“Monty of the Mid-West”

It is always a delight remembering and celebrating General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, Nigeria’s fourth Head of State and to this day, every time I read about Nigeria’s most charming leader, I come to tears. The last “Murtala Day” observed by Nigerian students was probably celebrated in 1983 or 1984. Each year, Nigerian students from various […]

It is always a delight remembering and celebrating General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, Nigeria’s fourth Head of State and to this day, every time I read about Nigeria’s most charming leader, I come to tears.
The last “Murtala Day” observed by Nigerian students was probably celebrated in 1983 or 1984. Each year, Nigerian students from various institutions around the country had converged on Bayero University Kano at Kofar Kabuga and neighbouring institutions to join their colleagues and other patriots to honour General Murtala Muhammed. They usually arrived on 11th and 12 February.
On the 13th multitudes would march to the graveside of General Murtala at Murtala Muhammed Mosque, New Hausawa Quarters, off Zoo Road, Kano, for commemorative rites. This mainly consisted of prayers for the repose of Murtala’s departed soul as well as orations and ululations. The atmosphere was usually emotional and electric during which participants underlined their grievous loss with wailings and cries and a pledge to reject all manifestations of corruption, ethnic bigotry, religious intolerance, regionalism and indolence. Similarly, they reiterated their commitment to preserve Nigeria’s unity.
Participants also used the occasion to renew their vow to avenge Murtala’s blood by fighting imperialism, colonialism and exploitation both in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa. They equally committed themselves to fighting comprador bourgeoisie and its domestic collaborators. These were the days of intense ideological rivalry between the East and the West and there were massive debates on which economic and political models Nigeria and Africa should adopt to rapidly improve the welfare of their people. 
Murtala was only 20 years old when he joined the army and he learnt very well from Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, one of his instructors in military tactics and military law at the Regular Officers Special Training School, Teshie, Ghana. The student would later apply the ferocious military tactics he had learnt at Teshie on the formations arrayed by his rebellious teacher.
While the then Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, thought a “Police action” would frustrate the Biafran declaration and regain Eastern Nigeria, Murtala was convinced that war with Ojukwu was unavoidable and arrangements to that effect needed to be put in place. 
General Murtala was Nigeria’s civil war hero. The story was told of how his troops were wiped out thrice before he miraculously survived and crossed the River Niger on the fourth attempt on his way to capture Onitsha. He had refused to wait for the bridge across the Niger, which was blown up by the Biafrans, to be rebuilt before he could cross and unleash his offensive. Murtala had built the 2nd Division from scratch. As the GOC of 2nd Division, he had swiftly and massively kicked out the Biafran soldiers after they had invaded and occupied parts of the Mid-West as a proof of their bravery.
Murtala’s highly successful and blistering counter offensive against the Biafrans earned him the sobriquet “Monty of Mid-West”, after Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, the British 2nd WW hero. On his way to war with Ojukwu, he had commandeered all available resources. Later, fed up with interference from Army Headquarters about war tactics, Murtala abandoned his command, proceeded to the United Kingdom on an unusual long leave and threatened to resign his commission.
On 29th July, 1975, General Yakubu Gowon was overthrown from power via a bloodless coup d’état announced by his Commander, Brigade of Guards, Colonel Joseph Nanven Garba. Although Murtala had opted out, he was named the new Head of State and he led well. He purged massively beginning with the armed forces where he demobilised 100,000 troops. He cleared the choking cement armada from the Lagos Ports. He cancelled the divisive 1973 census. He created seven new states in December 1975 to bring the number to 19 and forbade demonstrations for or against the exercise. He nationalised some of the academic, political and economic institutions formerly owned by regional groupings. He also handed dismissals in the civil service, diplomatic service, judiciary, Police, public corporations, universities and everywhere he perceived “deadwoods.” He resented the suffocating atmosphere of Lagos and took decisive steps to relocate to Abuja as the new federal capital. He began the process of restoring civilian rule by naming a Constitution drafting Committee led by Rotimi Williams.
Murtala brought unprecedented dynamism to Nigeria’s foreign policy. He decried the intervention of United States of America in African affairs and viewed that “extra-continental power” as an opponent of the decolonisation of continent. In a fiery speech that brought many delegates to tears during the Extra-ordinary Summit of the then OAU in Addis Ababa in January, 1976, Murtala denounced Apartheid South Africa’s armed intervention in Angola and mobilised African support for Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and other revolutionary groups. This was Nigeria’s finest hour.
Murtala was killed on Friday, 13th February, 1976 along with his ADC and driver in an ambush by rebel soldiers led by Lt Col Bukar Sukar Dimka. Murtala’s government was nothing but revolutionary.
But no matter, Murtala was a decisive, fearless, purposeful officer and unforgettable Head of State. Most of us forget his 8th November, 1938 date of birth and but remember his 13th February, 1976 date of death, at only 37 years old.
Murtala Muhammed and Muhammadu Buhari share some things in common – love of country, humility and abhorrence of corruption and indiscipline, and determination to arrest drift and give Nigeria a new lease of life. Will Buhari celebrate Murtala this February?
 Allah ya gafarta wa Murtala Ramat Muhammed, ya sanya shi Aljannah Firdausi.