Former Nigeria’s military Head of state and Two-term elected President of Nigeria, General Olusegun Obasanjo was installed Nigeria’s Head of the state against his wish.
The Admission was made by General Olusegun Obasanjo when he assumes office as 4th military Head of state on the 14th of February 1976.
‘’The destiny of the nation was bestowed on me against my personal wish and desire, for me personally, this is one of the saddest moments of my life’’
According to some accounts of Nigeria’s military history traced by the Nigerian Tracker, Lieutenant General Obasanjo was not that power-drunk like other military officers when General Murtala Muhammad was assassinated for him to take overpower.
Obasanjo Was Nigeria’s Army Senior Engineer and attended Islamic School
With the nature of some Nigerians especially the military echelon whose lust for power has led to all sorts of unprofessionalism in the military, terrified Obasanjo was planning to leave for Abeokuta his hometown of Ogun State after the burial of his erstwhile friend and charismatic general Murtala Muhammad in Kano.
General Obasanjo was said to have informed his favorite daughter Iyabo Obasanjo Bello to prepare and go straight to Abeokuta when the Supreme Military Council pressurize General Obasanjo to accept the offer and become Nigeria’s Head of state after one of the most unpopular military coups in the Nigerian History of Nationhood was not successful.
That feat achieved by General Olusegun Obasanjo and fulfilling the promise made by Late Murtal Muhammad of returning Nigeria to civilian rule on the 1st of October 1979 endeared him to the international community to date.
It only General Olusegun Obasanjo and General Abdulsalami Abubakar that have achieved the feat of relinquishing power to civilians in 1979 and 1999, while other military Heads of state like General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Major General Muhammadu Buhari were forced out of power by voluntary resignation and by a place coup.
General Abacha died when he was on the path of transforming from a military ruler to a civilian Head of state, General Gowon was overthrown on the 9th anniversary of the coup that brought him to power while Ironsi’s six-month stint was short-lived on July 29, 1966.
