ON February 13, 2011, it will be precisely 35 years our former Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed, was assassinated on a black Friday (February 13, 1976) in a military coup.

The coupists led by the then Major Bukar Sukar Dimka,  opened yet a dark chapter in the history of Nigeria, a nation trapped in the labyrinth of its contradictions and complexities.

By that dastardly act, the country lost a statesman, visionary and patriot in Murtala Muhammed. He was a leader who came to power to rescue the sinking ship of state in 1975 and entrench a new and enduring political culture among the citizenry.

Without mincing words, Murtala Muhammed was to all intents and purposes, a true democrat and a quintessential patriot who laid a solid foundation for true democracy to blossom in a land that had gone through an unacceptable rigmarole in the search for genuine democracy.

But as we celebrate this icon who was felled 35 years ago amid our preparations for the April general elections, are there any connecting rods between what Murtala Muhammed did 35 years ago and our present quest to entrench enduring democracy since the birth of the Fourth Republic in 1999?

Obviously, there is a link between the Murtala Muhammed transition in 1975 and our present democratic programme.Murtala could be described as a true democrat because he was committed to his transition to civil rule programme.

He never reneged on his promise to return the country to civil rule unlike his predecessor, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, who in 1975 refused to hand over. We can borrow a lot from Murtala in our march to true democracy.

Today, our leaders are still not sincere in their dealings with the people. They speak from both sides of their mouths. Moreover, the so-called political parties today are like some few peoples’ personal estates.

They select and impose candidates on their parties. This is undemocratic and against Murtala Muhammed’s conviction that there must always be a level playing field for all political aspirants and candidates. Even two months to the general elections, the whole process is still not transparent as there are conflicting signals over who is to fly the flags of various political parties.

Even beyond his political agenda, Murtala Muhammed was, through personal conviction and character, a man of honour and integrity; he acted his words and matched his rhetoric with action. He was never found wanting in terms of taking any firm decision in the interest of the nation.

But Dr. Peter Ifeachi, a public analyst says: “Murtala Muhammed, unlike many of our leaders today, was a man of honour and a trusted statesman. He was a reliable and patriotic statesman.

From the creation of seven additional states, the drafting of a new constitution and the outlining of a political agenda to hand over power to civilians in 1979, one will see a man who believed in his words and went the extra miles to actualize them. But today, such convictions and actions have become strangers to our leaders.

They rather say one thing and do the opposite. Our leaders must learn to appreciate that a true leader’s word is his bond. They must be sincere in what they do and tell the people the truth.

The do-it-your-own way and behind the scene intrigues have become old fashioned. As we prepare for the April polls, we must begin to imbibe the Murtala Muhammed virtues of sincerity, trustworthiness and openness. Governance must not be shrouded in secrecy and dressed in the garb of a secret cult.

Power is all about the people and not about self-deceit and double speak. Openness, sincerity and purposefulness epitomized Murtala Muhammed’s transition agenda and endeared him to many.

And this general acceptance by the masses was evident in the pall of gloom that enveloped the nation when Muhammed was killed. The people’s reaction and grief would not have come if they never believed in Murtala as a true leader and patriot. Murtala Muhammed was a leader who showed the light for others to find the way to true nationhood

Still periscoping Murtala Muhammed’s achievement, it could be seen that he laid the foundation for the democracy we enjoy today given his set out programme to return the military to the barracks. Though a professional soldier to the core, he was convinced that the military had no business remaining in power beyond necessary.

To this end, he made a quick plan to hand over power to civilians, to allow the military concentrate on its traditional calling of soldiering.

But beyond this commitment and sincerity of purpose not to perpetuate oneself in power, our leaders today abhor any attempt to dislodge them from power as they employ all Machiavellian tactics to remain in office against popular will.

“There is another dimension in reconstructing Murtala Muhammed’s role in laying a solid foundation for democracy in the country, says Audu Agwu. He posits further: “Murtala Muhammed remains a relevant rallying point for anyone interested in Nigeria’s political future.

He was consistent and was never obsessed by the allure of power; he saw his position as a transient one which will come and go like any other mortal. He never allowed power to get into his head and becloud his sense of reasoning.

But sadly today, the Murtala Muhammed’s cool headedness, humility and modesty have taken flight in our clime. Our leaders are now power drunk and want to remain in office till eternity.

We can readily see all these in the recent parties primaries conducted nationwide. Many never-do-well governors, National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly members did everything possible to get their parties tickets when it is obvious that they never performed well in the legislature and the executive. This mindset has to do with the love for power and all its attractions.

Many leaders in the country don’t care about how the people feel about them; all they are interested in is how to accumulate wealth to the detriment of the citizens. But if we want to immortalize Murtala Muhammed as we mark the 35 years of his death, we must go beyond glass-clinking and make our leaders know that they are in power to serve the people and better their lives instead of the present ‘norm’ of primitive accumulation.

The time has come for all those aspiring for positions of leadership to live the Murtala Muhammed virtues of honesty, humility and modesty. They should shun abstentious lifestyles and other banalities.

Mr.  LAJA THOMAS is a staff  of Vanguard Newspapers.