And finally, to the third hero who was assassinated in February: General Murtala Muhammad, without doubt the greatest Nigerian leader ever. Last February 13 marked the 33rd anniversary since Nigeria’s most dynamic leader was assassinated in an abortive coup in 1976. Had Murtala lived, he would have been 71 this year, as he was born in 1938 (see Twenty Naira note). Sadly, Murtala died before he was 40: he was 38.
Much has been written about Murtala and much will continue to be written. Apart for from the fact that, within the 199 days he was Nigeria’s Head of State (from July 29, 1975 to February 13, 1976) Murtala initiated the return to civilian rule, created more states, initiated local government reform, initiated the movement of the Federal Capital from Lagos to the middle of the country, it can be argued that his most important contribution to nation-building was in instilling discipline in the citizenry.
Writing on Murtala, a writer, Nowa Omoigui, mentions that “in his almost legendary book ‘The Trouble With Nigeria’, Chinua Achebe tells the story of how on the first morning of Murtala’s regime, the notoriously tardy Lagos employees managed to find a way to get to work on time – beating the stifling traffic and transport problems which had always formed part of their standard excuse for being late for work. The new helmsman’s ferocious reputation was such that Lagosians dared not cross him on his first day in office. Despite the fact that there were just as many vehicles on the road, Lagosians got to work on time for fear of offending the military strongman from Kano.”
Another writer, Aliyu Ammani, says “On Tuesday the 29th of July 1975, the military struck for the third time in our nation’s history. The inept administration of General Gowon was toppled in a mercifully bloodless coup, the first in our nation’s history of military incursion in politics. Thus began the 199 most dynamic, pragmatic, breathtaking, purpose driven, result-oriented period of our country’s political history.”
Ammani’s commentary deserves to be quoted at length: “Murtala jolted a sleeping nation into life. The vibrancy in his voice was arresting. The fire in his eyes charmed and awed the nation. In contrast to the extravagant style of Gowon, Murtala adopted a low profile policy. For the 200 days Murtala was Head of State, he lived in the house he had occupied as Director of Army Signal Corps. He drove to work at the Dodan Barracks every morning from his house. No convoy. No sirens. No outriders. Few days after his assumption of office, Murtala shunned the sirens and convoy and rode alone with his driver, from Lagos to Kano , a journey of more than one thousand kilometres, in his personal car.
“Murtala had never detained a single person in the 6 months that he led the Nigerian nation. When former Lagos University Law Lecturer Dr. Obarogie Ohonbamu wrote in his magazine African Spark that Murtala had corruptly enriched himself before becoming Head of State, and accused him of owing fleets of trailers and rows of houses; Murtala did not descend on him with his heavy booth as most military dictators, he quietly went to Igbosere magistrate court and sued Ohonbamu for libel. At the last hearing, the case was adjourned till the 17th of March 1976. Murtala was assassinated on the 13th of February.
“In an interview with The Punch of May 4th 1982, the late Chief MKO Abiola, a very close friend of Murtala’s, said that Murtala had only Seven Naira Twenty Two Kobo (N7.22) in his bank account when he died.
“Murtala pursued an aggressive foreign policy with Africa as its centre piece. On the 11th of January 1976, an extra-ordinary meeting of the OAU Heads of Government was convened [in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia] to tackle the Angolan question. Murtala made the historic and flamboyant appearance at the conference where he gave the powerful Africa Has Come of Age speech.
“’Mr. Chairman, when I contemplate the evils of apartheid, my heart bleeds and I am sure the heart of every true blooded African bleeds.’ Thus, Murtala opened the powerful and deep moving Africa Has Come of Age speech.’Rather than join hands with the forces fighting for self-determination and against racism and apartheid, the United States’ policy makers clearly decided that it was in the best interest of their country to maintain white supremacy and minority regimes in Africa … Africa has come of age. It’s no longer under the orbit of any extra-continental power. It should no longer take orders from any country no matter how powerful…gone are the days when Africa will ever bow to the threat of any so-called superpower…’ There was thunderous ovation from the Africa Hall and Murtala Muhammad went back to his seat, little knowing that he had exactly 34 days more to live.”
In Murtala, the age-old argument about leaders being born or being formed raised its head significantly. But, as Wikipedia says, leadership has qualities which include: Charismatic inspiration (attractiveness to others and the ability to leverage this esteem to motivate others; initiative and drive); guiding through modeling (in the sense of providing a role model); initiative and entrepreneurial drive; preoccupation with a role (a dedication that consumes much of a leader’s life); a clear sense of purpose or mission (clear goals, focus, commitment); results-orientation (directing every action towards a mission); optimism (very few pessimists ever become leaders); and rejection of determinism (belief in one’s ability to ‘make a difference’), etc.
It could be said that Murtala possessed all, if not more, than these leadership qualities. One thing Murtala had in abundance was charisma, known in Hausa as kwarjini. This was not unrelated to the fact that he had been a fearless person since he was a small boy. (This writer remembers reading somewhere the late Chief Sunday Awoniyi recollecting that, at Barewa College in Zaria, Murtala did not pick fights with his equals: he fought higher, with his seniors.)
The sociologist Max Weber defined charismatic authority as “resting on devotion to the exceptional sanctity, heroism or exemplary character of an individual person, and of the normative patterns or order revealed or ordained by him.” Charismatic authority is one of three forms of authority laid out in Weber’s tripartite classification of authority, the other two being traditional authority and rational-legal authority. The concept has acquired wide usage among sociologists.”
Perhaps the greatest contrast in history was the one between Murtala and his successor: while the whole world remembers Murtala as dashing, his then deputy dashed for cover during the abortive February 13 coup.
It is almost unbelievable that the heroes celebrated on these pages during this February died relatively young: Imam Hasan Al Banna at 42, Malcolm X at 39 and Murtala at 38. How old are you, Dear Reader? Meanwhile, may Allah’s mercy be upon General Murtala Muhammad.
