Aisha Muhammed, daughter of former Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, has spoken about her father’s leadership style and how his simple way of life shaped both his legacy and his death.
She shared her thoughts while speaking on a television programme to mark 50 years since his assassination, which occurred on February 13, 1976.
Aisha, who leads the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, described her father as a disciplined leader who believed strongly in responsibility, order and clean public service.
According to her, he saw corruption as a serious threat to society and lived by the values he preached.
She explained that General Muhammed refused to enjoy the usual privileges of power.
He avoided long convoys, sirens and heavy security, choosing instead to move around like an average Nigerian.
This lifestyle, she said, made him easy to reach by those who later carried out the attack that ended his life.
Aisha recalled that her father was travelling without special protection on the day he was killed.
His car was stopped in traffic, just like other road users, and the attackers took advantage of the situation to strike.
She noted that while the loss was painful, his actions showed the kind of leader he was and what he stood for.
General Murtala Muhammed took over leadership in July 1975 after removing General Yakubu Gowon in a coup that did not involve violence.
Although he ruled for only about 200 days, his time in office brought major changes.
He removed thousands of public officers accused of corruption, created seven new states, and set Nigeria on the path back to civilian rule.
His government also started the move that later shifted the country’s capital from Lagos to Abuja.
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