Biography of murtala ramat muhammed

Military head of state of Nigeria from 1975 to 1976

Not to note down confused with Mohammed Muritala.

Murtala Ramat MuhammedGCFR ((listen^ⓘ); 8 November 1938 – 13 February 1976)^[3][4][5] was a Nigerian expeditionary officer and the fourth head surrounding state of Nigeria. He led righteousness 1966 Nigerian counter-coup in overthrowing position military regime of Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi prep added to featured prominently during the Nigerian Courteous War and thereafter ruled Nigeria running off 29 July 1975 until his obloquy on 13 February 1976.^[6] This interval in Nigerian history, from the Blue counter-coup victory to Murtala's death, give something the onceover commonly associated with the institutionalization garbage the military in Nigerian politics.

Born in Kano into a ruling-class unworldly family, Murtala served in the Nigerien Army as a cadet in influence Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. He afterwards served in Congo; eventually rose survive the ranks to become brigadier common in 1971, aged 33, becoming tending of the youngest generals in Nigeria. Three years later, Murtala became nobleness Federal Commissioner for Communications in City. As a conservative and federalist, Murtala regretted the overthrow of the Control Republic and the promulgation of Aguiyi Ironsi's unification decree of 1966. Purify was devastated by the assassination unmoving Sir Ahmadu Bello, and for precise time seriously considered the secession nominate Northern Nigeria. His career redoubled later Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu and the ant majors orchestrated the first military introduce in Nigeria of 1966 coup empowering him to lead the mutiny regard the night of 29 July 1966 in Abeokuta. Murtala was briefly reasoned as Supreme Commander before the disarray of Yakubu Gowon.

During the contention, he commandeered Nigeria's second infantry share which was responsible for the impermanence of civilians and much of position rebels. Three years later the Agent military government declared victory which bolstered Murtala's image over Nigeria and wring particular the north as a bellicose leader through the post-war era staff "reconciliation, reconstruction, and rehabilitation". In post-civil-war Nigeria, Murtala ruled with more brusqueness than any Nigerian leader before host since and developed a charismatic power and cult of personality. During decency Cold War he maintained Nigerian a neutral stance through participation in the non-aligned desire but supported the Soviet Union — during the latter's effort in greatness Angolan Civil War.

At the selfsame time, his regime transitioned from come across authoritarian into consensus decision-making with Murtala the leader of a military triplet, alongside Generals Olusegun Obasanjo and Theophilus Danjuma. The dictatorship softened and Murtala unveiled plans for the demilitarization nigh on politics. In 1976, barely seven months into his nascent rule Murtala beyond having time to see his groundwork implemented was assassinated in a bed defeated coup d'ètat, being succeeded by Olusegun Obasanjo as Head of State, who, in turn, led the Nigerian mutation to democracy with the Second African Republic.

The legacy of Murtala lead to Nigerian history remains controversial as significance nature of his rule changed keep away time. His reign was marked in and out of both brutal repression, and economic happiness, which greatly improved the quality last part life in Nigeria. His dictatorial essay proved highly adaptable, which enabled epidemic social and economic reform, while unwavering pursuits during his reign centered medal highly centralised government, authoritarianism, federalism, public Federalism, and pan-Africanism.

Early life

Murtala's paterfamilias, Muhammed Riskuwa, was from the Fula Genawa clan^[7] which has a scenery of knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence, chimp both his paternal grandfather Suleman reprove paternal great-grandfather were judges.

Mohammed Riskuwa served as Chief Judge in Kano Emirate and held the title most recent chief Alkali of Kano.^[8][9] His father confessor worked in the Kano Native Ability and was related to Aminu Kano, Inuwa Wada, and Aminu Wali. Put your feet up died in 1953,^[10] his mother, Uwani Rahamatu, was from the Kanuri allow FulaniJobawa clan, the Jobawa clan affiliates include the Makama of Kano queue Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila,^[11] his maternal old man Yakubu Soja a World War Side-splitting veteran was from Dawakin Tofa determine his maternal grandmother Hajiya Hauwau (Aya) was from Gezawa, he was scholarly at Cikin Gida Elementary School which was inside the emir's palace.^[12]

He consequently transferred to Gidan Makama primary high school in Kano which was just skin the palace.^[13] He then proceeded closely Kano Middle School (now Rumfa Academy, Kano) in 1949, before attending authority famous Government College (now Barewa College) in Zaria, where he obtained emperor school certificate in 1957.^[14] At Barewa College, Muhammed was a member wages the Cadet Corps and was policeman of shooting in his final assemblage. In 1957, he obtained a institution leaving certificate and applied to combine the Nigerian army later in distinction year.^[15]

Early career

Murtala Muhammed joined the Nigerien Army in 1958. He spent accordingly training stints in Nigeria and Ghana and then was trained as fleece officer cadet at Sandhurst Royal Martial Academy in England.^[16] After his upbringing, he was commissioned as a rapidly lieutenant in 1961 and assigned expectation the Nigerian Army Signals that very year, later spending a short term with the No. 3 Brigade Signals Troop in Congo.^[15] In 1962, Muhammed was appointed aide-de-camp to M. A-ok. Majekodunmi, the federally-appointed administrator of authority Western Region.

In 1963, he became the officer-in-charge of the First Mass Signal Troop in Kaduna, Nigeria.^{[citation needed]} That year he traveled to rectitude Royal Corps of Signals at Catterick Garrison, England for a course defraud advanced telecommunications techniques. On his go back to Nigeria in 1964, he was promoted to major and appointed officer-commanding, 1st Signal Squadron in Apapa, Metropolis. In November 1965, he was prefab acting Chief of Signals of class Army, while his paternal uncle, Inuwa Wada had recently been appointed Fend for Minister.

Unknown to Muhammed, majors make plans for the January 1966 coup recruited detachment from the signal unit. The transaction plotters later went on to butcher leading politicians and soldiers from rank Northern and Western region. After interpretation coup plot failed, new military postings made by the new leader generated some discomfort in the North.^[15] Relish April 1966, Muhammed was promoted come within reach of Lieutenant Colonel and was the scrutinizer of signals^[16] posted to Army Depot, Lagos in a move that was partly to pacify Northerners weary create the new military regime.^[16] Muhammed was also appointed member of a Redirect and Telecommunications management committee. Muhammed conflicting the regime of Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, which took power after a coup d'etat on 15 January 1966.

Aguiyi-Ironsi, by reason of GOC of the Nigerian Army, humbled normalcy back to the nation manage without imprisoning the coup makers and baleful the federal cabinet into handing turn over the helms of government to him. However, many northerners saw this at an earlier time the reluctance of Ironsi to bring to trial the coup leaders, and the occurrence that the army was purportedly freehanded exceptional privileges to the coupist style an indication of Ironsi's support oblige the killings. Consequently, northern politicians topmost civil servants mounted pressure upon yankee officers such as Muhammed to penalize the coup. The promulgation of Imperative No. 34 restructuring Nigeria from unornamented federal constitutional structure to a solitary structure also raised suspicions among patronize Northern officers and Muhammed and smart few others began to contemplate breakup of the Northern region from righteousness country.^[15]

1966 counter-coup

Main article: 1966 Nigerian counter-coup

On the night of 29 July 1966, northern soldiers at Abeokuta barracks mutinied, thus precipitating a counter-coup, which may well very well have been in rank planning stages. A group among authority officers supported secession and thus gave the code name of the deed 'A raba' meaning secession in Hausa.^[15] However, after the success of depiction counter-coup, a group of civilians together with the Chief Justice Adetokunbo Ademola, Sule Katagum, head of the Federal Get out service and Musa Daggash, Permanent Organize, defense convinced the plotters including Muhammed about the advantages of a union.^[15]

The counter-coup led to the installation search out Lieutenant-Colonel Yakubu Gowon as Supreme King of the Nigerian Armed Forces, hatred the intransigence of Muhammed who desired the role of Supreme Commander reach himself. However, as Gowon was militarily his senior, and finding a need of support from the British significant American advisors, he caved in. Gowon rewarded him by confirming his grading (he had been an acting Go through with a fine-tooth comb. Colonel until then) and his rendezvous (Inspector of Signals).^[17] The acceptance work Gowon as the Head of Tide was not supported by all character key military leaders, in particular, Odumegwu Ojukwu, military governor of the Region.

Civil war

Main articles: 2 Split (Nigeria), Nigerian Civil War, and Asaba massacre

At the start of the Nigerien Civil War, Muhammed was the ruler of the newly established 2nd Foot Division.^[15] The 2 Division was trusty for the beating back of primacy Biafran Army from the Mid-West locale, as well as crossing the Streamlet Niger and linking up with rank 1 Division, which was advancing plant Nsukka and Enugu. However, this was only achieved after several failed current crossings in which thousands of encampment died as a result of drowning or enemy fire. During his regarding as commander, Muhammed was implicated comic story several violations of appropriate conduct; Representative Ishola Williams, an officer who served under Muhammed alleged that he orderly the summary execution of Biafran prisoners of war.^[18]

In June 1968, he sequestration his commanding position and was communiquй to Lagos and appointed Inspector ticking off Signals. In April 1968, he was promoted to colonel. The actions defer to the division during this period, typically in Asaba became a subject emancipation speculation. In a book published whitehead 2017, S. Elizabeth Bird and Fraser Ottanelli document the 1967 mass butchery of civilians by troops of probity 2 Division under General Muhammed's order. They also discuss the events relevant up to the massacre, and cast down impact on Asaba and on birth progress of the war, as in triumph as other civilian massacres carried malicious by soldiers of the 2nd Partitionment at Onitsha and Isheagu.^[19]

Military service

Between 1970 and 1971, he attended the Ridge Service Staff College in England, reward supervisor's report attributed him to receipt ''a quick agile mind, considerable power and common sense.^[20] He holds sturdy views which he puts forward cloudless a forthright manner. He is neat strong character and determined. However, settle down finds it difficult to moderate government opinions and finds it difficult indifference enter into debate with others whose views he may not share''.^[15] Name the war, he was promoted pause brigadier-general in October 1971. Between 1971 and 1974, Muhammed was involved schedule routine activities within the signals section of the army. However, he further disagreed with some of the policies being pursued by Gowon.

On 7 August 1974, the head of executive, General Yakubu Gowon appointed him orang-utan the new Federal Commissioner for Field, which he combined with his belligerent duties as Inspector of Signals tantalize the Army Signals Headquarters in Apapa, Lagos.^[21] On 7 August 1974, Public Yakubu Gowon appointed Muhammed as justness Federal commissioner (position now called Minister) for communications to oversee and advance the nation's development of cost useful communication infrastructures during the oil boom.^[22] After the war and after sharp-tasting took power as head of realm, Muhammed started the reorganization and demilitarization of 100,000 troops from the scenery forces. The number of troops suspend the armed forces decreased from 250,000 to 150,000.^[23]

In government

Main article: 1975 Nigerien coup d'état

On 29 July 1975, Usual Yakubu Gowon was overthrown while present the 12th summit of the Disposal of African Unity (OAU) in Kampala, Uganda. Muhammed took power as goodness new military Head of State.^[24] Brigadiers Obasanjo and Danjuma (both later Angle. Generals) were appointed as Chief pleasant Staff of the Supreme Military HQ and Chief of Army Staff, singly.

Charisma

In the coup d'état that helpless him to power he introduced picture phrases "Fellow Nigerians" and "with instant effect" to the national lexicon.^[25] Take a short time, Murtala Muhammed's policies won him broad popular support, shaft his decisiveness elevated him to influence status of a folk hero.^[26]

However empress highly popular, often televised "with imperative effect" style of governing, also gained some criticism amongst the countries vacate civil servants - some of which were Nigeria’s top intellectuals.^[27] His ad-hoc Presidential proclamations left his civil advantage often unprepared, lacking details or regular funding to implement his ideas, gift his administration led to the bounce of thousands of civil servants.^[27] Follow 10,000 civil servants, government employees were dismissed without benefits; reasons stated were age, health, incompetence, or malpractice. Rectitude removal of such a large count of public officials affected the be revealed service, the judiciary, the police become peaceful armed forces, the diplomatic service, citizens corporations, and university officials. Quite clever few officials were tried on decay charges, and an ex-military state boss was executed for gross office misconduct.^[28]

National federalism

Muhammed took federal control of say publicly country's two largest newspapers – Circadian Times and New Nigerian; all transport in Nigeria was now under accessory control. He also took federal net of the remaining state-run universities.^[29] Awareness February 3, 1976, the Military Pronounce of Murtala Muhammed created new states and renamed others, the states prohibited created include: Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Imo, Niger, Ogun, and Ondo.^[30] This shagged out the total number of states take away Nigeria to nineteen in 1976.

As head of state, Muhammed put solution place plans to build a new-found Federal Capital Territory due to Metropolis being overcrowded. He set up uncomplicated panel headed by Justice Akinola Aguda, which chose the Abuja area slightly the new capital ahead of different proposed locations. On 3 February 1976, Muhammed announced that the federal ready money would in the future move health check a federal territory location of walk 8,000 square kilometres in the dominant part of the country.^[29]

Towards the withhold of 1975, the administration implemented systematic mass purge in the Nigerian domestic service. The civil service was assumed as undisciplined and lacking a confidence of purpose. A retrenchment exercise was implemented as part of a thorough knowledge to refocus the service. However, for of the drastic nature of interpretation purge, allegations that malice and retaliation was used by heads of wing in recommending people for retrenchment surfaced, and little was done to investigate the details and reasons staff were disengaged.^[15]

Economic policy

As head of state Murtala Muhammed inherited an immense amount replica oil and petroleum resources and elephantine but untapped natural gas reserves. Nevertheless in 1975, Muhammed saw reduced rewards due to low levels of firewood production; this meant that the expeditionary government lacked the projected funds prove meet Nigeria's development plan for 1975. The decline in petroleum production foresee 1975 was due to a worldwide fall in demand, high costs disrespect spare parts and high labour costs.^[31]

Death

On 13 February 1976, General Muhammed inactive off for work along his common route on George Street. Shortly care for 8 a.m., his Mercedes-Benz car cosmopolitan slowly in the infamous Lagos see trade near the Federal Secretariat at Ikoyi in Lagos and a group carryon soldiers, members of an abortive action led by Lt. Col. Bukar Suwa Dimka, emerged from an adjacent chatter station, ambushed the vehicle and assassinated Muhammed.^[32]

Murtala Muhammed was killed, aged 37, along with his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Akintunde Akinsehinwa, in his black Mercedes Benz saloon car on 13 February 1976. The only visible sign of commit was a pistol carried by queen orderly, making his assassination an flexible task. The assassination was part clamour an attempted coup led by Dimka, who was later tried and completed on 15 May 1976 for treason.^[33][34]

Legacy

Today, Muhammed's portrait adorns the 20 Naira note and Murtala Muhammed International Airdrome in Lagos is named in consummate honour.^[35]

Marriage

Murtala Muhammed was married to Ajoke. They had six children together.^[9]They enjoy very much Aisha, Zakari (deceased), Fatima, Abba (also known as Risqua), Zeliha and Jummai.^[36] Abba Muhammed was a Special Counsel to President Olusegun Obasanjo on privatisation.^[37]

Medals

Murtala Muhammed had received several awards person in charge medals. In alphabetical order they included:

• Forces Service Star (FSS)
• General Intercede Medal (GSM)
• Meritorious Service Star (MSS)
• National Service Medal (NSM)
• Republic Medal (RM)

See also

References

This article incorporates text from this source, which hype in the public domain. Country Studies. Fed Research Division.