13 Interesting Facts You Need To Know About Murtala Muhammed

13 Interesting Facts You Need
To Know About Murtala
Muhammed




One of Nigeria’s most remembered leaders,
37-year-old Murtala Muhammed, was killed on
February 13, 39 years ago, in an abortive
coup attempt led by Lt. Col Buka Suka Dimka.



Many years have passed, but the nation still
remembers its great leader.


For many Nigerians, getting to know Murtala
Mohammed was from the green, crispy N20
naira note, which had its face inscribed on it,
and really clear-headed stories told by parents.
We gathered for some must-know facts you
need to know about hero of Nigeria’s nation.




1. Born on a Tuesday, the 8th of November,
1938, in the Kurawa Quarters of Kano State to
Risqua Muhammed and Uwani Ramatu, he had
7 siblings (one girl and seven boys) and he was
the second child.

2. On the 26th January, 1952, he was admitted
as student number 941 as the school itself was
founded in 1909. He was one of the ten
students from Kano and finished in 1957. One
of his classmates was the late General
Mohammed Shuwa shot dead at his home by
gunmen in Maiduguri in November 2012. Shuwa
was one of the prominent figures during the
Nigerian Civil War and later a leading figure in
Murtala’s government. Gowon also attended the
same college.

3. He attended Regular Officers Special Training
School , ROSTS (Teshie, Ghana), now Ghana
Military Academy where he was taught as a 2nd
Lieutenant infantry tactics and military laws by
the late Odumegwu Ojukwu. Obasanjo and
Gowon also attended ROSTS.

4. Murtala might be a strong-headed soldier but
he was an amazing family man. In 2006, his
Yoruba wife (with partly Fulani roots), Mrs.
Hafsat Ajoke Muhammed recollects the fond
memories: “ At home and at work, my husband
was one and the same person. His behaviour at
work and home were the same. He was a firm
person, upright and had a great sense of
humour.”

5. He was introduced to his wife by his cousin.
They fell in love, hit it off, and when they met in
Kaduna later, he proposed to her and they got
married in Kaduna in 1963 after her studies, the
same year he became a Captain. Their marriage
was a blissful and peaceful one. In 1965, the
marriage was blessed with a cheeky baby girl
who later attended the Queen’s College, Yaba,
Lagos.

6. At the time when Murtala was killed, his
daughter, Zalihatu was just two years old, and
Jumai was just a baby.

7. When Murtala was killed and the news was
relayed to his wife, she broke down and wept
for her dear husband.

8. Today, Mrs. Ajoke Muhammed is ageing
gracefully, is widely respected for her charitable
activities and calm demeanor. Even as a First
Lady, she was not unnecessarily flamboyant. Her
marriage was blessed with six children: Aishat,
Fatimah, Zakari, Risqua Abba, Zalihatu, Jumai
(she was just a baby, less than a year old when
her father was killed). The daughters are now
married.

9. By the end of 1964, Murtala was already a
temporary Major (known as a T/Major).

10. The Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970) lasted for
thirty blood-soaked months and one of the
principal actors of that sad phase of Nigerian
history was Murtala.

11. On the evening of the 30th of July 1975,
Murtala made his maiden speech to the nation
as the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief
of the Armed Forces

12. He set up a panel headed by Justice Ayo
Irikefe on the creation of seven more states
(Niger, Bauchi, Gongola, Benue, Ogun, Imo and
Bendel) to the 12 existing ones on 22nd
December, 1975. The panel came up with a
report which was utilized in the formation of
new states in 1976.

13. Murtala was a blunt, outspoken and
consummate risk taker. A soldier who ironically
had no regard for the chain of command, he
was in a class of his own when it came to
dangerous exploits. A no-nonsense person,
Murtala was known for his legendary outbursts
of terrifying anger.



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