₦airaland Forum

After the death of General Murtala Muhammed, the Supreme Military Council (SMC) met on February 14, 1976 to choose a new Head of State. Lieutenant General Theophilus Danjuma (the Chief of Army Staff) was chose but he wisely rejected. He did this because the coup plotters were of similar ethnic minority group with Danjuma and avoid the same circumstance that cast Aguiyi-Ironsi military regime in a bad light.

Following this, Lieutenant General (later General) Olusegun Obasanjo who was previously Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters was chose as the Head of State. When they chose Obasanjo he became emotional and started crying.

Obasanjo was fortunate to escaped death because of mistaken identity. This made the coupist to mistakenly ambushed and shot Colonel Reis Dumuje who was in Obasanjo official car with the aim he was Obasanjo.

On a similar note, to placate Hausa-Fulani feelings, Lieutenant Colonel Sheu Musa Yar'Adua who was from northern aristocrativ family was promoted above several non Hausa Fulani officers. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. He was later elevated to the rank of Major General. He was appointed to occupy the position of Chief of Staff Supreme Headquarters.

As been noted, this showed that no lesson was learnt from the previous promotion exercise that serve as one of the factors that brought about the coup. Yar'Adua promotion highly embarrassed some officers. To avoid shame of reporting directly to their former surbodinate they reported directly to Obasanjo.

For more information on this post follow the link below:
https://rainbownigeria.com/2021/05/08/general-olusegun-obasanjo/