Aisha Muhammed, daughter of Nigeria's late Head of State, Murtala Muhammed, has reflected on her father's simple lifestyle and leadership philosophy, stating that they played a significant role in his assassination.
In an interview on Arise News Morning Show, Aisha explained that her father embodied the values he preached, including discipline, accountability, and responsibility, and that his anti-corruption stance was genuine and reflected in his personal conduct.
Aisha noted that General Muhammed deliberately rejected the trappings of power, opting for a simple life without heavy security details, long motorcades, or blaring sirens.
This decision, she believes, made him vulnerable to the attack that took his life on February 13, 1976. "He felt that you had to embody leadership in the way you yourself presented yourself," Aisha said.
According to Aisha, her father's refusal to prioritize security ultimately contributed to his assassination. On the day of the attack, General Muhammed was traveling in traffic like every other Nigerian when the coup plotters struck. "My father didn't go around with motorcades and sirens and a lot of security... That was why it was actually easy to assassinate him," Aisha stated.
General Muhammed's tenure, though brief, was marked by significant reforms. He dismissed over 10,000 public officials accused of corruption, created seven new states, and initiated plans for Nigeria's transition to civilian rule.
He also began the process of relocating the country's capital from Lagos to Abuja
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