The young
Colonel Muhammadu Buhari, who was introduced to the corridors of power by the
late ruler General Murtala Mohammed, and also justified the trust reposed in
him as he also rescued the nation at a critical time in history.
He (Murtala)
started grooming Buhari for leadership roles after making him governor of
the northeastern region, now Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe.
There was a
story of how Murtala marched the young Lieutenant Buhari to Gowon, who had just
been made head of state. After the routine salutations, Murtala introduced
Buhari thus: “Sir, here is your ADC; don’t look further if
you are looking for a competent, honest, dedicated, diligent and focused
officer for that position.”
Looking up
at Buhari, who stood at about 6’4” and laughingly, with eyes twinkling, General
Gowon reportedly said: “Ah, my brother, Murtala, when people see me and this
man they wouldn’t know who the Head of State is.”
After the
coup of December 31, 1983, Buhari became the Head of State and his deputy, the
late Major General Tunde Idiagbon, the rest is now history.
In 1984,Buhari said: “Indeed, this generation and future generations
of Nigerians have no other country to call their own; we shall remain here and
salvage it together.”
At his
inaugural speech as Nigeria’s president in May 2015, Buhari said “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody”
.
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