Aisha Muhammed, daughter of former Head of State General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, has revealed that her father’s simple lifestyle and leadership style contributed to the ease of his assassination on February 13, 1976. She made the remarks on ARISE News’ Morning Show while reflecting on the 50th anniversary of his death.
Muhammed, who is also CEO of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, said her father lived by the values he preached, including accountability, responsibility, and discipline. She noted that he viewed corruption as a “cankerworm” capable of destroying society, and unlike many leaders, he embodied his anti-corruption stance in his personal conduct.
Aisha Muhammed highlighted that her father deliberately avoided ostentatious displays of power, including heavy security details, motorcades, and sirens, choosing instead to live like an ordinary Nigerian. She explained that this approach directly contributed to his assassination during an abortive coup just six months after he assumed office.
“He was in traffic just like everybody else. In fact, the traffic wardens stopped them, and they stopped, just like everybody else, and that was when the coup plotters came out from behind the sectarian barricade, and then he was shot,” she said.
General Muhammed came to power through a bloodless coup in July 1975, ousting General Yakubu Gowon. During his brief 200-day tenure, he implemented significant reforms, including the dismissal of over 10,000 corrupt public officials, the creation of seven new states, and initiating the process to move Nigeria’s capital from Lagos to Abuja.
Despite his short time in office, Muhammed’s legacy as a disciplined and incorruptible leader continues to be celebrated, even as his daughter reflects on the personal risks that came with his commitment to simplicity and integrity.
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