amin Dada, Head of State of Uganda.
General Murtala Muhammad addressed the gathering in the following words.
“Mr Chairman, Africa has come of age. It is no longer under the orbit of any extra continental power, it should no longer take orders from any country however powerful, The Fortunes of Africa are in our hands to make or mar, for too long have we been kicked around; for too long have
we been treated like adolescents who cannot discern their interest and act accordingly. Mr Chairman, Nigeria has come to this assembly determined to cooperate with you and to stop foreign interference in our continental matters.’’
Many analysts and commentators have traced his assassination to this powerful speech that represented a declaration of war against the Western colonial meddling in Africa.
General Murtala Muhammad may have spent just 200 days as head of the federal military government, but in that little time, he wrought inspiring changes in the consciousness of Nigerians and galvanised liberation movements across Africa to shake off the yoke of apartheid in South African and colonialism in other parts of the continent. I often weep whenever I visit his grave to pray for the repose of his soul at the Murtala Muhammad Mosque in Kano City.
As we mark the 38th anniversary of his passing, here’s wishing that despite his human failings, his memory will inspire our leaders to stay on the straight and narrow path and be faithful to their calling and the people they lead.
Yusuf wrote from Nassarawa, Kano State< [email protected]>;
