It was a solemn moment of national reflection as the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, alongside members of the family of the late former Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, gathered at the official Wreath-Laying and Remembrance Ceremony, to commemorate 50 years of his passing.
The memorial ceremony, which held at the General Murtala Ramat Muhammed Cenotaph, Ikoyi, the site where General Muhammed was killed, brought together senior government officials, representatives of the Nigerian Army, members of the diplomatic corps, and other distinguished guests.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode, daughter of the late General and Chief Executive Officer of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF), reflected emotionally on the personal loss her family endured, noting that the pain of losing her father at the age of 12 still resurfaces five decades later.
“We stand here not just to lay a wreath, but to lay down our gratitude. Fifty years is a long time in the life of a nation, and also in the lives of the children who lost their father that day. This moment is about gratitude,” she said.
Dr. Muhammed-Oyebode further described the late General as a timeless symbol of principled and courageous leadership, a man who believed firmly that leadership is a sacred duty.
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“General Murtala Muhammed stood for courage, decisive leadership and an unshakeable belief in Nigeria’s potential. Today’s remembrance is not only about honoring his memory, but about recommitting ourselves to the ideals he lived and died for — service, integrity and national unity,” she said.
Beyond Nigeria’s borders, Dr. Muhammed-Oyebode spoke of her father’s lasting influence across Africa, particularly in Angola, where Nigeria played a key role in supporting the country’s independence struggle under General Muhammed’s leadership.
In his tribute, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu described the late General as a rare and exceptional Pan-Africanist whose leadership helped reshape Nigeria’s political and administrative landscape.
“He was a leader who governed with courage, compassion, dignity, and an unwavering sense of purpose, always putting Nigeria first. We lost one of Africa’s finest Pan-Africanists and a leader who achieved so much within an incredibly short time,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Also speaking, Major General (Rtd.) Ahmed Taiwo, representing the family of the late Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo, described him as a fearless and principled leader who dismissed warnings about threats to his life.
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“When he was told that some people were planning against him, he waved it aside and said, ‘Let them plan; good luck if they can run the country.’ These were men in a hurry to make an impact—and they did, in just 200 days,” he said.
The Remembrance and Honour Ceremony concluded with renewed calls for Nigerians — particularly leaders at all levels — to draw inspiration from General Murtala Muhammed’s life of service, patriotism and sacrifice, and to uphold the values of integrity, discipline and national unity that he championed.