Murtala Muhammed’s 1975 appointments marked a significant change in Nigeria’s military leadership following the overthrow of General Yakubu Gowon on 29 July 1975. Brigadier Murtala Muhammed became Head of the Federal Military Government and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. His administration announced new appointments to the senior military command, replaced the Inspector General of Police and selected twelve military governors to oversee the states.
In his first national address on 30 July 1975, Muhammed outlined the reasons his administration gave for the change of government and announced a reorganisation of the federal administration. Brigadier Olusegun Obasanjo became Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, while Brigadier Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma was appointed Chief of Army Staff. Other appointments included the chiefs of the Navy and Air Force and a new Inspector General of Police.
The administration also announced a reconstituted Supreme Military Council and established a separate National Council of States. Although the appointments formed part of the same political transition, the military governors and the members of the Supreme Military Council held distinct positions within the new structure. Understanding this distinction is essential when examining historical photographs and records of the 1975 leadership.
The Change of Government in July 1975
On 29 July 1975, Brigadier Murtala Muhammed assumed power after a military coup removed General Yakubu Gowon, who was attending the Organisation of African Unity summit in Kampala, Uganda.
Gowon had led Nigeria since July 1966, a period that included the Nigerian Civil War, which ended in January 1970. Following the war, his government continued to face political and administrative challenges.
In his national address on 30 July 1975, Muhammed criticised the outgoing administration for what he described as a lack of consultation, indecision, indiscipline and neglect. He announced the retirement of Gowon and several senior military officers, alongside changes affecting the existing military governors and the leadership of the police.
The address also introduced a revised structure for the federal government. The Supreme Military Council, National Council of States and Federal Executive Council were identified as the principal organs of the new administration.
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These announcements established the framework within which the new appointments were made.
The New Federal Military Leadership
Brigadier Murtala Muhammed: Head of State
Murtala Muhammed became Head of the Federal Military Government and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces following the July 1975 coup. His administration introduced changes to the military command structure and the organisation of federal government.
Brigadier Olusegun Obasanjo: Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters
Olusegun Obasanjo was appointed Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters. The position placed him among the senior figures in the new federal military administration. Following Muhammed’s assassination in February 1976, Obasanjo succeeded him as Head of State.
Brigadier Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma: Chief of Army Staff
Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, commonly known as T. Y. Danjuma, was appointed Chief of Army Staff. The appointment placed him at the head of the Nigerian Army’s senior command structure during the new administration.
Colonel John Yisa Doko: Chief of Air Staff
John Yisa Doko was appointed Chief of Air Staff, taking responsibility for the senior leadership of the Nigerian Air Force.
Commodore Michael Adelanwa: Chief of Naval Staff
Michael Adelanwa was appointed Chief of Naval Staff. His appointment formed part of the changes to the leadership of Nigeria’s armed services.
Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu: Inspector General of Police
Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu, identified as M. D. Yusuf in the contemporary announcement, was appointed Inspector General of Police. He succeeded Kam Salem, whose tenure ended with the July 1975 changes.
These appointments brought a new group of senior officials into key positions within the federal military administration.
The Military Governors Appointed in 1975
Muhammed’s announcement also named twelve military governors for the states then forming the Nigerian federation. Their appointments followed the removal and retirement of the previous state military leadership.
North Eastern State: Lieutenant Colonel Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari was appointed military governor of North Eastern State. He later became Head of State after the military coup of December 1983.
Mid Western State: Colonel George Innih
George Innih was appointed military governor of Mid Western State. He subsequently held other public responsibilities during Nigeria’s military administrations.
Kano State: Lieutenant Colonel Sani Bello
Sani Bello was appointed military governor of Kano State as part of the new state leadership announced in July 1975.
Lagos State: Captain Adekunle Lawal
Adekunle Lawal, a Nigerian Navy officer, was appointed military governor of Lagos State.
South Eastern State: Lieutenant Colonel Paul Omu
Paul Omu was appointed military governor of South Eastern State. His name appears as Paul Omu in Muhammed’s original announcement.
Kwara State: Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo
Ibrahim Taiwo was appointed military governor of Kwara State. He remained in the position until his death during the February 1976 coup attempt.
Western State: Captain Akin Aduwo
Akin Aduwo, a Nigerian Navy officer, was appointed military governor of Western State.
East Central State: Colonel Anthony Ochefu
Anthony Ochefu was appointed military governor of East Central State.
North Central State: Lieutenant Colonel Usman Jibrin
Usman Jibrin was appointed military governor of North Central State.
Benue Plateau State: Colonel Abdullahi Mohammed
Abdullahi Mohammed was appointed military governor of Benue Plateau State.
North Western State: Lieutenant Colonel Umaru Mohammed
Umaru Mohammed was appointed military governor of North Western State.
Rivers State: Lieutenant Colonel Zamani Lekwot
Zamani Lekwot was appointed military governor of Rivers State.
These appointments covered the twelve states created under the previous military administration. The governors were responsible for state administration under the federal military government.
Contemporary records indicate that the governors were sworn in over more than one day. A United States diplomatic cable dated 1 August 1975 reported that ten newly appointed governors had taken their oaths of office at Dodan Barracks. The remaining appointments and ceremonies were completed separately.
The First Supreme Military Council Under Muhammed
The Supreme Military Council was central to the new military government. It brought together the Head of State, senior military commanders, the service chiefs, the Inspector General of Police and other appointed officials.
According to Muhammed’s first national address, the council’s membership included the following principal officeholders:
Murtala Muhammed, Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.
Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters.
Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, Chief of Army Staff.
Michael Adelanwa, Chief of Naval Staff.
John Yisa Doko, Chief of Air Staff.
Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu, Inspector General of Police.
The council also included the General Officers Commanding the first three Army divisions: Julius Akinrinade, Martin Adamu and Emmanuel Abisoye. Brigadier John Obada was listed as the officer responsible for the Lagos Garrison Organisation.
Other members named in the address included Joseph Garba, Shehu Yar’Adua, James Oluleye, Iliya Bisalla, Ibrahim Babangida, Muktar Muhammed, Dan Suleiman, Olufemi Olumide, H. Husaini Abdullahi, Adamu Suleman, Alfred Aduloju and Godwin Kanu.
The original address lists the officials and their appointments in a compact format. For a photograph showing the council members, the identities of individuals should be matched against the original image and its archival caption rather than inferred from the appointment list alone.
The Supreme Military Council should not be confused with the National Council of States. The military governors were associated with the latter body rather than automatically forming part of the Supreme Military Council simply because they held state appointments.
This distinction is important when describing a photograph captioned as the line-up of the first members of the Supreme Military Council. The image’s original provenance is the best basis for confirming the identities of the people shown.
The Reorganisation of Federal Government
The appointments formed part of a wider restructuring of Nigeria’s federal administration. In his 30 July address, Muhammed announced three principal organs of government: the Supreme Military Council, the National Council of States and the Federal Executive Council.
The Supreme Military Council provided the central military leadership of the government. The National Council of States offered a separate forum for state representation, while the Federal Executive Council formed part of the federal executive administration.
Muhammed also announced the removal of the existing civil commissioners from the Federal Executive Council, with the new composition to be announced later. His address referred to further administrative changes, including plans to examine the creation of additional states and the location of a federal capital.
These measures demonstrate that the July 1975 transition involved more than a change of Head of State. It also altered the senior military command, the leadership of the police and the administration of the states.
The Historical Significance of the Appointments
The appointments provide a record of Nigeria’s military leadership at a pivotal moment. They identify the officers who occupied important command positions and the governors responsible for administering the states immediately after the July 1975 coup.
Several appointees later became prominent figures in Nigeria’s political and military history. Obasanjo succeeded Muhammed as Head of State in 1976 and subsequently oversaw the transition to civilian government in 1979. Buhari later became Head of State following the December 1983 coup.
The wider significance of the appointments lies in the structure of authority they established. They help historians trace the relationships between the Head of State, the service chiefs, the police leadership, the state governors and the bodies created to support the federal military administration.
The list also illustrates why historical records require careful interpretation. A person’s appointment as a military governor did not necessarily make that person a member of the Supreme Military Council. Likewise, the date an appointment was announced might differ from the date the official was sworn in.
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Conclusion
Murtala Muhammed’s appointments in July 1975 marked a major reorganisation of Nigeria’s military leadership. The new administration appointed senior officers to lead the Army, Navy and Air Force, named Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu as Inspector General of Police and selected twelve military governors to administer the states.
The administration also reconstituted the Supreme Military Council and established a separate National Council of States as part of its revised federal structure.
These appointments remain an important part of Nigeria’s political history. Preserving the names, official titles, dates and distinctions between the governing bodies helps ensure that the record of this period is presented accurately and professionally.
Author’s Note
Historical appointment lists offer valuable insight into changes in political authority and military administration. Consulting contemporary announcements and official records helps preserve the distinction between appointments, formal swearing in ceremonies and membership of the different governing bodies.
References
Akinsanya, Adeoye. “The Machinery of Government during the Military Regime in Nigeria.” International Review of Administrative Sciences, vol. 42, no. 4, 1976, pp. 357–368.
Daily Times of Nigeria Limited. The Nigeria Year Book 1976: A Record of Events and Development in 1975. 1976.
United States Department of State. “Head of State Swears in New State Governors: Refers to Allegations That Their Predecessors Were Corrupt.” Diplomatic cable from the American Embassy in Lagos, 1 August 1975.
