The story of Maurice Bucaille’s inspiring conversion to Islam

 MAURICE Bucaille was born to a French parent
and, like his family, he grew up a Christian. After
his secondary education, he joined Faculty of
Medicine, France University. Later, he became the
most renowned and cleverest surgeon ever in
modern France, but a story happened to change his
life completely.
France is known for its unique interest in
archeology and heritage. When French Socialist
President François Mitterrand assumed power in
1981, France asked Egypt, late in the 80’s, for the
mummy of Egypt’s pharaoh so that it would
conduct a string of monumental and processing
experiments. Actually the body of Egypt’s most
notorious tyrant was transferred to France, and,
strangely, the French president and his ministers as
well as senior officials in the country lined up near
the plane carrying the pharaoh’s body and bowed
down to him as if he were still alive! After the
ceremonies of the royal-like reception to Egypt’s
pharaoh were over, the tyrant’s mummy was
carried nearly in the same red carpet reception way
he received. Then the mummy was transferred to a
special wing at the French Monuments Center, and
renowned archeologists, surgeons and anatomists
started to conduct a study on this mummy in an
attempt to delve into its mysteries. The senior
surgeon and the scientist in charge of the study on
this mummy of the Pharaoh was Professor Maurice
Bucaille. While the processors were busy making
restoration to the mummy, their head (Maurice
Bucaille) was thinking otherwise. He was trying to
discover how this Pharaoh died when, late at night,
he concluded his final analyses. The remains of the
salt stuck in his body was a shining evidence that
he had drowned and that his body was retrieved
from the sea swiftly after he drowned; it was also
obvious that they rushed to mummify his body so
that his body would remain intact!! But Maurice
Bucaille puzzled over a question: How did this body
— to the exclusion of other mummified bodies of
other ancient Egyptians — remain that intact
although it was recovered from the sea?” Maurice
was busy conducting a final report while thinking
as to whether the pharaoh’s body was recovered
from the sea and mummified immediately after he
drowned. But one of his company whispered in his
ear, saying “There is no need to rush about this
issue, since the Muslims say that this Pharaoh did
drown.” At first, he vehemently rejected this and did
not believe it, citing that such a discovery would be
reached only through sophisticated, modern and
accurate computers. Another one accompanying
him surprised him more when he told him that the
Muslims’ Qur’an in which they believe narrates the
story that says he drowned and that his body
remained intact even after he drowned. He got
more surprised and kept on asking” Where did the
Muslims’ Qur’an quote these data from while the
mummy was not discovered until 1898, i.e. about
200 years only, given that the Qur’an has been
recited by Muslims for over 1400 years, and given
also that until a few decades ago the entire
mankind including Muslims did not know that the
ancient Egyptians had mummified their pharaohs?
Maurice Bucaille stayed up all this night gazing at
Pharaoh’s body, thinking deeply of what his fellow
researcher told him about the Muslims’ Qur’an
explicitly establishing that this body was recovered
after drowning, while the Christians’ Gospel
(Matthew and Luca) narrated only the story of
Pharaoh when he was chasing Prophet Musa
(peace be upon him) without mentioning the fate of
his body at all.
“Is it believable that Muhammad (peace be upon
him) knew about this over 1,000 years ago while I
have only just known it?” he thought.
Maurice spent a sleepless night, and asked for a
version of the Torah. But it only furthered Bucaille’s
astonishment; since even Torah did not narrate that
the body was recovered and remained intact due to
the processing and restoration, which it did
undergo.


France sent back the mummy to Egypt in a
splendid glass coffin. But, since he knew about the
story circulated by Muslims on the intactness of
this body, he decided to pack his baggage and
travel to Saudi Arabia where a medical conference
happened to be held with a galaxy of Muslim
anatomists attending.
There, told them about his discovery, i.e. that
Pharaoh’s body was kept intact even after he
drowned. One of the conferees opened the Qur’an
and read out the Ayah in which Allah Almighty said,
“So today We will (safely) deliver you with your
body that you may be a sign to the ones
succeeding you; and surely many among mankind
are indeed heedless of Our signs.” (Yunus: 92)
In his excitement, he stood before the attendants
and loudly said, “I have converted to Islam and
believed in this Qur’an.”
Back to France, Maurice Bucaille spent 10 years
conducting a study as to how far the recently
scientific facts match that mentioned in the Holy
Qur’an, trying to reassure himself that the Qur’an
has never contradicted with any single scientific
fact, so that he eventually came up with the
conclusion that Allah Almighty said of the Qur’an,
“Untruth does not come up to it before (Literally:
between its two hands) it nor from behind it; a
successive sending down from (One) Ever-Wise,
Ever-Praiseworthy.”
He came up with a earth shaking book on the Holy
Qur’an which jolted the entire Western states, with
the title of the book reading, “The Bible, The Qur’an
and Science, The Holy Scriptures Examined In The
Light Of Modern Knowledge.”
The book sold out and even hundreds of thousands
of it were translated from French to Arabic, English,
Indonesian, Persian, Turkish and German, extending
to include nearly all East and West bookstores; one
has come to see it with any Egyptian, Moroccan or
Gulf person in the US.
In the preface of his book, Maurice Bucaille said,
“These scientific areas which Qur’an established to
the exclusion of other Scriptures filled me with
deep surprise early on, since it never struck my
mind to see such a large amount of scientific
issues in such a variable and accurate way that
they are a mirror image of what has recently been
discovered in a book which has existed for more
than 13 centuries.!!
The Bible, The Qur’an and Science, The Holy
Scriptures Examined In The Light Of Modern
Knowledge was such a marvelous piece of writing
that, in the year 1988, the French Academy
awarded him its prize in history.

— Courtesy of www.quranandscience.com

 MAURICE Bucaille was born to a French parent

and, like his family, he grew up a Christian. After

his secondary education, he joined Faculty of

Medicine, France University. Later, he became the

most renowned and cleverest surgeon ever in

modern France, but a story happened to change his

life completely.

France is known for its unique interest in

archeology and heritage. When French Socialist

President François Mitterrand assumed power in

1981, France asked Egypt, late in the 80’s, for the

mummy of Egypt’s pharaoh so that it would

conduct a string of monumental and processing

experiments. Actually the body of Egypt’s most

notorious tyrant was transferred to France, and,

strangely, the French president and his ministers as

well as senior officials in the country lined up near

the plane carrying the pharaoh’s body and bowed

down to him as if he were still alive! After the

ceremonies of the royal-like reception to Egypt’s

pharaoh were over, the tyrant’s mummy was

carried nearly in the same red carpet reception way

he received. Then the mummy was transferred to a

special wing at the French Monuments Center, and

renowned archeologists, surgeons and anatomists

started to conduct a study on this mummy in an

attempt to delve into its mysteries. The senior

surgeon and the scientist in charge of the study on

this mummy of the Pharaoh was Professor Maurice

Bucaille. While the processors were busy making

restoration to the mummy, their head (Maurice

Bucaille) was thinking otherwise. He was trying to

discover how this Pharaoh died when, late at night,

he concluded his final analyses. The remains of the

salt stuck in his body was a shining evidence that

he had drowned and that his body was retrieved

from the sea swiftly after he drowned; it was also

obvious that they rushed to mummify his body so

that his body would remain intact!! But Maurice

Bucaille puzzled over a question: How did this body

— to the exclusion of other mummified bodies of

other ancient Egyptians — remain that intact

although it was recovered from the sea?” Maurice

was busy conducting a final report while thinking

as to whether the pharaoh’s body was recovered

from the sea and mummified immediately after he

drowned. But one of his company whispered in his

ear, saying “There is no need to rush about this

issue, since the Muslims say that this Pharaoh did

drown.” At first, he vehemently rejected this and did

not believe it, citing that such a discovery would be

reached only through sophisticated, modern and

accurate computers. Another one accompanying

him surprised him more when he told him that the

Muslims’ Qur’an in which they believe narrates the

story that says he drowned and that his body

remained intact even after he drowned. He got

more surprised and kept on asking” Where did the

Muslims’ Qur’an quote these data from while the

mummy was not discovered until 1898, i.e. about

200 years only, given that the Qur’an has been

recited by Muslims for over 1400 years, and given

also that until a few decades ago the entire

mankind including Muslims did not know that the

ancient Egyptians had mummified their pharaohs?

Maurice Bucaille stayed up all this night gazing at

Pharaoh’s body, thinking deeply of what his fellow

researcher told him about the Muslims’ Qur’an

explicitly establishing that this body was recovered

after drowning, while the Christians’ Gospel

(Matthew and Luca) narrated only the story of

Pharaoh when he was chasing Prophet Musa

(peace be upon him) without mentioning the fate of

his body at all.

“Is it believable that Muhammad (peace be upon

him) knew about this over 1,000 years ago while I

have only just known it?” he thought.

Maurice spent a sleepless night, and asked for a

version of the Torah. But it only furthered Bucaille’s

astonishment; since even Torah did not narrate that

the body was recovered and remained intact due to

the processing and restoration, which it did

undergo.

France sent back the mummy to Egypt in a

splendid glass coffin. But, since he knew about the

story circulated by Muslims on the intactness of

this body, he decided to pack his baggage and

travel to Saudi Arabia where a medical conference

happened to be held with a galaxy of Muslim

anatomists attending.

There, told them about his discovery, i.e. that

Pharaoh’s body was kept intact even after he

drowned. One of the conferees opened the Qur’an

and read out the Ayah in which Allah Almighty said,

“So today We will (safely) deliver you with your

body that you may be a sign to the ones

succeeding you; and surely many among mankind

are indeed heedless of Our signs.” (Yunus: 92)

In his excitement, he stood before the attendants

and loudly said, “I have converted to Islam and

believed in this Qur’an.”

Back to France, Maurice Bucaille spent 10 years

conducting a study as to how far the recently

scientific facts match that mentioned in the Holy

Qur’an, trying to reassure himself that the Qur’an

has never contradicted with any single scientific

fact, so that he eventually came up with the

conclusion that Allah Almighty said of the Qur’an,

“Untruth does not come up to it before (Literally:

between its two hands) it nor from behind it; a

successive sending down from (One) Ever-Wise,

Ever-Praiseworthy.”

He came up with a earth shaking book on the Holy

Qur’an which jolted the entire Western states, with

the title of the book reading, “The Bible, The Qur’an

and Science, The Holy Scriptures Examined In The

Light Of Modern Knowledge.”

The book sold out and even hundreds of thousands

of it were translated from French to Arabic, English,

Indonesian, Persian, Turkish and German, extending

to include nearly all East and West bookstores; one

has come to see it with any Egyptian, Moroccan or

Gulf person in the US.

In the preface of his book, Maurice Bucaille said,

“These scientific areas which Qur’an established to

the exclusion of other Scriptures filled me with

deep surprise early on, since it never struck my

mind to see such a large amount of scientific

issues in such a variable and accurate way that

they are a mirror image of what has recently been

discovered in a book which has existed for more

than 13 centuries.!!

The Bible, The Qur’an and Science, The Holy

Scriptures Examined In The Light Of Modern

Knowledge was such a marvelous piece of writing

that, in the year 1988, the French Academy

awarded him its prize in history.

— Courtesy of www.quranandscience.com

Virtues of Ramadaan II

Virtues of the month of rewards are known to most Muslims. The biggest of all is that Allah has said that fasting is for Him and He will reward it. He said, as reported in a Hadith Qudsee:

“…except for fasting which is only for My sake, and I will reward him for it.” [Al-Bukhaari, al-Fat’h, no. 1904; Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/407.]

Amongst the many virtues of Ramadan, following are some of them:

Forgiveness of sins (sins that potentially are blocking Allah’s blessings in our lives)

Gates of heaven are opened (showing Allah’s bountiful blessings)

Gates of hell are closed (showing Allah’s mercy)

Devils are chained up (making it easier for Muslims to get closer to Allah)

It has a blessed night which is better than 1000 months (83 years and 4 months)

Quran recitation provides an opportunity of great rewards in this life and the hereafter (besides training one to recite Quran regularly during the rest of the year.)

The following are the Quran verses, prophetic sayings, and scholarly wisdom on the virtues of the month of Ramadan.

“When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are put in chains.” [Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fat’h, no. 3277.]

“Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and with the hope of (Allah’s) reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.” [Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath, no. 37.] 

“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fasts) that month…” [Surah al-Baqarah, 2:185] 

1. “Verily, We have sent it (this Quran) down in the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree).

2. And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is?

3. The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months).

4. Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by Allah’s Permission with all Decrees,

5. (All that night), there is peace (and goodness from Allah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn”. [Surah al-Qadar 97:1-5] 

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month which Allah has enjoined you to fast, during which the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the rebellious devils are chained up. In it there is a night which is better than a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.” Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 2106; Ahmad, 8769. classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 999.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever spends Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, will be forgiven his previous sins.” Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1910; Muslim, 760.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “At every breaking of the fast, Allah has people whom He redeems.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 987.

We also know that the prophet (s.a.w.) was more generous in Ramadan than other months.

“The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the most generous of people [in doing good], and he was most generous of all in Ramadan when Jibreel met with him; he used to meet him every night in Ramadan and teach him the Quran. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was more generous in doing good than a blowing wind.” [Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fat’h, no. 6.]

“In Paradise there are rooms whose outside can be seen from the inside and the inside can be seen from the outside. Allah has prepared them for those who feed the poor, those who are gentle in speech, those who fast regularly, and those who pray at night when people are asleep.” [Reported by Ahmad 5/343; Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 2137. Al-Albaani said in his footnote, its isnaad is hasan because of other corroborating reports.]

“Whoever gives food to a fasting person with which to break his fast, he will have the reward equal to his (the fasting person), without it detracting in the slightest from the reward of the fasting person.” [Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 3/171; Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/451.]

Muhammad Ali: A death Of an American Muslim Face

QUICK FACTS

NAME

Muhammad Ali

OCCUPATION

Athlete, Boxer, Philanthropist

BIRTH DATE

January 17, 1942

DEATH DATE

June 3, 2016

EDUCATION

Louisville Central High School

PLACE OF BIRTH

Louisville, Kentucky

PLACE OF DEATH

Phoenix, Arizona

AKA

Muhammad Ali

Cassius X

Ali

ORIGINALLY

Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.

Arguably boxing's most celebrated athlete, heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali was also known for his public stance against the Vietnam War and his longtime battle with Parkinson's disease.

Synopsis

Born Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1942, Muhammad Ali became an Olympic gold medalist in 1960 and the world heavyweight boxing champion in 1964. Following his suspension for refusing military service, Ali reclaimed the heavyweight title two more times during the 1970s, winning famed bouts against Joe Frazier and George Foreman along the way. Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984, Ali devoted much of his time to philanthropy, earning the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. He died on June 3, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona.

Early Life

Boxer, philanthropist and social activist Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky. Ali showed at an early age that he wasn't afraid of any bout—inside or outside of the ring. Growing up in the segregated South, he experienced racial prejudice and discrimination firsthand.

At the age of 12, Ali discovered his talent for boxing through an odd twist of fate. His bike was stolen, and Ali told a police officer, Joe Martin, that he wanted to beat up the thief. "Well, you better learn how to fight before you start challenging people," Martin reportedly told him at the time. In addition to being a police officer, Martin also trained young boxers at a local gym.

Ali started working with Martin to learn how to spar, and soon began his boxing career. In his first amateur bout in 1954, he won the fight by split decision. Ali went on to win the 1956 Golden Gloves tournament for novices in the light heavyweight class. Three years later, he won the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions, as well as the Amateur Athletic Union's national title for the light heavyweight division.

Olympic Gold

In 1960, Ali won a spot on the U.S. Olympic boxing team, and traveled to Rome, Italy, to compete. At 6' 3", Ali was an imposing figure in the ring, but he also became known for his lightning speed and fancy footwork. After winning his first three bouts, Ali defeated Zbigniew Pietrzkowski from Poland to win the light heavyweight gold medal.

After his Olympic victory, Ali was heralded as an American hero. He soon turned professional with the backing of the Louisville Sponsoring Group, and continued overwhelming all opponents in the ring. Ali took out British heavyweight champion Henry Cooper in 1963, and then knocked out Sonny Liston in 1964 to become the heavyweight champion of the world.

Often referring to himself as "the greatest," Ali was not afraid to sing his own praises. He was known for boasting about his skills before a fight and for his colorful descriptions and phrases. In one of his more famously quoted descriptions, Ali told reporters that he could "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" in the boxing ring.

Conversion to Islam and Suspension

This bold public persona belied what was happening in Ali's personal life, however. He was doing some spiritual searching and decided to join the black Muslim group the Nation of Islam in 1964. At first he called himself "Cassius X" before settling on the name Muhammad Ali. (The boxer eventually converted to orthodox Islam during the 1970s.) 

Ali later started a different kind of fight with his outspoken views against the Vietnam War. Drafted into the military in April 1967, he refused to serve on the grounds that he was a practicing Muslim minister with religious beliefs that prevented him from fighting. He was arrested for committing a felony and almost immediately stripped of his world title and boxing license.

The U.S. Department of Justice pursued a legal case against Ali, denying his claim for conscientious objector status. He was found guilty of violating Selective Service laws and sentenced to five years in prison in June 1967, but remained free while appealing his conviction. Unable to compete professionally in the meantime, Ali missed more than three prime years of his athletic career. The U.S. Supreme Court eventually overturned the conviction in June 1971.

Boxing Comeback

Prior to the Supreme Court's decision, Ali returned to the ring in 1970 with a win over Jerry Quarry. The following year, Ali took on Joe Frazier in what has been called the "Fight of the Century." Frazier and Ali went toe-to-toe for 14 rounds before Frazier dropped Ali with a vicious left hook in the 15th. Ali recovered quickly, but the judges awarded the decision to Frazier, handing Ali his first professional loss after 31 wins. Ali soon suffered a second loss, to Ken Norton, but he beat Frazier in a 1974 rematch.

Another legendary Ali fight, against undefeated heavyweight champion George Foreman, took place in 1974. Billed as the "Rumble in the Jungle," the bout was organized by promoter Don King and held in Kinshasa, Zaire. For once, Ali was seen as the underdog to the younger, massive Foreman, but he silenced his critics with a masterful performance. He baited Foreman into throwing wild punches with his "rope-a-dope" technique, before stunning his opponent with an eighth-round knockout to reclaim the heavyweight title.

Ali and Frazier locked horns for their grudge match in Quezon City, Philippines, in 1975. Dubbed the "Thrilla in Manila," the bout nearly went the distance, with both men delivering and absorbing tremendous punishment. However, Frazier's trainer threw in the towel after the 14th round, giving the hard-fought victory to Ali.

After losing his title to Leon Spinks in February 1978, Ali defeated him in a September rematch, becoming the first boxer to win the heavyweight championship three times. Following a brief retirement, he returned to the ring to face Larry Holmes in 1980, but was overmatched against the younger champion. Following one final loss in 1981, to Trevor Berbick, the boxing great retired from the sport.

Philanthropy and Diagnosis of Parkinson's

In his retirement, Ali devoted much of his time to philanthropy. He announced that he had Parkinson's disease in 1984, a degenerative neurological condition, and was involved in raising funds for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Over the years, Ali also supported the Special Olympics and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, among other organizations. In 1996, he lit the Olympic cauldron at the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, an emotional moment in sports history.

Ali traveled to numerous countries, including Mexico and Morocco, to help out those in need. In 1998, he was chosen to be a United Nations Messenger of Peace because of his work in developing nations.

In 2005, Ali received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush. He also opened the Muhammad Ali Center in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, that same year. "I am an ordinary man who worked hard to develop the talent I was given," he said. "Many fans wanted to build a museum to acknowledge my achievements. I wanted more than a building to house my memorabilia. I wanted a place that would inspire people to be the best that they could be at whatever they chose to do, and to encourage them to be respectful of one another."

Despite the progression of Parkinson's and the onset of spinal stenosis, Ali remained active in public life. He was on hand to celebrate the inauguration of the first African-American president in January 2009, when Barack Obama was sworn into office. Soon after the inauguration, Ali received the President's Award from the NAACP for his public service efforts. 

Death and Legacy

Things began taking a turn for the worse within a few years. In early 2015, Ali was hospitalized for a severe urinary tract infection after having battled pneumonia. He was hospitalized again in early June 2016 for what was reportedly a respiratory issue. The revered athlete passed away on the evening of June 3, 2016, at a Phoenix, Arizona facility.

Ali was survived by his fourth wife, Yolanda, whom he had been married to since 1986. The couple had one son, Asaad, and Ali had several children from previous relationships, including daughter Laila Ali, who followed in his footsteps by becoming a champion boxer.

Universally regarded as one of the greatest boxers in history, Ali's stature as a legend continued to grow even as his physical state diminished. He continues to be celebrated not only for his remarkable athletic skills but for his willingness to speak his mind and his courage to challenge the status quo.

Impact of drug use on your life

          Impact of drug use on your life

It’s not unusual for people to feel confused about taking drugs. You might be feeling pressure from your friends or classmates, or you might be curious about what using a drug would be like.
 While movies, music, and T.V. shows can make drug use seem cool, fun, or even glamorous, there are also many negative side effects to drug use. Drugs can negatively impact your relationships, your mental and physical health, and your life in general. Drug use is a choice but it is important to understand the effects of drug use - both immediate and long-term - to your brain, body and life.

IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF DRUG USE
You might be thinking about using drugs, and in the short-term, it might seem harmless to experiment with different drugs. Taking drugs can make you feel good and look cool around your friends-especially if they’re all using drugs, too. While you’re high, it might seem like there aren’t any consequences to your drug use. However, there can be negative effects of using that can impact your life. You might even become dependent on the drugs you are taking to function day-to-day. Here are a few examples of how drug use can change your life.

Your body
            Drugs can have immediate and long-lasting effects on your physical health and well-being.
Physical injuries. When you’re under the influence of drugs, you might do things that you wouldn’t normally do. This can increase your chances of getting hurt or having an accident. Drug-related injuries can be from things like falling and car accidents.
Violence. Some drugs can increase the likelihood of violent behavior. Violence is never an acceptable way to react in a situation, and if you become violent when you use drugs, it’s a good idea to re-evaluate your drug use. Drug-induced violence can lead to serious injury to you and to others.
Internal damage. Use of some drugs can damage your internal organs, like your liver, brain, lungs, throat and stomach. For example, ordinary household glue can be characterized as a drug if sniffed. The chemicals in glue can cause hearing loss and kidney damage if they’re inhaled over a long period of time. And continuous marijuana use can harm the parts of the brain that control memory, attention and learning.
Pregnancy and STDs. While you’re under the influence, you might be less likely to remember to have safe sex. Unprotected sex can lead to pregnancy or the spread of STDs like HIV/AIDS.
Risk of other infectious diseases. Sharing needles from injecting certain types of drugs can put you at major risk for getting diseases like Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, as well as HIV. These diseases are spread through the transmission of body fluids like blood. You can also contract other infections, like colds and mono, from sharing pipes or bongs.
Addiction. When you take drugs, there’s a chance that you could become dependent on them. This means that you might feel like you can’t operate without drugs in your system or that you spend a lot of your time and energy finding and using the drug. You might also have withdrawal symptoms when you stop using the drug. If you use drugs often, your tolerance to the drug might increase, causing you to need to take a greater amount to get the same effects. If you think you might need help for your drug dependence
Your mental and emotional well-being
            Drug use can also alter your mood-when you’re high, and even when you’re not. Drug use                                            Can make trigger stress or mental illness, or exacerbate already existing issues.
Stress. You might think that using certain drugs will help you relax and forget about the issues that cause stress. But long-term drug use can have a big impact on the way your brain works, and lead to increased anxiety and stress.
Depression. Feeling low after using some drugs-including alcohol-is common. You might feel depressed because of the drug itself, or because of something that happened while you were using. Sometimes people use drugs as a way to cope with their depression, but drug use can often worsen these feelings.
Mental illnesses. Although scientists generally agree that there is a link between drug use and serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia, the American National Institute on Drug Abuse says that it’s still unclear whether serious drug use leads to these illnesses, or if having an illness increases a person’s chances to abuse drugs.
Your relationships and your future
  Drug use can have an immediate impact on your body and mind but it can also affect your Future and your relationship with others.
Legal issues. Making, selling or having illegal drugs in your possession is against the law. It’s also against the law to give prescription drugs to people who don’t have a prescription from a doctor. Punishments for breaking these laws include having to go to court which might result in being sent to jail, having to pay hefty fines, or enter a rehabilitation program.
Your relationships. When drug use becomes a larger part of your life, your relationships suffer. Conflict and breakdowns in communication can become more common.
Your safety. Being under the influence of drugs could increase your chances of being in dangerous situations. The effects of some drugs can cause you to do things you might not usually do. You might also be putting yourself at risk of overdosing. Buying drugs or trying to get the money to buy drugs can also put you at risk.
Your school work. You might not immediately notice the impact that your drug taking is having on your school work, but habitual drug use can prevent you from focusing on your responsibilities, like homework or concentrating in class. Your grades will suffer as a result.
Your job. Drug use can also affect your ability to concentrate at work. The side effects of using drugs-like a hangover, or a “coming down” feeling-can reduce your ability to focus. Poor performance at your job could cause you to lose your job all together.
Financial pressures. Regular drug use can become expensive. In extreme situations, people who are addicted to drugs might try anything-including illegal activities like theft-to secure money to get their next fix.
Homelessness. Spending most of your money on drugs might not leave much money to cover your living expenses, like rent, food, or utility bills. If you can’t pay these necessary costs, you could even get kicked out of your home.


GETTING HELP
If you’re using drugs and finding it hard to manage life and relationships, help is available. Start by talking with someone you trust, like a friend or family member, about your problem. You might also want to speak with a doctor or counselor or other mental health professional all of whom can help you get professional treatment for your drug problem.
I also suggest that you make friends that are not addicted to drugs, because ofpeer pressure even afteryou stopped taking drugs, its more like that you may return to your old habit if care is not taken, a hausa adage says’ABOKIN BARAWO, BARAWO NE’, meaning, a friend of a thief, is also a thief. MAY GOD GIUDE US ALL.

Tribute to Umaru Musa Yar'adua, The servant Leader

 

Alh. Umaru Musa Yar'adua

INTRODUCTION
Umaru Musa Yar’adua was the president of Nigeria. He called himself the Servant Leader.
BIRTH AND EARLY DAYS
Yar’adua as a boy.
The late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua was born on the 16th of August 1951 in Katsina, Katsina State, northern Nigeria. As at that time, there was no Katsina State because it was formed in 1987 from Kaduna State. He belonged to the predominant Fulani ethnic stock (please note that this is different from Hausa ethnic group and it is very wrong to refer to Yar’adua as Hausa, the Hausas are a different group altogether). Katsina is a predominantly Muslim state with sizeable Christian population, it has historically being one of the most important commercial centres in northern Nigeria. Below are photos of Yar’adua’s father:
KATSINA STATE.
  The Yar’adua family has always been one of the most influential and powerful not only in Katsina State but all over the region. His father, Mallam Musa Yar’adua, was the Minister for Lagos during the First Republic (1963-1966) under the presidency of Nnamdi Azikiwe and the prime ministership of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. He was also the holder of the royal title of Mutawalli (Mutawallen Katsina) which meant he was the Custodian of the Treasury of the Katsina Emirate. His son, Umaru, would later inherit this title. The late President was born into an affluent family that was however regarded for its prudence and simplicity.
EDUCATION
  Umaru Musa Yar’adua was enrolled at the Rafukka Primary School in 1958 and from there, he later moved to the Dutsinma Boarding Primary School in 1962. For his high school education, he was at the Government College, Keffi (1965-1969) and got his Higher School Certificate from the prestigious Barewa College, Zaria, Kaduna State in 1971.
  From 1972 to 1975, he was a student at one of Africa’s largest universities, the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State where he bagged a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and Chemistry. By 1978, he was back to bag his masters degree in Analytical Chemistry.
TEACHING CAREER
  Yar’adua worked at the Holy Child College in Lagos State from 1975 to 1976 as a teacher. Later, he secured a job as a lecturer at the College of Arts, Science and Technology in Zaria, Kaduna State from 1976 to 1979. In the year 1979, he continued his lecturing career at the College of Art and Science until 1983 when he veered into business, making his mark in the corporate world.

LATER CAREER
  In 1983, Yar’adua became the first General Manager at Sambo Farms Limited, Funtua, Katsina State, a post he would hold until 1989. In the period between 1984 and 1985, he was a member of the board of the Katsina State Farmers’ Supply Company.

  From 1978 to 1983, he was a Member, Governing Council of the Katsina College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria and the Katsina Polytechnic within the same period. In 1994,he became the Chairman of the Board of the Katsina State Investment and Property Development Company (KIPDECO) and was in the position till 1996. His other roles are as follows:

-Director, Habib Nigeria Bank Limited (1995 – 1999)

-Director, Lodigiani Nigeria Limited (1987 – 1999)

-Director, Hamada Holdings (1983 – 1999)

-Director, Madara Limited, Vom, Jos, Plateau State (1987 – 1999)

-Chairman, Nation House Press Limited, Kaduna (1995 – 1999)
LOVE, FAMILY, MARRIAGE AND CHILDREN
In 1975, the late President Yar’adua got married to the love of his life, Hajia Turai Umaru Yar’adua and their marriage produced seven children (five daughters and two sons). Nafisat got married to Bauchi State governor Isa Yuguda while Zainab got married to Usman Saidu Nasamu Dakingari, the governor of Kebbi State. From the year 1992 to 1997, he was married to Hauwa Umar Radda and their marriage produced two children.
From the year 1992 to 1997, he was married to Hauwa Umar Radda (pictured here) and their marriage produced two children.
-His brother, Abdul’azeez Musa Yar’adua, a retired colonel in the Nigerian Army is gunning for the governorship of Katsina State in 2015. He is popularly known as Audu Soja and is shown below.
ENTERING POLITICS AND BECOMING GOVERNOR
Born into a family that wielded immense political influence (his father, Mallam Musa Yar’adua had been the Vice Chairman (National) of the National Party of Nigeria, NPN), Yar’adua’s sojourn into politics went as far back as Nigeria’s Second Republic in 1979 (the republic came to an abrupt end in 1983) when he was a member of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP).
    When General Ibrahim Babangida, Nigeria’s military president, came with his wuruwuru idea of a transition programme, Yar’adua was one of those that established the People’s Association, a political group that was led by his elder brother, the late Major-General Shehu Musa Yar’adua. This group would later become the Social Democratic Party, SDP (which was funded by the military government and other individuals like Shehu Musa Yar’adua, Arthur Francis Nzeribe and MKO Abiola). By 1988, he was a member of the Constituent Assembly and being a member of the party’s national caucus and the Katsina State SDP secretary, he was one of the most important officials of the party. In December 1991, Umaru Musa Yar’adua made his first shot at ruling his state. He contested for the governorship of Katsina State but unfortunately for him, he lost to Alhaji Saidu Barda , a politician who ran on the platform of the National Republican Convention (NRC). Barda was also a friend of the military president, Babangida. One of the factors that also contributed to Umaru’s defeat was that his elder brother was aiming at the presidency and was not wholly in support of his younger brother’s ambition.
   But Yar’adua did not give up, he would lick his wounds of defeat and then re-strategize. In the year 1999, he contested again for the same position and he won with 66.5% of the votes, defeating Alhaji Jinadu Mamuda Yantumaki of the All People’s Party to limp home with 32.5%.
In 2003, he contested again and won. It must be noted that Yar’adua was the first governor to declare his assets in public. But it must be highlighted that although many Nigerians were not really aware of went on during his governorship, it was not always an easy one. For instance, in August 1999, some members of the Muslim Shiite sect went on a rampage with jerrycans of petrol, setting seven hotels and a church on fire chanting Allahu Akbar as they went about with their destruction unhindered. Why? They said they were protesting against the sale of alcohol in Katsina on Friday.
Governor Umaru Musa Yar’adua later appealed for calm and urged everyone to leave in peace and harmony, and he ordered the police to beef up security around churches in the metropolis to pre-empt further attacks. In 2000, under Yar’adua’s governorship, Katsina became the fifth country in the north of the country to adopt sharia (Islamic law). In 2002, the same state gained global notoriety when in 2002, Amina Lawal, a woman from Funtua, was sentenced to death by stoning by a sharia court for committing adultery. Another court in Funtua upheld the decision but in 2003, it was overturned following local and international outrage.
  As state governor, he stated that sharia was the solution to electoral frauds. He said:  “…the implementation of the divine law of Sharia had made it most imperative to begin the campaign of cleansing our souls from any malpractice, be it election related or otherwise.” However, he was not a governor without enemies. In August 2000, his political foes sourced N300 million to impeach him from office using the Katsina State House of Assembly. He was accused of awarding mouthwatering contracts to companies of his friends and selling 1000 presidential campaign 504 Peugeot cars bought by his late brother Shehu in 1994 to the Katsina State House of Assembly, parastatals and ministries in the state at outrageous amounts. He was also accused of gross inefficiency and being despotic.
BECOMING NIGERIA’S PRESIDENT
 In 2006, the night of 16th till the morning of 17th of December, politicians from all over the country converged in Abuja to select the presidential candidate for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The elections were to come up in April 2007. With the heavy support of President Olusegun Obasanjo, Yar’adua managed to secure the votes of 3,024 PDP delegates, beating Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorocha to a distant second place with just 372 votes. Yar’adua’s emergence at that time came as a big surprise to many, and that was because very few Nigerians outside Katsina State even knew him. He was very simple, kinda reclusive and was later viewed as a puppet of Obasanjo. Not long after he won the nomination, he selected the Governor of oil-rich Bayelsa State, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to be his vice-presidential running mate. His major opponents for the presidency were Major-General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP) and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).
  There were some other factors that worked in Yar’adua’s favour. One was that he was one of the very few state governors that were considered clean and corruption-free, having being given a clean slate of record by the nation’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). His late brother, Shehu Musa Yar’adua, was also the deputy to Obasanjo when he was the military head of state.

THE LATE SHEHU MUSA YAR’ADUA.
  Although he won the elections, it was not an easy one for Yar’adua as he started manifesting some health problems barely even before the elections started. As at 2007, he was battling a kidney disease but his handlers tried their best to keep a lid over the matter. In fact, in order to douse tensions, he challenged anyone who said he was not fit to a game of squash. But the façade could not be kept for too long because on the 6th of March, 2007, he was hurriedly flown to Germany when his health took a turn for the worse. The rumour mill went on an overdrive and all sorts of tales were flying about, one even had it that the presidential aspirant collapsed due owing to a likely heart attack. But from his bed in Germany, Yar’adua debunked all these tales, stating that he was doing well and would be back to his campaigns.

THE YAR’ADUA PRESIDENCY
   He was back and on the 21st of April, 2007, the presidential elections were held. When the results were released on the 23rd of April, 2007, Yar’adua won with a convincing 24.6 million votes representing 70% of the electorate. Fierce criticisms were fired from the opposition with very loud shouts of rigging allegations. Muhammadu Buhari of the ANPP and Atiku Abubakar said that there were heavy forms of rigging to favour Yar’adua all over the country. Later, Yar’adua himself would admit that the elections that brought him to power were far from being free and fair, and he was set on electoral reforms.
  Following his victory, Yar’adua called for a government of national unity which would include members of the opposition parties in his presidency. By June 2007, some of the opposition parties agreed to be a part of his regime, and these were the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) and the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA).
  General Buhari of the ANPP and Atiku Abubakar filed petitions before the courts asking that the results of the Nigerian presidential elections of 2007 be declared null and void owing to allegations of fraud. However, on the 26th of February 2008, the petitions were rejected. The duo vowed to pursue their cases right up to the Supreme Court but all efforts to knock Yar’adua out of Aso Rock failed.
   On the 28th of June, 2007, Yar’adua became the first Nigerian leader to publicly declare his assets. The declaration revealed that he had the total sum of ₦856,452,892 million naira in assets (about $5.8 million) out of which ₦19 million (over $100,000) belonged to his wife, Hajia Turai. The sum of ₦88,793,269.77 (about half a million dollars) was also declared in liabilities. Yar’adua had promised during his campaigns that should he be elected President, he would declare his assets so as to set an example for other Nigerian leaders and also serve as a move to deter corruption. His assets of over N800 million was widely considered meagre by Nigerians and many saw him as ‘poor’ in relation to his what his other peers could boast of. But Yar’adua did not seem to be a man given to so much wealth accumulation, greed and avarice.
THE YAR’ADUA CABINET
 On the 26th of July 2007, President Umaru Musa Yar’adua sworn in a new cabinet made up of 39 ministers (including two from the opposing ANPP). Some members of Yar’adua’s cabinet were:

-Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Vice President

-Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

-Professor Dora Akunyili, Information and Communication Minister.



-Dr. Abba Sayyadi Ruma, Agriculture and Water Resources Minister.

-Professor Babatunde Osotimehin, Health Minister.

-Dr. Rilwanu Lukman, Petroleum Resources Minister.

– Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Ministers: Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN), Michael Aondoakaa.
-Chief Ojo Maduekwe, Foreign Affairs Minister.
-Alhaji Jibril Maigari, Foreign Affairs Minister 1 (State)

-Senator Adamu Aliero, Federal Capital Territory Minister.

-Tanimu Yakubu, Chief Economic Adviser to the President.

-Dr. Hassan Lawal, Works and Housing Minister.

INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT YAR’ADUA

-Umaru Musa Yar’adua was the first president of Nigeria to be a university graduate.

– He loved the game of squash.

THE ROLE OF THE YOUTH TOWARDS NATIONAL BUILDING & DEVELOPMENT

THE ROLE OF THE YOUTH TOWARDS NATIONAL
BUILDING & DEVELOPMENT
First of all we have that the youths are the period
between childhood and adulthood. Secondly, the
nation is a country considered as a group of
people living in a certain territory under one
Government. Thirdly, we also have to know
“Building” here means not masonry constructed,
instead the development of the nation, the future of
our country.
The vision of our country lies in the hands of our
youths. They are filled with tremendous and
towering ambitions. It will be a great wastage of
human resources if these youths are not given an
opportunity to exercise their talent. This beautiful
land needs these youths in order for our soil to
become a brighter one.
The primary role of young people is to get a good
education in order to become better citizens of
tomorrow.
They need to learn skills to do the job that their
country’s economy needs. They also need to know
how to read, write, think, understand, analyse, and
discuss the issues their country faces. The entire
success of the nation depends on the youths.
However, in order for continuous success to take
place; it is the Government’s responsibility to
provide the youth with proper facilities for, getting
equipped with the knowledge of the modern era.
Youth is the spring of life. It is the age of discovery
and dreams. They have the power to transform the
nation into a better place. They also have the
ability to lead their fellow citizens into the right
direction. Youths are fighters. They fight for an
identity in society, equality, the homeless, bullying,
unemployment, exploitation, poverty and other
problems which the world faces today
All of them hopes for a world full of opportunities,
so great minds can conquer them and become
better individuals. They need good morals and
values to handle conflicts in a positive way.
We have aspiring doctors, entrepreneurs,
scientists, and who knows; maybe the next
president.
Illiteracy is a major around the world. About ninety
percent of the people who reside in villages are
illiterate. The reason is their utter ignorance and
lack of initiative to lead them in the right direction.
Someone has to pull them up. Here also, the
young people can be of immense help.
The role of the youth is the most important in
today’s time. They have underplayed themselves in
the field of the politics.
Youth are strong forces in social movements.
Youths are problem solvers. Our nations need
them to resolve most of our problems. The nation
is facing a lot of problems, and I believe that the
youths are capable of solving them. They just need
to be given a chance to prove themselves. Youths
have the power to unite individuals in the six
ethnic groups. Racism is an ongoing issue around
the world. Individuals are fighting against each
other because of the complexion of their skin and
the texture of their hair. Religion is another issue,
the youths can convince their fellow man to live in
peace and love. All of us are one and we should
not allow these little differences to push us away
from each other.
There also a lot of crime taking place. Women are
being killed by their abusive husbands. Person’s
homes, businesses, are being broken into.
All of this crime and violence needs to stop. The
youth once more has the ability to bring about a
change in their country.
Youths seems to have the ability to face any
challenges and problems. They have a positive
influence on their fellow young people. They are
able to teach them the positive things in life. The
ones whom are destroying their future, they tend
to listen to their fellow youths. They will make
them understand the importance of a good
education.
The wise youths that we have out there should be
taken into consideration. Some of them, though
educated are unemployed. They should be given
an opportunity to expose their intelligence to the
world and make themselves into someone. Some
organisations and other firm should assist the
youths; so they can make our land a great and
educated one.
They will make a huge difference in society and the
entire world.
The youths are our life and nation. They will make
our country proud. The country will be recognized.
The youths just need the support from their fellow
citizens and they will perform their duties.
In conclusion, the role of the youth in the nation
building is crucial. They are problem solvers, have
a positive influence on other young people and the
nation, and are extremely ambitious. They have the
ability to create an identity for themselves and
move the nation forward. However, they will not be
able to do this without the support of their
Government and fellow youths. So the youths can
make their beautiful land flourish and shine in
success.

40 YEARS WITHOUT A HERO: GEN. MURTALA R. MUHD

The assassination of General Murtala Mohammed 40 years ago in an attempted coup was a grievous blow to Nigeria as it stopped the country’s newly found momentum.

Gen. Murtala Ramat Muhammed

General Murtala Ramat Muhammed (November 8, 1938 – February 13, 1976) was the military ruler (Head of the Federal Military Government) of Nigeria from 1975 until his assassination in 1976.

Early life and education

Muhammed was born Murtala Rufai Muhammed (he changed his name from Rufai to Ramat^[1] when he became Head of State) in Kano on November 8, 1938 into the Gynawa clan of the Fulani and attended Barewa College Zaria where he was classmates with officers such as Muhammed Shuwa.^[2] Muhammed joined the Nigerian Army in 1958^[3] and was enrolled at the Regular Officers Special Training School in Teshie, Ghana where one of his instructors in military tactics and military law was Emeka Ojukwu, then a Nigerian officer on secondment to the Officer Training School.^[4] Muhammed received his officer training at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, UK as a regular combatant and underwent subsequent courses in Signals.^[1] He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1961 ^[1] and was posted to Congo where he served with the United Nations Peacekeeping Force.^[5] Upon his return from the Congo in 1962 he was appointed Aide-de-camp to the Administrator of the Western Region, Moses Majekodunmi.^[6]

Role during 1960s coups

Muhammed opposed the regime of Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi which took power after a coup d'etat on January 15, 1966. Aguiyi-Ironsi, as GOC of the Nigerian Army, brought normality back to the nation by imprisoning the coup makers and intimidating the federal cabinet into handing over the helms of government to him. However, Many northerners saw this and the reluctance of Ironsi to prosecute the coup leaders, and the fact that the army was purportedly giving exceptional privileges to the coupist as an indication of Ironsi's support for the killings. Consequently, northern politicians and civil servants mounted pressure upon northern officers such as Muhammed to avenge the coup. In the night of July 29, 1966, northern soldiers at Abeokuta barracks mutinied, thus precipitating a counter-coup, which may very well have been in the planning stages. The counter-coup led to the installation of Lieutenant-Colonel Yakubu Gowon as Supreme Commander of the Nigerian Armed Forces, despite the intransigence of Muhammed who wanted the role of Supreme Commander for himself. However, as Gowon was militarily his senior, and finding a lack of support from the British and American advisors, he caved in. Gowon rewarded him by confirming his ranking (he had been an acting Lt. Colonel till then) and his appointment (Inspector of Signals).

Nigerian civil war and role in the Asaba Massacre

During the Nigerian Civil War, Muhammed was General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Nigerian Army's 2nd Division. This division was responsible for the legendary beating back of the Biafran Army from the midwestern region, as well as crossing the River Niger and linking up with the 1st Division, which was marching down from Nsukka and Enugu. Lieutenant Ishola Williams, an officer who served under then Colonel Muhammed alleged that Muhammed ordered the summary execution of Biafran prisoners of war.^[7] Professors Bird and Ottanelli in a study titled "The History and Legacy of the Asaba, Nigeria, Massacres" document the mass murder of civilians (often referred to as the Asaba Massacre) by troops of the 2nd Division under Colonel Murtala Muhammed.^[8]

Muhammed's encounter with disaster during the war happened shortly after, as he attempted to cross the River Niger to Biafra. Despite the recommendation of his superiors at Army Headquarters in Lagos that he wait for the bridge, which had been blown up by the retreating Biafran forces, to be rebuilt, he insisted on a riverine crossing. Twice he was beaten back, but he steadfastly kept resolve and finally made it through on his third attempt. Shortly after this, Muhammed fed up with reprimands from Army HQ, decided to quit his command and left for an extended holiday in the United Kingdom, but not before threatening to resign his commission. His historic military feats during the war won him National acclaim and respect even from his adversaries.

Head of state

On July 30, 1975, Brigadier (later General) Muhammed was made head of state, when General Gowon was overthrown while at an Organization of African Unity (OAU) summit in Kampala, Uganda.^[9] Brigadiers Obasanjo (later Lt.General) and Danjuma (later Lt.General) were appointed as Chief of Staff, Supreme HQ and Chief of Army Staff, respectively.In the coup d'état that brought him to power he introduced the phrases "Fellow Nigerians" and "with immediate effect" to the national lexicon.^[10] In a short time, Murtala Muhammed's policies won him broad popular support, and his decisiveness elevated him to the status of a folk hero.^[11]

One of his first acts was to scrap the 1973 census, which was weighted in favor of the north, and to revert to the 1963 count for official purposes. Murtala Muhammad removed top federal and state officials to break links with the Gowon regime and to restore public confidence in the federal government. More than 10,000 public officials and employees were dismissed without benefits, on account of age, health, incompetence, or malpractice. The purge affected the civil service, judiciary, police and armed forces, diplomatic service, public corporations, and universities. Some officials were brought to trial on charges of corruption. He also began the demobilization of 100,000 troops from the swollen ranks of the armed forces.

Twelve of the 25 ministerial posts on the new Federal Executive Council went to civilians, but the cabinet was secondary to the executive Supreme Military Council. Muhammad imposed the authority of the federal government in areas formerly reserved for the states, restricting the latitude exercised by state governments and their governors in determining and executing policy. Newly appointed military governors of the states were not given seats on the Supreme Military Council, but instead were expected to administer federal policies handed down by Muhammad through the military council. The federal government took over the operation of the country's two largest newspapers, made broadcasting a federal monopoly, and brought remaining state-run universities under federal control.

Murtala Muhammad initiated a comprehensive review of the Third National Development Plan. Singling out inflation as the greatest danger to the economy, he was determined to reduce the money supply that had been swollen by government expenditures on public works. Muhammad also announced that his government would encourage the rapid expansion of the private sector into areas dominated by public corporations. He reappraised foreign policy, stressing a "Nigeria first" orientation in line with OPEC price guidelines that was to the disadvantage of other African countries. Nigeria became "neutral" rather than "nonaligned" in international affairs. The shift in orientation became apparent with respect to Angola. Nigeria had worked with the OAU to bring about a negotiated reconciliation of the warring factions in the former Portuguese colony, but late in 1975 Murtala Muhammad announced Nigeria's support for the Soviet-backed Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, citing South Africa's armed intervention on the side of the rival National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). The realignment strained relations with the United States, which argued for the withdrawal of Cuban troops and Soviet advisers from Angola. In October the Nigerian Air Force took delivery of Soviet-built aircraft that had been ordered under Gowon.

Assassination

Car in which Murtala Muhammed was assassinated

.

Murtala Muhammed was killed, aged 37, along with his Aide-De-Camp (ADC), Lieutenant Akintunde Akinsehinwa in his black Mercedes Benz saloon car on, February 13, 1976 in an abortive coup attempt led by Lt. Col Buka Suka Dimka, when his car was ambushed while en route his office at Dodan Barracks, Lagos. The only visible sign of protection was a pistol carried by his orderly, therefore making his assassination an easy task. He was succeeded by the Chief of Staff, Supreme HQ Olusegun Obasanjo, who completed his plan of an orderly transfer to civilian rule by handing power to Shehu Shagari on October 1, 1979.

N20 NOTE

 Today, his portrait adorns the 20 Naira note and Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos is named in his honor.