For too long we have paid lip service to issues of remoulding our society, for too often we have talked glibly…of the birth of a new nation… now is the time to rethink, to reflect and to act! -Late Murtala Muhammad
This was one among the numerous dreams, hopes and expectations the Late General Murtala Ramat Muhammed had for his beloved country Nigeria. However, the quest for power in a form of cutthroat dimension, inferiority complex and ego-centrism by a few disgruntled dissident soldiers did not allow him realize his laudable objective of cleansing Nigeria thereby sparing no time in wasting his precious life in the afternoon of Friday the 13th of February, 197, exactly 44 years today. Though I was too small when General Muhammad was assassinated, but being a student of politics who went through the rudiments and teachings of the revolutionaries of this world (Fanon, Cabral, Nkurumah, Sankara, Mandela, Lumumba, Steve Biko, Socrates, Machiavelli, Plato, Luther King, Rodney, Fukuyama, Huntington, Wilmot, Mazrui, et al), it is practically impossible for one to deny the fact that Murtala was indeed a leader par excellence! He was detribalised Fulani and a courageous soldier with impeccable character who throughout his 38 years of existence scorned injustice, indiscipline, indolence, dishonesty, economic aggrandizement, greed and above all corruption.
Coupled with his patriotic and nationalistic chauvinism, in his just 200 Days reign, Murtala easily became one of the greatest men that ever ruled anywhere on the continent of Africa. No wonder that since his assassination, February 13 every year had been set aside in his memory by institutions of government, international bodies, elder-statesmen, student unions and other NGOs in form of lectures and seminars dwelling on some of his key unfinished policies and programmes with a view to highlighting areas of commonality and divergence in the overall interest of the country. Murtala, indeed, came, saw, conquered and laid a concrete foundation upon which the post Sardauna Political Institution that saw the emergence of Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari in 1979 was built. It was during his era that the political awareness among the citizenry became solidified as provided for by the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC). He singularly set up the body that paved way for the ‘Nigerianization’ of politics.
Nigerians from all shades of leaning participated and contributed in no mean measure culminating in the emergence of the 1979 Constitution rated as one of the best in pre and post Independence Nigeria. No doubt that even after his assassination, his successor then General Olusegun Obasanjo guardedly pursued the Murtala programmes and policies to their logical conclusions. Latest accounts from respected writer Nowa Omogui in his account remarked that ‘Obasanjo executed an escape maneuver, spent most of the day at the house of a civilian friend in Ikoyi (Chief S.B Bakare) monitoring the situation by telephone but later emerged to become the head of state’. Obasanjo and his lieutenants in then Supreme Military Council (Yar’Adua, TY Danjuma, IBB and Domkat Bali) had to ensure that the Late Murtala’s hopes were not shattered, his dreams realised and expectations achieved.
Interestingly, as if like a response to Nowa’s diatribe against him, sometimes in 2006, in a state banquet in his honour while on a 3-day visit to Ogun state, former President Obasanjo emphatically described his predecessor thus: ’…General Murtala as a dynamic, committed, dedicated leader who believed strongly in what was best for Nigeria. As Thomas Jefferson would also say ‘…. Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom….’, General Murtala while proffering panacea to the multifaceted political hiccups of that time had to clamp down on all the erring Civil Servants with the then Head Of the Federal Civil Service Commission, who was seen as the most powerful, influential and untouchable Public Servant topping in the list. Similarly as they say, ‘charity begins at home’, General Muhammad (as he was fondly addressed by his friends cum colleagues) immediately shifted his rationalisation drive to his military constituency, wherein he dismissed the then military governors that served under the Gowon regime with their assets confiscated and transferred to the federal government and accounts frozen.
However, all these principles and ideals that Murtala stood for have over the years eroded and corruption had become our bane. Thank God that institutions like WAI, EFCC, ICPC, NEITI, PTF, NASS (under Okadigbo & Ghali Umar Na’abba) have over the years shown some semblance of courage akin to the beliefs and dreams of what Murtala stood and died for. Of all his entire dreams, Murtala’s dream of relocating the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory to Abuja was realised with the instrumentality of General Babangida in 1991 and subsequent consolidation of same by late General Sani Abacha, both generals contributed in making Abuja a reality today. Babangida ruled Nigeria for eight years having contributed his modest quota in the course of nation building with the creation of eleven states in addition to the hitherto 19 bequeathed by Murtala.
Abacha, on the other hand, would have ruled Nigeria for as long as only God knows when but for divine intervention. He too had immensely contributed in his short-lived period of five years as his legacies would remain indelible in the psyche of Nigerians. Posterity is already judging him right in most of his actions and inactions while in Aso Rock Villa. Similarly, General Buhari’s effort before them, especially in the area of battling corruption and indiscipline during his 20 months of administration as Nigeria’s head of state (December 1983-August 1985) could hardly be quantified. Obasanjo while extolling the track record of Buhari, described him thus: ‘Muhammadu Buhari took any work given to him seriously. He was as reliable as he was hardworking and honest’.
Finally as Nigerians all over mark the Murtala’s 44th anniversary with series of encomiums showered on him for his dynamic and selfless leadership provided within just six months of his rule, I wish to advise the Nigerian political class, especially those holding political offices under the leadership of President Buhari that in the spirit of the legacies and virtues for which Late General Murtala Muhammad died for, and in the interest of Nigeria, let them eschew all sorts of political brigandage and socio-cultural bigotry by respecting Nigerian constitution. May Allah grant peace to all the troubled states in the country and bless Nigeria.
Habib writes via [email protected]
