Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has said that he was urged to take over as the Head of State in 1976 following the coup which led to the death of General Murtala Ramat Muhammed.
Recall that the then Head of State, Gen Muhammed was killed along with his aide-de-camp, ADC, Lt. Akinsehinwa, orderly and driver on February 13, 1976 on his way to work.
The former president noted that he acting as the then Chief of Staff of Supreme Headquarters had worked hand-in-hand with the late Muhammed to promote peace in the country before the coup initiated by Lt. Col. Buka Dimka struck.
Obasanjo in retrospect added that he thought the coup will signal the end of the country.
He said this while playing host to the cast and crew members of the 1976 movie which is scheduled to be released soon.
Obasanjo while playing host at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, OOPL, Abeokuta said: “The killing of a Muslim on a Friday by a gang thought to be Christians, particularly, when we remembered the first coup, which upturned the political situation gave a bad signal”.
Obasanjo while describing the movie described it as “a mixture sweet and sorrow will make us to remember ourselves not to go back to the dark days, which put us in go-no-go situation.”
Further commending the team’s effort in bringing history to the fore, he said: “we can have more of this, as there are more national issues that can be portrayed. We are capable of the best and that is what this film has shown that.”
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