Murtala Muhammed 50 years after: Family, acquaintance recount his life, experience

On the morning of Friday, February 13, 1976, gunfire shattered the calm of Lagos. Nigeria’s Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, was ambushed and assassinated in a failed coup.

He was just 37 years old, barely 200 days into office. Yet, in that short span, he left a legacy so enduring that half a century later, his name still resonates across Nigeria and Africa.

Fifty years on, Murtala Muhammed’s name adorns Nigeria’s busiest airport, schools, and roads and hospitals among other edifices named after him.

His tomb in Kano remains a pilgrimage site, where prayers are offered for him every Friday. For many Nigerians, his brief rule remains a benchmark of integrity and patriotism.

Background: Soldier, reformer

Born November 8, 1938, in Kurawa Kano, Murtala attended Barewa College and trained at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.

He fought in the Congo Crisis and played a role in the Nigerian Civil War. Known for his boldness, he was nicknamed “Monty of the Midwest.”

When he seized power from General Yakubu Gowon in July 1975, he immediately launched reforms.

He purged thousands of corrupt civil servants, declared war on indiscipline, championed African liberation movements, and began the Abuja relocation project.

His assassination cut short a reformist agenda that many Nigerians still see as unmatched.

Some of the edifices named after him in Kano include Murtala Muhammad Specialists Hospital, Murtala Muhammad Library, Murtala Muhammad Mosque and Murtala Muhammad Way among many others.

My father stood for integrity – Murtala’s son

His son, Risqua Murtala Muhammed, sees the anniversary as a time for reflection.

He said, “It is a time to appreciate the legacy that late General Murtala Ramat Muhammed left behind. Fifty years after, he is still remembered for the things he did.

“He stood for anti-corruption, integrity, honesty, fairness, justice, and equity. Without these elements, progress will be a problem,” he added.

Risqua also emphasized his father’s pan-African vision: “Not only in Nigeria, but across Africa, he fought for the emancipation of our brothers and sisters in Angola, Namibia, and South Africa.”

His ancestry is from Kano, not Edo – Murtala’s younger sister, Balaraba Ramat

Among those who have worked tirelessly to preserve Murtala’s memory is his younger sister, Hajiya Balaraba Ramat Yakubu.

She has often found herself correcting misconceptions about his ancestry. “There are a lot of misrepresentations about his ancestry, that he is from Edo. That is not true. Murtala is truly from Kano royal and clerical families. I have traced all his grandparents and family lineage,” she explained, her voice firm with conviction.

She stressed that her brother was Hausa from Kano, deeply rooted in the royal and clerical traditional families in the city.

“We are a family of judges and clerics. Murtala was not from Edo, he was from Kano, and that is the truth,” she said, challenging narratives that have persisted for decades.

Balaraba remembers her brother not only as a soldier and Head of State, but as a man of principle whose values shaped his leadership.

“He never believed in laziness or playing with responsibility. These principles affected how he ruled Nigeria because he had integrity, he was patriotic, and he did all he could to see that Nigeria stands. That was what even cost him his life,” she said.

Her recollections are tinged with both pride and sorrow. She said she was just 18 when he was killed, and the memory of his visit during her father’s death remains vivid.

Balaraba also said many Nigerians embraced his memory after his assassination, naming children after him and his mother, Ramat.

He transformed Nigeria in 200 days – Historian

Kano based historian and independent researcher, Dr Ibrahim Ado Kurawa, highlighted Murtala’s sweeping reforms in the few months he spent on power.

Kurawa said though short-lived, the former Head of State has created seven new states, initiated the relocation of Nigeria’s capital from Lagos to Abuja, laid the foundation for the 1979 presidential constitution still in use today, and pursued an Africa-centered foreign policy.

The policy, according to him, had supported the liberation movements in Namibia and South Africa, hastening the dismantling of apartheid.

Kurawa lamented that current leaders have failed to build on those legacies: “Murtala was against corruption and for good governance. These are the things we are still lacking today.”

Murtala died penniless – Ambassador Aminu Wali

Former Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Aminu Wali, a cousin of Murtala, offered personal recollections.

He said, “The late Muhammad had rare qualities. He was honest to a point, just in whatever he did, and concerned about the welfare of people.

“He died penniless. Sometimes I would visit his house in Lagos, and he would show me his wallet, empty. He will be pointing at his children and telling me `if you don’t pay their school fees, they’ll be kicked out.’ That was the kind of man he was,” Wali explained.

He also recalled being on the aircraft that carried Murtala’s body back to Kano up to his burial at his final resting place.

“Over the last 50 years, no other leader emerged that I can compare anywhere near what Murtala represents in terms of commitment to this country.”

We pray for him always – Murtala Mosque Imam

The Chief Imam of the Murtala Muhammed Mosque in Hausawa, Kano, Imam Kabiru Badamasi Dantaura, said late Murtala was very religious.

“Everybody knows that late Murtala was trustworthy, had integrity and patriotism. He was also very religious. It is even because of his religiosity that he was killed while on his way to a mosque.”

He explained that after every Juma’at prayer, special prayer is offered to Murtala.

He added that, “Every February also, special prayer is offered to him to commemorate his assassination month. Many people also do visit his tomb and pray for him.

“This particular year, because it is his 50th anniversary, special prayer was organised for him last Friday,” the Imam added.

Imam Dantaura also explained the wisdom behind building the mosque near his tomb: “It is for him to get blessings and constant prayers from worshippers. Every Friday, every Ramadan, people pray for him. Every February, special prayers are held for him here.

“Whosoever knows the power of a president, and comes to see his tomb here, it is enough lesson for everybody,”

‘He was truly Hausa, from Kano’

Alhaji Ado Kurawa, Sarkin Fadar Kano, clarified Murtala’s ancestry in detail.

“His grandfather, Dattuwa, was the first Kano judge under the Fulani dynasty. His paternal grandfather was the son of Judge Sulaiman, and his paternal grandmother was the daughter of Makama Hamza. Any story that he is from another part of the country is baseless.”

He also revealed his role in siting Murtala’s tomb: “I am the mastermind behind siting his tomb here. A mosque and an Islamiyya school were also built here.”

Kurawa explained that Murtala’s family had long been associated with the judiciary, which shaped his character.

“We are a family of judges for long, that is why he is sometimes seen to be aggressive. Also, since he grew up, whenever he prayed Magrib (sunset prayer), he usually stayed in the mosque until he prayed Isha (twilight prayer). He maintained this cycle until his death,” the traditional title holder added.

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