Murtala Ramat Muhammed ɗan asalin Kano ne, kuma ɗaya daga cikin manyan ƙusoshi a tarihin Najeriya, wanda ya bar tasiri mai zurfi duk da cewa mulkinsa bai ɗauki tsawon lokaci ba.
A matsayinsa na janar a rundunar sojojin Najeriya, Murtala Muhammed ya yi fice ta fuskar ƙwarewa da jarumtaka, wanda hakan ya kai shi ga zama shugaban ƙasa na huɗu a tarihin Najeriya. Ya fara mulki ne a ranar 29 ga Yuli, 1975, bayan ya jagoranci juyin mulkin da ya kori tsohon shugaban soja, Yakubu Gowon, daga mulki. Duk da cewa tsawon mulkinsa bai wuce kwanaki 200 kacal ba, amma ya yi amfani da wannan lokacin wajen kafa manufofi da sauye‑sauye masu ma’ana ga ƙasar.
Haihuwarsa
An haife shi a ranar 8 ga Nuwamba, 1938, a cikin wani yanki na arewacin Najeriya, wanda yanzu ya zama jihar Kano. Ya taso a cikin dangi masu bin ƙa’idoji da al’adu, ya samu ilimi da tarbiyya waɗanda suka kasance ginshiki a farkon shekarunsa, kafin ya shiga aikin soja wanda ya canja rayuwarsa gabaɗaya.
Mutuwarsa ta faru ne a ranar 13 Fabrairu, 1976, a Lagos, yayin da ake ƙoƙarin wani juyin mulki. Wannan kisan gilla ya girgiza ƙasa baki ɗaya, amma ya kuma tabbatar da matsayinsa na jarumi, mai gaskiya, da kishin ƙasa.
Mahaifin Murtala Ramat Muhammed, wato Muhammed, ɗan asalin Kano ne. Kakanninsa na uba, musamman Suleman da mahaifinsa, sun kasance alƙalai, abin da ke nuna cewa ya fito daga gida mai daraja a fannin ilimi da shari’a. Mahaifinsa ya yi aiki a matsayin likitan dabbobi a hukumar mulkin gargajiya ta Kano, kuma yana da dangantaka da fitattun ‘yan siyasa kamar Malam Aminu Kano, , da . Wannan dangantaka ta siyasa da ilimi ta nuna cewa Murtala ya taso cikin muhalli da ke cike da tunanin shugabanci da kishin al’umma.
A ɓangaren uwa kuwa, Uwani Rahamatu ta fito ne daga kabilun Kanuri da Fulani na Joɓawa, wata babbar zuriya a Kano da ta haifi manyan sarakuna da masu mukamai. Kakansa na wajen uwa Yakubu Soja ya kasance tsohon soja a Yaƙin Duniya na Farko, daga Dawakin Tofa, yayin da kakarsa Hajiya Hauwau ta fito daga Gezawa. Wannan haɗuwar asali daga ɓangarori daban-daban na Arewa ta ba shi cikakkiyar fahimtar al’adun yankin tun yana yaro.
Makarantun da ya yi
Murtala ya fara karatu a makarantar Cikin Gida Elementary School, wacce take cikin fadar sarki. Daga nan ya koma makarantar Gidan Makama Primary School a Kano, kafin ya wuce Kano Middle School (yanzu Rumfa College). A shekarar 1949 ya fara karatu a nan, sannan daga bisani ya shiga sananniyar makarantar ta Zariya, wato Barewa College, makarantar da ta haifi manyan shugabannin Arewa.
A Barewa College ne burinsa na soja da shugabanci suka fara bayyana. Ya shiga rundunar Cadet Corps kuma ya zama shugaban sashen harbi a shekararsa ta ƙarshe, abin da ya nuna jarumtaka da kwarewarsa a harkar soja tun kafin ya shiga rundunar ƙasa. Ya kammala karatu a 1957, sannan nan take ya nemi shiga aikin soja.
Shigar shi aikin soja
Murtala Muhammed ya shiga rundunar sojin Najeriya a 1958, inda ya samu horo a Najeriya da Ghana kafin a tura shi makarantar horas da jami’an soja ta Royal Military Academy Sandhurst a Birtaniya. Bayan kammala horo, an ba shi mukamin Second Lieutenant a 1961, aka tura shi rundunar sadarwa ta sojoji. Ya kuma yi aiki a Congo tare da Brigade Signals Troop, abin da ya ba shi ƙwarewa a ayyukan ƙasa da ƙasa.
A cikin shekarun 1960s ya riƙa samun ƙarin muƙamai, ciki har da zama mataimaki ga mai kula da yankin Yamma, da jagorantar rundunonin sadarwa a Kaduna da Legas. Wannan hanzarin ɗaukaka ya nuna cewa an riga an gane ƙwarewarsa da basirarsa a soja.
Rikice-rikicen siyasa da juyin mulki na 1966
Lokacin juyin mulkin Janairu 1966, Murtala yana cikin manyan jami’an soja na Arewa da suka nuna rashin amincewa da sabon mulkin Johnson Aguiyi‑Ironsi. Dokar da ta mayar da Najeriya ƙasa mai tsari guda (unitary system) ta ƙara tayar da hankalin jami’an Arewa, har ya kai ga shirye-shiryen juyin mulkin martani na Yuli 1966. Wannan juyin mulki ne ya kawo Yakubu Gowon kan mulki, duk da cewa Murtala ya kasance daga cikin manyan masu tasiri a wannan lokaci.
Rawarsa a Yaƙin Basasa
A farkon Yaƙin Basasar Najeriya, an naɗa Murtala a matsayin kwamandan Rundunar Infantry ta Biyu, wacce ta taka muhimmiyar rawa wajen kwato yankin Mid-West daga sojojin Biafra da kuma ƙetare Kogin Neja. Wannan aiki ya kasance mai wahala, inda aka yi asarar sojoji da dama. Haka kuma, ayyukan rundunar a yankunan gabas, musamman a Asaba, sun jawo cece-kuce a tarihi saboda zargin kisan fararen hula.
Zamansa mulki
A ranar 29 ga Yuli, 1975, siyasar Najeriya ta ɗauki sabon salo lokacin da Murtala Ramat Muhammed ya jagoranci juyin mulkin da ya wanzu cikin lumana, wanda ya kori tsohon shugaban soja, Janar Yakubu Gowon, daga kujerar mulki. Wannan lamari ya nuna ƙarfin halinsa da jajircewa wajen tabbatar da cewa shugabancin soja bai zama gado ba. Juyin mulkin bai haifar da zubar da jini mai yawa ba, wanda hakan ya sa ake ganin wannan mataki a matsayin mai tabbatar da sauyi cikin lumana da tsari. Zamansa shugaban ƙasa a wannan lokaci ya buɗe sabon fage na canje‑canje da sabuwar fahimta a harkokin shugabanci a Najeriya.
Tun da farko, Murtala Muhammed ya bayyana manufarsa ta: sojoji ba za su daɗe a kan kujerar mulki na wani lokaci fiye da kima ba. Wannan jawabi ya nuna cewa babban burinsa shi ne ganin cewa mulkin soja ya zama na wucin gadi, tare da shirya hanyoyin dawo da mulkin farar hula. Duk da cewa lokacinsa ya kasance gajere, ya fara shirye‑shiryen sake fasalin gwamnatin Najeriya, ya mai da hankali kan gina tsarin shugabanci mai ɗorewa da tabbatar da gaskiya, adalci, da tsari. Wannan hangen nesa na Murtala ya sanya mulkinsa ya zama abin koyi.
Manufofi da ayyuka a matsayin shugaban ƙasa
Sake fasalin gwamnati
Duk da gajartar lokacin mulkinsa, Murtala Ramat Muhammed ya mai da hankali sosai kan inganta tsarin gwamnati da samar da gaskiya a cikin shugabanci. A fagen yaki da cin hanci da rashawa, ya ɗauki matakai masu tsauri kan duk wani ma’aikaci ko shugaba da aka samu da laifin amfani da muƙaminsa wajen cutar da jama’a. Wannan mataki ya nuna jajircewarsa wajen tabbatar da cewa shugabancin soja bai zama mafaka ga rashin gaskiya ba, kuma ya kafa sabon salo na rikon amana a harkokin gwamnati.
A ɓangaren hukumomin gwamnati da tsarin mulki, Murtala ya fara shirye-shiryen dawo da mulkin farar hula, inda ya tsara cewa wannan koma za ta faru a ranar 1 ga Oktoba, 1979. Wannan mataki ya nuna cewa babban burinsa shi ne ganin cewa mulkin soja ya kasance na wucin gadi kawai, ba tare da tsawaita zama kan kujerar mulki ba.
Bugu da ƙari, ya yi amfani da ikonsa wajen ƙirƙirar sabbin jihohi guda bakwai daga 12 zuwa 19, domin inganta tsarin rarrabuwar mulki da samar da ingantaccen tsarin mulki mai adalci. Wannan ƙara yawan jihohi ya taimaka wajen rage rikice-rikicen siyasa da rashin daidaito a tsakanin al’ummomi daban-daban a ƙasar. Har ila yau, ya kafa kwamiti na musamman don tsara makomar babban birnin tarayya, wanda ya fara aikin canja mazaunin babban birnin ƙasar daga Lagos zuwa Abuja, matakin da daga baya ya tabbatar da ingantaccen tsari da sauƙin gudanar da gwamnati. Sabbin jihohin guda bakwai da ya ƙirƙira su ne:
- Bauchi —daga North-Eastern State (Arewa maso Gabas)
- Benue — daga Benue-Plateau State
- Borno — daga North-Eastern State (Arewa maso Gabas)
- Imo — daga East-Central State
- Niger — daga North-Western State (Arewa maso Yamma)
- Ogun — daga Western State
- Ondo — daga Western State
Siyasar waje da tallafa wa Afirka
A fagen siyasar waje, Murtala Muhammed ya jagoranci Najeriya cikin manufofi na goyon bayan ‘yancin ƙasashen Afirka. Ya nuna cikakken kishin Afirka ta hanyar tallafa wa ƙungiyoyin ‘yanci da ke fafutukar kawar da mulkin mallaka da wariyar launin fata, musamman a lokacin Yaƙin Angola da sauran ƙasashe. Wannan matsayi ya tabbatar da cewa Najeriya ta tsaya tsayin daka wajen kare muradun Afirka baki ɗaya, kuma ya kafa matsayin ƙasa mai kishin yanci da adalci a idon duniya.
Tasirin waɗannan manufofi ya kasance mai ɗorewa, inda kowane mataki da ya ɗauka a cikin gajeren lokacin mulkinsa ya kasance abin tunawa ga shugabanci mai gaskiya da kishin ƙasa.
Kisan gillar da aka yi masa
A ranar 13 ga Fabrairu, 1976, rayuwar Murtala Ramat Muhammed ta fuskanci wani mummunan yanayi lokacin da da yake tafiya zuwa Lagos. A wannan rana, wani gungun sojoji ƙarƙashin jagorancin Lt‑Col. Buka Suka Dimka suka kai masa hari a yunƙurin juyin mulki. Harbin da suka yi masa mai tsanani ne wanda ya haifar masa da mummunar illa. Wannan lamari ya girgiza Najeriya baki ɗaya, inda kowa ya fahimci cewa shugabanci na gaskiya da kishin ƙasa na iya jawo ƙiyayya ko adawa daga wasu ɓangarori.
Sakamakon mutuwarsa
Sakamakon harbin da suka yi masa, Murtala Muhammed ya mutu nan take, tare da wasu masu bin motarsa, inda wasu ma’aikata da mata su ma suka rasa rayukansu a wannan mummunan lamari. Mutuwarsa ta haifar da babban rashi a shugabanci da kuma damuwa a cikin al’umma, domin ya kasance jagora mai kishin ƙasa da hangen nesa. Bayan mutuwarsa, Janar Olusegun Obasanjo ya gaji kujerar shugaban ƙasa, inda ya ci gaba da kammala tsarin dawowa mulkin farar hula da Murtala ya fara shiryawa. Wannan kisan gilla ya tabbatar da cewa duk da ƙarancin daɗewa a mulki, tasirin Murtala Muhammed ya kasance mai ɗorewa, ya zama abin koyi ga shugabanci mai gaskiya da himma wajen ganin ƙasa ta ci gaba.
Gado da tasirinsa
A ƙasa Najeriya
Tasirin Murtala Ramat Muhammed a Najeriya ya wuce lokacin mulkinsa na kwanaki kaɗan. Ana tuna shi sosai ta hanyar saka hotonsa a kan takardar kuɗi ta ₦20, wannan alamar girmamawa ce ga irin gudummawar da ya bayar ga ƙasa. Haka kuma, filin jirgin saman Lagos, wanda yake ɗaya daga cikin manyan cibiyoyin sufuri a Najeriya, an sauya sunansa zuwa Murtala Muhammed International Airport, domin tabbatar da cewa sunansa da ayyukansa sun ci gaba da kasancewa cikin zukatan al’umma. Wannan girmamawa ta nuna irin darajar da al’umma ke ba shi a matsayin shugaba mai gaskiya da jajircewa.
A Afirka
A matakin nahiyar Afirka, Murtala Muhammed ana kallon shi a matsayin jagora mai ƙarfin zuciya, wanda ya ƙarfafa muradin ‘African Personality’ da goyon bayan ‘yancin ƙasashen Afirka. Manufofinsa na tallafa wa ƙasashen da ke neman ‘yanci daga mulkin mallaka da wariyar launin fata sun tabbatar da cewa Najeriya ta kasance jagorar muradun ƙasashen Afirka, kuma ta ba wa nahiyar ƙwarin gwiwa wajen haɗa kai da neman adalci da ‘yanci.
Ra’ayoyin masana tarihi
Yawancin masana tarihi da masu nazari suna kallon mulkinsa a matsayin lokaci mai cike da sauyi cikin hanzari a tarihin Najeriya. Tsare-tsaren da ya fara, kama daga yaƙi da cin hanci da rashawa har zuwa shirye-shiryen dawo da mulkin farar hula, sun nuna hangen nesansa na shugabanci na gaskiya da kishin ƙasa. Tasirinsa ya zama abin tunawa, inda kowane mataki da ya ɗauka ya bar gado mai ɗorewa a cikin zukatan al’umma da shugabanci a Najeriya.
Rayuwarsa da iyali
Murtala Muhammed ya auri Ajoke, kuma suna da ‘ya’ya shida. Bayan rasuwarsa, iyalinsa sun ci gaba da kasancewa cikin harkokin gwamnati da zamantakewa.
Lambobin yabo da karramawa
A tsawon aikinsa na soja, ya samu lambobin yabo da dama na ƙasa, bisa irin gudummawar da ya bayar ga rundunar sojin Najeriya. Wasu daga cikin lambobin yabon da ya samu sun haɗa da:
- Forces Service Star (FSS)
- General Service Medal (GSM)
- Meritorious Service Star (MSS)
- National Service Medal (NSM)
- Republic Medal (RM)
Sunayen wuraren da aka sunansa
Domin ci gaba da tunawa da irin gudunmawar da Murtala Muhammad ya bayar ga gina ƙasa Najeriya, an saka sunansa a wurare daban-daban. Ga jerin wurare a Najeriya da aka sanya musu sunan Murtala Ramat Muhammed:
- Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos – babban filin jirgin sama na ƙasa da ƙasa a Legas.
- Murtala Muhammed Expressway, Abuja – babbar hanya a babban birnin tarayya.
- Murtala Square, Kaduna – babban fili da ake gudanar da taruka da bukukuwa.
- Murtala Muhammed Way, Kano – babban titin mota a birnin Kano.
- Murtala Muhammed Way, Lokoja – titin tarihi da wurin tunawa da yakin duniya a Kogi State.
- Lagos Terminus a kan Murtala Muhammed Way, Lagos – tashar jirgin ƙasa ta Legas.
- Masallacin Murtala Muhammed, Kano – masallaci da aka yi wa suna domin tunawa da shi.
- Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital, Kano – asibiti mai suna da sunansa.
- General Murtala Muhammed College, Kano – makarantar sakandare mai suna da sunansa.
Wannan jerin ya haɗa wurare masu mahimmanci a fannoni daban-daban: sufuri, tituna, wuraren taro, ilimi, da lafiya.
Murtala Ramat Muhammed ya kasance ɗaya daga cikin manyan jarumai a tarihin Najeriya. Ya yi shugabanci mai cike da nagarta, jajircewa wajen yaƙi da cin hanci da rashawa, da kishin ƙasa wanda ya shafi siyasar cikin gida da ta Afirka baki ɗaya. Duk da cewa mulkinsa ya ɗauki kankanen lokaci ne kawai, tasirinsa ya kasance mai ɗorewa, inda manufofinsa da ƙoƙarinsa suka bar gado na shugabanci na gaskiya, tsarin gwamnati mai inganci, da kyakkyawar alaƙa da sauran ƙasashen Afirka. Wannan gado ya tabbatar da cewa jarumtaka da hangen nesa na iya barin tarihi mai ƙarfi, koda lokacin shugabanci gajere ne.
Manazarta
Central Bank of Nigeria. (n.d.). General Murtala Mohammed | Central Bank of Nigeria.
Encyclopedia Britannica. (n.d.). Murtala Ramat Muhammed | head of state of Nigeria. Britannica.
Dawodu, S. (n.d.). Murtala Ramat Muhammed. Dawodu.
Murtala Muhammed Foundation. (2024, April 25). About our patron – Murtala Muhammed Foundation.
ICIR Nigeria. (2018, February 13). Murtala Muhammed 42 years later and a call for national rebirth. International Centre for Investigative Reporting.
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