Today marks the 45th anniversary of the death of former Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed.
The former military ruler was assassinated on February 13, 1976 in Lagos.
General Murtala Ramat Muhammed played a key role in the 1967 civil war when Lieutenant Colonel Ojukwu demanded the secession of Biafra.
At the same time, General Murtala led an army that crushed the Biafran army and ended the civil war as he announced on September 21, 1967.
As a brigadier general, the soldiers that executed Nigeria’s third military coup, appoint General Murtala as Head of State, and in January 1976 he was promoted to general.
He is one of the country’s most respected leaders.
Every year on this day of 13th of February, the life of General Murtala is remembered and he is the one who first plan to relocate Federal Capital Territory from Lagos to Abuja.
Murtala Muhammed was born on November 8, 1938 in Kano to a Fulani ruling class family. His father, Muhammed Riskuwa, was from the Genawa clan, who had a history of Islamic jurisprudence as both his grandfather and great-grandfather held the title of chief Alkali of Kano.
Mohammed was educated at Cikin Gida Elementary School which was inside the emir’s palace. He then transferred to Gidan Makama primary school in Kano which was just outside the palace. He then proceeded to Kano Middle School now Rumfa College, Kano in 1949, before attending the famous Government College, now Barewa College in Zaria, where he obtained his school certificate in 1957.
