The Story Behind The Man On The ₦20 Note

On this day in history: The figure on the ₦20 note, Murtala Ramat Muhammed, hailed from Southern Nigeria. He was born in Kano to an Aviele father from a town near Auchi in present-day Edo State. Originally named Murtala Rufai Mohammed, he changed his middle name to Ramat (his mother’s name) when he assumed the role of Head of State in July 1975.Murtala Muhammed, who would have turned 86 this year, received military training at the Regular Officers Special Training School in Teshie, Ghana, where Emeka Ojukwu—whom he would later face in the civil war—was one of his instructors in military strategy and law.The dominance of the Fulani in the Nigerian political and military system was so influential that aligning with them was essential for career progression in these spheres.