On February 13, 1976, Military Head of State General Murtala Ramat Muhammed was assassinated in Lagos in a bloody coup led by Lt-Col. Bukar Dimka.
Deputy Editorexamines the life and times of the leader, and the bright and dark sides of his regime, which lasted for six months.
Also executed were former Benue-Plateau governor, Joseph Gomwalk, Col. A. D. S .Wya, Lt. col. T. K. Adamu, Lt.Col. A. B. Umaru, Col. Isa Bukar, Lt. Col. Ayuba Tense, Major D. C. Dabang, Major Ola Ogunmekan, Major J. W. Kasai. Major J. K. Afolayan, and Lt. Lawrence Garba. Seven non-commissioned officers were also executed.
Murtala took over from General Gowon in 1975. He was a civil war hero with lots of exploits. After the civil war, military officers had frowned at the post-war federal cabinet composition, which excluded them. Restless soldiers also wanted the military governors to yield way so that they could take their place. The grumblings got to the hears of the Head of State, who just made a slight adjustment to the team.
When Murtala assumed the reins as leader, Obasanjo became his deputy, with the portfolio of Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters. In fact, historians have always referred to the administration as Murtala/Obasanjo regime. The trio of Murtala, Obasanjo and Danjuma spearheaded socio-economic and political reforms, which, in part, repositioned Nigeria. However, Danjuma was previously junior in rank to Major-General Illiya Bisalla, who became the Federal Commissioner for Defence.
There was instability in the civil service. Everybody had to sit tight. University teachers were not insulated from the military hammer. Public accountability was now by force. But, the effects were far reaching. Suddenly, civil servants started to cut corners in anticipation of such emergencies. Lecturers who had hitherto confined themselves into the campuses started looking outside. Adjustment became hectic for some victims who feel sick and died. But, there was forced sanity.
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