naptu2: This video begins with a clip of General Buhari in the room at Dodan Barracks where Shagari, Buhari, Idiagbon and Babangida usually received ambassadors (the ambassadors usually delivered their letter of credence at State House, Marina, but other meetings were usually held in this room at Dodan Barracks).
He received the West German and French ambassadors and the charge d' affairs of the Japanese Embassy. He also received other ambassadors, but their names were mentioned before this video began.
The next report was about the constitution of the Federal Executive Council of the new military administration. General Buhari swore in the 18 ministers at the Council Chamber at Dodan Barracks.
(Note: during the military regimes of 1966-1979 and 1983-1985, the Presidency was known as Supreme Headquarters. During the military regime of 1985-1993 it was known as the Presidency or General Headquarters).
We can see photographers struggling to get pictures of the new ministers and members of the SMC inside the Council Chambers at Dodan Barracks.
The first person to be sworn in, of course, was the minister of defence, Major General Domkat Bali (the number 3 man in the regime). He represented Plateau State on the Council.
He was followed by General Vatsa (minister of FCT/ representing Niger State).
Then there was General Magoro (minister of Internal Affairs/Sokoto State).
Then Brigadier Solomon Omojokun (Employment, Labour and Productivity/Ondo State).
Then Commodore Patrick Koshoni (Health/Lagos State).
Samson Emeka Omeruah (Information, Youth and Culture/Imo State) was next.
Colonel Ahmed Abdullahi (Communications/Kano State).
Mr Chike Ofodile from Anambra State was the minister of Justice and attorney general of the Federation.
Alhaji Ibrahim Yerima Abdullahi from Bauchi State was the minister of Education, Science and Technology.
Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim of Benue State was minister of Transport and Aviation.
Dr Abubakar Shuaib of Borno was minister of Agriculture and Water Resources.
Dr Mahmud Tukur of Gongola State was minister of Commerce and Industry.
Alhaji Rilwanu Lukman of Kaduna State was minister of Mines, Power and Steel.
Dr Ibrahim Gambari was the minister of External Affairs and he represented Kwara State
Dr Onaolapo Soleye from Ogun State was the minister of Finance
Chief Michael Sunday Adigun from Oyo State was the minister of National Planning
Professor Tam David West of Rivers State was the minister of Petroleum and Energy.
Finally, Dr Emmanuel Nsan from Cross River State was minister of Works and Housing.
Also sworn in as aides of the head of state were Alhaji Abubakar Mamu, who was sworn in as principal secretary to the head of state and Alhaji Wada Abdullahi Maida, who was sworn in as chief press secretary.
General Buhari said that it took a while before the FEC was constituted because they had to do a deep search for competent Nigerians. He said that the ministers would be held responsible for the success or failure of policies and programmes in their ministries. He also said that their lifestyles would be closely watched. (I am summarising his speech here) He basically said that the ministers would not be allowed to behave the way their predecessors (in the Shagari admin) behaved. He said that they were to submit reports about the projects in their ministries in order to determine if those projects were worthwhile in the economic climate that the country was in.
The SMC approved 18 ministries for the government, but we had 19 states at that time. This meant that Bendel State did not have any minister, but the secretary to the Federal Military Government was from Bendel State (and two members of the SMC were also from Bendel State).
President Jaafar Nimeiry was scheduled to visit Nigeria, so his envoy was at Dodan Barracks to see Buhari.
The chief of staff, Supreme Headquarters, Brigadier Tunde Idiagbon, met with media executives at the Council Chambers at Dodan Barracks. He urged the media to disseminate correct information and give positive guidance to the nation.
You can see Dele Giwa, Engineer Vincent Maduka and other media executives at this meeting.
Idiagbon expressed disappointment with some of the stories carried by the Nigerian press. He said that write-ups and suggestions had not been helpful. He said that many of the writeups seemed to show a lack of understanding, even a lack of sympathy for the objectives of the government which the same media hailed only two weeks ago. The report was not completed.
The next report was about a visit by Tunji Braithwaite (leader of NAP in the Second Republic) to Tunde Idiagbon.
The Emir of Argungu visited General Buhari to give him a letter from the Sultan of Sokoto (I can't remember for sure, but I think it was this visit that led to that rumour back then. The rumour was that the Sultan of Sokoto was not happy that Shagari was overthrown). The NTA correspondent in Sokoto also reported that a delegation from the Federal Government had visited the Sultan and told him that Shagari was well and doing fine.
Then back at the NTA News studio, we see Ruth Benamaisia who introduces a story about the visit of the UN secretary general, Javier Perez de Cuellar, to Dodan Barracks. He came to say farewell to General Buhari after his tour of Nigeria.
The next report is about the visit of President Ronald Reagan's special envoy, Retired General Vernon Walters, to Dodan Barracks. General Buhari told General Walters that Nigeria's economy deteriorated because the former administration used middlemen who were either party agents, legislators or ministers. He said that all those involved would be brought to book. He also assured the envoy that all persons that were arrested would receive fair trials. The foreign affairs minister, Dr Ibrahim Gambari, also gave journalists details about General Walters' visit. Dr Gambari also talked about the situation in Chad and I would really like you to hear what he said at the end of that interview.
John Momoh introduces the next story. It is about the visit of the chairman of Ecowas and president of Guinea, Sekou Toure to Lagos. They showed the airport ceremony and then they showed the driveway into State House Marina, where the two leaders held meetings. General Buhari gave an extempore speech at the beginning of the meeting. President Toure gave an interview to the NTA at the airport during his departure from Nigeria.
The last report was about the visit of members of the Public Service Commission to Dodan Barracks. General Buhari said that the government would continue to remove civil servants whose services were no longer required. He lamented the fact that the best traditions of the Civil Service were eroded by politicians. He asked the Public Service Commission to dig into its records and find ways to restore confidence in the Civil Service.
Finally, General Buhari received the Ataoja of Osogbo and the Timi of Ede. Referring to wanted politicians who were in exile abroad, he said that the government would do everything possible to counter their activities.
naptu2: These clips are not from the same broadcast. They are from several NTA Network News broadcasts from January 1984 and they are about the activities of the new head of state, Major General Muhammadu Buhari. I previously posted the videos in 2020, but I didn't explain what was in them. Now I'm going to provide details of what is contained in the videos.
Video 1
The video begins with the end of Godfrey Odu's report about the new head of state, Major General Buhari's briefing of members of the diplomatic corps at State House, Marina.
Back at Dodan Barracks, General Buhari swore in Paul Omu and Salihu Ibrahim as members of the SMC. The other members of the SMC were sworn in the day before, but Omu and Salihu Ibrahim were not present then.
Gray Longe was also sworn in as secretary to the Federal Military Government and head of Service.
The military governors that were sworn in included Jerry Useni (Bendel), Sani Sami (Bauchi) and John Atom Kpera (Benue). Also sworn in were Abubakar Waziri (Borno), *Edet Akpan Archibong (Cross River), Muhammadu Jega (Gongola), Ike Nwachukwu (Imo), Usman Muazu (Kaduna), Hamza Abdullahi (Kano), Adebola Latinwo (Kwara), Gbolahan Mudasiru (Lagos), David Mark (Niger) and Oladipo Diya (Ogun). Bamidele Otiko (Ondo), Oladayo Popoola (Oyo), Bitrus Samuel Atukum (Plateau) and Garba Duba (Sokoto State) were also sworn in as governors. The governors for Rivers and Anambra states had not been sworn in.
(The mention of Navy Captain Edet Akpan Archibong almost did my head in. My mind refused to accept the name. It kept screaming that the governor of Cross River State in 1984 was Dan Archibong, not Edet Akpan Archibong. But there it was in the report. They said that the governor was Edet Akpan Archibong. Something must be wrong. Then it occurred to me that Dan Archibong was an army officer, while this guy in the video was a naval officer. Anyway, Google came to my rescue. It said that Navy Captain Edet Akpan Archibong was governor of Cross River State from January to May 1984 and then Colonel Dan Archibong took over and was governor from 1984-1986. That explains it!).
The ceremony was held at the Council Chambers at Dodan Barracks.
General Buhari said that the success of the administration would depend to a great extent on the performance of the governors. He said that the governors would have to submit reports in 4 months and he also said that he hoped that all arears of salaries and government debts would have been cleared by then.
He said that the governors were answerable to the chief of staff, Supreme Headquarters and that the governors should submit the lists of people that they wish to appoint as commissioners to him. He said that the governors should appoint one commissioner from each of the 9 local governments in their states and where the state has more than 9 local governments, the commissioners should be appointed in a way that would ensure that all parts of the state are represented.
He said that the persons that would be appointed as commissioners must not have taken active part in partisan politics, for example, as a chairman or secretary of a political party. He also said that there must be at least one woman among the commissioners that would be appointed in each state.
He said that the SMC had decided that the number of local governments in each state shall be limited to the number spelt out in the 1979 constitution and that the local governments that were created for political reasons by the ousted administration would not be recognised.
He said that since the new administration was determined to revive the economy, there was no justification for funds that are meant to be used at the local governments for the procurement of drugs, payment of teachers salaries, etc. to be used to pay salaries and allowances of local government chairmen and their aides in the new local governments that were created by the ousted administration.
General Buhari also told the governors to take immediate action on all pending cases of armed robbery and to send him reports about them.
Then we see Godfrey Odu outside the entrance to the Council Chambers and he said that General Buhari made it clear that governors would not be addressed as, "Your excellency", neither would there be any such personifications as, "My administration" or "My government".
Then we see John Momoh in the NTA News studio. He says that General Buhari gave facts and figures about Nigeria's internal and external debts. This was at his first press conference which was held at State House, Marina. Godfrey Odu presented the report.
Although the press conference took place at State House, Marina, Godfrey Odu actually began his intro from State House, Dodan Barracks. I was surprised when, in recent years, some people claimed that they never showed Dodan Barracks on TV. They showed it virtually everyday on the news!
General Buhari began his press conference by criticising the mounting debt, budget deficits and irresponsible spending of the Shagari Administration. He also talked about that Nigeria was hooked on imports. He said that out of every naira of new money that was created, around 68 kobo was spent on imports. He said that every increase in oil revenue was followed by import liberalisation the following year and a jump in imports. On the other hand, when oil revenues fall, it takes a much longer time for imports to adjust. He also said that the government planned to adopt measures that would cut down on government spending.
A journalist asked if government parastatals and agencies would operate as commercial entities and General Buhari replied that he could not answer that question at that time, but he emphasised that import licences would be given to genuine importers, rather than the situation in the previous regime when licenses were used for political patronage and given to political thugs who sold it to industrialists. He said that import licences are meant to be free and to be given to manufacturers so that they could import raw materials in order to produce goods in Nigeria. On the question of a return to democracy, he said that the SMC would have to meet in order to take a decision on a timetable for a return to civilian rule.
He also said that President Shagari was in Lagos and that he was hale and healthy and he debunked a newspaper report that Shagari had been flown into Lagos in handcuffs.
General Buhari was flanked by the chief of staff, Supreme Headquarters, General Idiagbon and the secretary to the Federal Military Government, Mr Gray Longe.
We see the NTA News studio once more, but I can't remember the name of the newscaster (it's right at the edge of my mind). The newscaster says that a new governor had been sworn in for Rivers State and the governor was Fidelis Oyakhilome (a commissioner of police). The governor of Anambra State, Navy Commander Allison Madueke.
Then it was back to Godfrey Odu at Dodan Barracks for the report.
Back in the studio, we see John Momoh and he introduces a report about General Buhari's tour of military formations in Jos and Kaduna.
This time Godfrey Odu did not begin his report from the grounds of State House Dodan Barracks.
Before leaving Kaduna, General Buhari paid a condolence visit to the family of Brigadier Bako who died in the coup.
Remember that General Buhari was commander of the 3rd Armoured Division in Jos before he became head of state. His visit to Jos gave him the opportunity to properly hand over to his successor.
naptu2: Clips of NTA News bulletins from January/February 1984 (part 1).
Many Nigerian videotapes are usually not well kept and so the quality of historical Nigerian videos are usually very poor. This one is actually better than most. It has deteriorated a bit, but not by much.
naptu2: This video begins with a report that Nigeria will support the proposal to form an informal organisation of petroleum exporting countries in Africa if the proposal would not undermine OPEC. The chief of staff, Supreme Headquarters, Brigadier Tunde Idiagbon stated this when he received a delegation from the Algerian Government. He also said that Nigeria would stand by the decision of the OAU on the problems in Chad and Western Sahara. The Algerian delegation delivered a goodwill message from the Algerian President, wishing the new government success in its revolutionary efforts to resuscitate the Nigerian economy.
The next report was about the continuation of General Buhari's tour of the army divisions in the country. This time he visited Ibadan and Enugu. This time it looks like Godfrey Odu began his report from the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport 9I can't say for certain).
General Buhari flew to Ibadan on a special Nigeria Airways flight with the call sign WT 001.
(Nigerian heads of state used Nigerian Airways flights when they were travelling a long distance. It was President Shehu Shagari that started the practice of having a Presidential Air Fleet. If I remember correctly, Nigeria Airways inherited the WT call sign from the West Africa Airways Corporation. It also used the call sign Nigeria.
For a long time the call sign of the president's plane was Nigeria 001. It is now NAF 001).
Buhari was accompanied on the trip by Babangida and Aikhomu. Sani Abacha was the GOC 2 Mechanised Division, Ibadan, so he was at the Ibadan Airport to receive Buhari. Governor Oladayo Popoola was also at the airport (I wonder why Godfrey Odu keeps referring to him as Oladipo).
In Enugu, the Anambra State governor, Allison Madueke and the GOC 82 Division, YY Kure, were at the airport to receive Buhari. Zamani Lekwot, who was the outgoing GOC, was also at the airport.
Then, back at the studio, John Momoh introduces a report about General Buhari's address to military officers in Lagos.
Godfrey Odu presents the report about the meeting which took place at the Air Force Mess on Victoria Island. You can see General Buhari getting down from one of the Shagari Benz cars.
The next report is about a meeting between General Buhari and police chiefs from all over the country. He met police officers from the rank of commissioner upwards. The meeting was held at the Council Chambers at Dodan Barracks. You can see Gambo among the police chiefs (of course Etim Inyang is in front).
Next was a report about Idiagbon receiving the outgoing Portuguese ambassador. The ambassador asked if Portugal could buy more oil from Nigeria, but Idiagbon replied that it would depend on the OPEC quota.
Then John Momoh (in the studio) introduces a report about the wreath laying ceremony to mark the Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
Although the ceremony was held at the Cenotaph at Tafawa Balewa Square, Godfrey Odu began his report from the carpark outside the Council Chamber at State House, Dodan Barracks.
There was the Last Post, then Buhari, Idiagbon, Bali, Babangida, Aikhomu, Alfa and Etim Inyang laid their wreaths.
Aha! And now, at the 9:53 minute mark, is what I told you about earlier.
The new government was taking measures to ensure that retail prices of essential commodities became stable within the next month or two. The chief of staff, Supreme Headquarters, Tunde Idiagbon, met with business leaders at State House Marina and said that the new government planned to keep in close touch with the private sector on matters that affected the economy.
Once again, although the meeting held at State House, Marina, Godfrey Odu began his report from outside the Council Chamber at State House, Dodan Barracks.
You can see Dr Bola Kuforiji-Olubi (I think she was still CEO of Bewac at this time) and I think that's Michael Ibru beside her.
Idiagbon said that the new administration knew that the private sector had suffered greatly from the economic crisis caused by the previous government and that the nation's commercial and industrial base was marked by retrenchment and shut downs. He said that he was aware that it was difficult to find any industry in Nigeria that was operating at above 50% capacity. He said that they were reorganising the import licence procedure, so that local industries would get priority in order to maximise the production of goods and services.
He said that it was clear that Nigeria did not have enough foreign exchange to meet all its import needs and therefore, the foreign exchange that was available must first be utilised in keeping local industries in as full a level of production as possible, before any consideration is given to the importation of finished commodities. He says that this would have the dual advantage of creating jobs and improving the supply of essential commodities. He said that the government was committed to keeping Nigerians employed in their own country, rather than created jobs abroad for goods that can be produced locally.
However, he said that the economic crisis should not only be blamed on the ousted government and the private sector, but that the business community also contributed to the problem. He said that he is aware that some businesses have charged one price for their products, while giving receipts to customers that bear a different price (which is different from the actual amount paid). He said that others divert goods to unestablished distributors (I believe that he is referring to hoarders), thus defeating the ends of retail price maintenance. He said that this must stop.
He said that he is placing the responsibility on the shoulders of the business leaders to do everything humanly possible to ensure that retail prices are maintained and that customers get value for money.
You can see the gigantic figure of Alhaji Alhaji when the president of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce was responding.
Godfrey Odu ends his report at Dodan Barracks (look behind him. I think that's one of Shagari's G-Wagons).
naptu2: Clips of NTA News bulletins from January/February 1984 (part 2).
This ought to send a strong message to our present leaders that the positions they are holding today is just temporary....Use your position well today to serve your people so that your name will be written down not only in books but also in the hearts of those you once led..
"Delay in swearing in Ministers" by Buhari no be today e start
atobs4real: Onolapo is 90yrs late. Buhari should be 101 years Obj should be 106 Tinubu is around 88
Don't use that to judge their ages, military/police officers back then were quite young o
For instance, I once watched a video of Lt. Col Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu being interviewed after the 1966 coup, such a very young officer, 29 years old then, and he was quite prominent, so you can imagine how young they were then and already in position of authority at National level
