Friday, February 13, 1976 has remained an unforgettable day in the political history of Nigeria and in my memory.
It is over 40 years ago, but the most tragic incident of that fateful day was the assassination of General
Murtala Ramat Muhammed in one of the bloodiest coups in Nigeria since the first coup executed by the late Major Kaduna Nzeogwu on January 15, 1966.  The coup plotters led by Lt. Col. Buka Suka Dimka also murdered General Mohammed's Aide-De-Camp (ADC), Lieutenant Akintunde Akinsehinwa and his driver, Sergeant Adamu Michika. But his Orderly, Staff Sergeant Michael Otuwu miraculously survived after he regained consciousness later in the morgue.

The official black Mercedes Benz 600 saloon car of the Head of State had been ambushed at the popular Alagbon Junction on Ikoyi Road whilst on the way to his office at Dodan Barracks in Obalende, Lagos.
I was in class one in secondary school at the famous St. Gregory's College in South West Ikoyi, a walking distance from the nearby Dodan Barracks. My parents had gone to work and I had gone to school without knowing that a bloody coup d'etat was already going on nearby. It was about 10am when we heard echoes of gunfire and pandemonium broke out as both teachers and students panicked in fear and trembling. As we rushed out of our classrooms, we saw some parents coming to take their children away. We saw a Nigerian Army soldier with a gun running on the street of our sister school, Holy Child College.

The coup potters and loyal soldiers of the Nigerian Army were having gun battle from Ikoyi Road to the Obalende Road leading to the State House at Dodan Barracks.
I found my way to our house at No 28, Obalende Road from the adjoining streets connecting to St. Gregory's College, because many houses in Obalende had thoroughfare passages or corridors connecting one street to another.
My parents and siblings were already back home with our cotenants and their families and we cowered indoors as sporadic gunfire continued for hours. But peeping from half closed doors, we could see  some armed soldiers using the big gutter on the Obalende Road as their  trench in the gun battle.

Then later we were told that the coup had been aborted by the loyal soldiers of the Nigerian Armed Forces. There was a radio announcement of dusk to dawn curfew.  And everyone remained indoors waiting for more announcements on Radio Nigeria and Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) News network.

The tragic event of Friday, February 13, 1976 has become the thriller of a new historical period drama aptly titled '76, directed by Izu Ojukwu, an award winning Nigerian filmmaker who knew some of the families of the coup plotters in Jos.

Nigeria with heart touching history.

Murtala was a war criminal, genocidal killer, failed Soldier, coup plotting crook and military despot.

Only God knows how many people the man killed in his time.

But he who lives by the Gun, dies by the gun.

Dimka promptly sent him to his ancestors same way he sent others.

The day devil was assassinated must always be remembered with thanksgiving. Op where is your thanksgiving items?

who kills by the sword, dies by the.......

Danjuma and Obasanjo were lucky.
Danjuma has survived all the coups since the first coup of January 15, 1966.

See how Gen. Obasanjo looked after the mantle of the Head of State fell on him.
First Yoruba military Head of State and first Yoruba President of Nigeria.

I used to think of this guy as a Nigerian hero, till I read he led the troops that massacred people in asaba in 1967...if its true,Dimka did good..

Eastactivist:


Yet afonjas hate him, quite ironic seeing some of you all of a sudden singing his praise

I am 100% Igbo.
But my father was the first Igbo IFA and Ogun high priest until he was born again after teaching me IFA divination.

There is something about the counter coup d'etat of July 29, 1966, which Murtala Muhammed was one of the leaders with Danjuma. They killed Gen. Aguyi Ironsi with Fajuyi, a Yoruba. Then 10 years later on February 13, 1976, Murtala Muhammed was killed with his Yoruba Aide Camp.
Is it Karma or Nemesis?

cocaineaddict:

jokes apart, are you Igbo? How can an igbo man be an ifa priest?. Kindly enlighten me more

Full blooded Igbo from Uhuhu, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State.

My father was brought to Lagos by his uncle, a senior Police Officer when he lost his father at the age of 9. He ended up growing up among the Ijebu community and they taught him their culture. He practiced their religion and joined their Fraternity. I knew my father speaking Ijebu Yoruba and Ogun worship. He had a shrine where all the Ijebus in Obalende worshipped with him making the sacrifices. He was also a former soldier of the West African Frontier Force during the World War 2. But he never shared his memories of the war with his children. He taught me Yoruba traditional medicine with IFA divination. But he did not stop me from becoming a Christian, because he also had a cross in his private altar and quoted Psalms. He was really powerful as a certificated metaphysician. During the civil war, he never supported Biafra and remained in Lagos whilst he sent my mother and children to the East, because her family insisted that we must not remain in the south west.

Back to topic.
For those who want to know the circumstances of that I'll fated coup d'etat that ended the life of Gen. Murtala Muhammed, watching '76 will answer your questions.
But not for children below 13.

Orikinla:

Full blooded Igbo from Uhuhu, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State.

My father was brought to Lagos by his uncle, a senior Police Officer when he lost his father at the age of 9. He ended up growing up among the Ijebu community and they taught him their culture. He practiced their religion and joined their Fraternity. I knew my father speaking Ijebu Yoruba and Ogun worship. He had a shrine where all the Ijebus in Obalende worshipped with him making the sacrifices. He was also a former soldier of the West African Frontier Force during the World War 2. But he never shared his memories of the war with his children. He taught me Yoruba traditional medicine with IFA divination. But he did not stop me from becoming a Christian, because he also had a cross in his private altar and quoted Psalms. He was really powerful as a certificated metaphysician. During the civil war, he never supported Biafra and remained in Lagos whilst he sent my mother and children to the East, because her family insisted that we must not remain in the south west.

Back to topic.
For those who want to know the circumstances of that I'll fated coup d'etat that ended the life of Gen. Murtala Muhammed, watching '76 will answer your questions.
But not for children below 13.

Aii bro thanks for the info.

cocaineaddict:

Aii bro thanks for the info.

Okay.