Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode Preserving Murtala Muhammed’s Legacy

For some, the images may be blurry now but in the footage of Nigerian history, we see him clearly as a hero; an exceptional General, regarded as an incorruptible gentleman. Until he was silenced by gunshots on February 13, 1976, late General Murtala Muhammed, Nigeria’s former military Head of State was a pillar of unity, impacting on the nation’s social, political, and economic development in a very short time at the helm of power. It has been 46 years since he was killed in a bloody coup d’etat. His family, led by his eldest child, Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode has kept his memories alive through the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF), an organisation founded 20 years ago. To commemorate the 46th year anniversary of his death, MM Foundation is organising its 2022 Annual Murtala Muhammed Lecture themed ‘Beyond Boko Haram: Addressing Insurgency, Banditry, and Kidnapping in Nigeria.’ Against this backdrop, Muhammed-Oyebode recounts some of the lasting legacies of her father in a conversation with Funke Olaode.

The late former Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed was a distinguished army officer with a track record of excellence. At just 38 years, he became the head of state. He was a man of valour that many oral storytellers of Nigerian history believed could have changed the nation for good. With the commitment and dedication he brought to the seat of government, he changed the landscape of politics in the post-civil war era marked by reconciliation, reconstruction and rehabilitation. He fought against corruption almost to a point of repression. Still, it is very arguable that the nation’s social, political, and economic development during his time cannot be undone.

Even in death, the late general was not forgotten as his name had been etched on monuments, roads and state buildings – the most prominent of these being the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos. In 2002, his family led by his eldest child, Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode set afloat a foundation with the aim of keeping his memories alive.

Mrs. Mohammed-Oyebode was a 12-year old student of the Queens College Lagos when the general was murdered in Lagos leaving behind a young widow, Ajoke with six children. It was not an easy journey for Aisha and her siblings at first but with the support of a dedicated mother and a supportive nation, they weathered the storm. Today, she is an accomplished lawyer and a boardroom guru. Her younger siblings have excelled as well in their chosen careers.
Looking gorgeous in a long purple gown during a recent encounter, Mrs. Muhammed-Oyebode has a warm and loving personality, with no airs. Is this a reflection of her personality?
“What right does anyone have to have airs? What for?,” she asked in response to compliments on her approachable nature.

“Only those who use their God-given abilities to their fullest potential are truly exceptional. Also, my parents did not have airs. If you recall, the reason my father was such an easy target 46 years ago was because he refused to ride in the motorcades and convoys of his predecessor, symbols that would eventually become emblems of over-bloated African leadership. In fact, after he took office as head of state, we remained in the same residence we had occupied prior to July 1975. If you have met my mother, you’d be surprised at how down-to-earth she is. She also instilled in us the belief that we are only as good as our own efforts and successes. As a result, our family’s guiding principle and mantra remains education,” she said.

Right from childhood, her parents instilled in her a core set of values.
“Let me share a humorous story with you. As a family, my husband and I had vowed that our children would be as grounded and balanced as our parents had insisted that we were. Thus, one day at around age six, one of our children came home and told us that they were going on a school trip to the national museum. The realisation that we were yet to inform them who their grandfather was and that the museum was the location of the car their grandfather was killed in, sent us into a panic. This is who I am.”

Mrs. Mohammed-Oyebode who spoke glowingly about her father said he was indeed a devoted family man to his family, career and the nation. And this value he ingrained in his children. He frequently spoke about Nigeria, during family road trips which were long and frequent between Lagos and Kano.

“He was very committed to our education, including those of us the girls. You can see why the Foundation founded in his memory must advocate for universal education. He loved nature; flowers, trees and birds. In his days, he was fairly tech-savvy, so if he were still alive today he would probably be on Twitter and utilising the latest devices. Despite his demanding schedule and fervent desire to build a nation, my father was very hands on as a parent, he took us out regularly, for swimming and plenty of travels within Nigeria. My dad brought us up to be close,” she recalled.

Having such a prominent citizen as father comes with its own challenge. Although it could open doors, it sometimes creates a burden of expectation. Of course, she also felt the heat at the initial stage to be a role model and a shining example to younger siblings. “Without a doubt, the pressure will always be there. Being the firstborn and a girl, there was tremendous pressure to go above and beyond in order to succeed. My parents, thankfully, believe in the importance of educating girls and have done an excellent job with me.”

Her late father was renowned as an incorruptible officer, a nation builder and a man who believed in qualitative education and democracy. And exactly 26 years after his demise, a foundation was established to keep alive his philosophies. In 2002, Murtala Muhammed Foundation was established and she serves as its Executive Director.
To create a culture of sustained memory, she has been unrelenting in making February 13 an unforgettable date in the Nigerian calendar, without alluding too much to the morbid history that the day holds.

“One of the driving challenges behind the preservation of the memory of the late General Murtala Muhammed is truly the inability to develop, archive and maintain the hagiographies of Nigeria’s heroes from the past. Even though memorials to General Muhammed have been erected over time, it has been up to his family to ensure that his legacy lives on in the hearts of those he served. It is a monumental task, however, the tremendous impact he had on our nation’s social, political, and economic development during its formative years are extraordinary, and they cannot be undone. For as long as we can immortalise him, we will ensure that his legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of the people of Nigeria and the rest of the world.

We are doing this through the very important work of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, with the annual lectures, the work we do with women in development, the Foundation’s humanitarian response, especially to persons in situations of fragility across the nation. Some of this fragility is caused by so many crises that we face today; conflict, poverty, and all kinds of violence. The work of the Foundation, especially around education, honours extensively the late general’s vision and commitment to the development of a working nation and a continent of self-reliant people.”
To sustain the memory and ensure that her father’s good deeds continue to outlive him in the national consciousness is a communal effort.

“Keeping the memory of late General Muhammed alive and ensuring that his extensive achievements live on in the national consciousness is also happening beyond the Foundation. In 2019, postgraduate students at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile Ife erected a statue in his honour, to preserve the memory and legacy of the late General Muhammed and ensure that his many accomplishments remain ingrained in the collective memory of the country. From Namibia to Angola, General Muhammed’s legacy is still being celebrated throughout southern Africa. General Muhammed has become a symbol for his generation and beyond because of his fight against corruption, which still plagues our nations across the continent and remains a cankerworm eating at the fabric of our societies. Considering his unconditional and unwavering support for the South African nations in their fight against apartheid and in support of the liberation of African people, his vision for Nigeria and for the African continent is still unrivalled to this day.”
She enumerated the mandates of the foundation and its remarkable activities.

“Nigerians have long regarded the Murtala Muhammed Foundation as a pioneer in democratic debate, policy advocacy and as a trailblazer when it comes to advancing the rights of women, advocating for progressive transformation, and providing disaster relief and humanitarian assistance to the continent’s poorest and most marginalised communities.

The Foundation’s conferences have resulted in productive dialogue and long-term engagement and activism with the government. The Foundation is an outspoken proponent of legislation in critical areas of government and continues to demand demonstrated national leadership and ingenuity in organizing and integrating responses to crucial issues that we face as a nation on a local and global scale. During disasters, the MMF mobilises groups with specialised knowledge that have specific skills and interests. The MMF’s response to catastrophes in collaboration with these organisations is focused on the four Rs: – Relief; Restoration; Repair; and Reintegration—as a means of assisting the most vulnerable.

“It has been an incredible 20-year journey of tremendous support from a very involved board of trustees. The mission of the Foundation is to become the beacon of institutions that transcends boundaries and is dedicated to the socio-economic development of Nigeria and the continent, Africa. This we expect to achieve ultimately so we continue defiantly on the journey to that goal.”

Although none of Murtala Muhammed’s offspring is in the Nigerian armed forces, it is not an indication of lack of patriotism. As a matter of fact, Muhammed-Oyebode has been a very strong socio-political commentator, who is passionate for better Nigeria. She is in support of having the best and brightest citizens in both the military and other law enforcement agencies.

“One of the Foundation’s most important initiatives is to inspire young people, particularly those living in conflict-torn areas of the country, to enlist in the military. We have actively encouraged a few including from the Chibok community to join; one of them, a young lady, is in the army and another young man, the Airforce. Another young lady has expressed interest, I believe in the navy and we are working with her on that currently.”
Muhammed-Oyebode is eternally grateful for the show of love bestowed on her late father by the government at various levels to keep his memory alive.

“We are truly humbled by what successive governments at various levels have done to keep General Muhammed’s memory alive. Not everyone has their image on a bank note or an international airport, or that numerous hospitals, parks, roads and educational institutions have been named in their honour, or that statues of them have been constructed throughout the country. In fact the number of tertiary educational institutions across the country that are named after the general is heart-warming.

You are aware that the Foundation has a large scholarship programme and quite a few of the students have applied and gained admission to schools named after General Muhammed. It is always a surprise to hear of yet another school named after him. However, we hope that further effort will be made to preserve and commemorate the accurate history and accomplishments of General Muhammed. There is something fishy about a country where history is no longer taught and narratives are dictated by those in power.”

To commemorate his 46th anniversary, MMF is organizing the 2022 Annual Murtala Muhammed Lecture is themed – Beyond Boko Haram: Addressing Insurgency, Banditry, and Kidnapping in Nigeria. The annual lecture will be held on Monday, February 21, 2022, at the Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja. The focus of the 2022 lecture this time is to seek to define a new direction for Nigeria in the face of a raging insurgency, militancy and organised crime.

The lecture will bring together stakeholders and will provide a forum for policymakers and security analysts to discuss and evaluate some of the underlying factors that are contributing to the current national security dilemmas.

This year’s Keynote Speaker will be His Excellency, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), under the distinguished Chairmanship of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chairman of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation.
If there is any figure that has played a pivotal role in her life trajectory, Mrs. Muhammed-Oyebode will point at her mother whom she describes as a courageous woman.

“She was only 33 years when my father died, she nurtured us. She was instrumental in shaping me into the woman I am today. Being able to raise her children, as well as many of my father’s cousins, nieces and nephews, on her own, and seeing them all thrive and succeed in their endeavours speaks volumes about the substance my mother is made of.
“Again, being the widow of a former head of state at a difficult time in our nationhood requires you to have a strong heart, resolve and most importantly, courage. My mother demonstrated all of these and more. Today and always, I honour her because she is truly an amazon!”

Mrs. Muhammed-Oyebode hasn’t done badly for herself, heading one ‘big office’ as this and that. What has been her driving force? “I am compelled to continually strive harder in order to continually improve.”
At 58, Mrs. Muhammed-Oyebode has a slim figure which radiates happiness and contentment. She could pass for a woman in her early 40s.

“Thank you very much for that compliment. I can say that I am lucky to have inherited good genes, but I also try to eat well and healthy. I give time to have ample rest, stay in the most positive state of mind at all times and, remain physically and mentally active. All in all, I am truly blessed.”