Even if everyone forgets the tragic incident of February 13, 1976, Ajoke Murtala Mohammed would not forget.
The late General Murtala Mohammed was assassinated on his way to the office on February 13, 1976.
Then the young Ajoke was 33 years old with six children. Her husband was killed at 37 years old.
She must have been distraught at the sudden change of position from been a First Lady to becoming the widow of the then Nigeria’s assassinated Head-of-State, General Murtala Mohammed.
Indeed, it was a sudden fall from grace to grass and the First family had just spent 198 days at the State House in Lagos.
She was to later pick the pieces of her life together and though her time as a First Lady was short-lived, now a 80-year-old grandmother, who never remarried after her husband’s demise, Ajoke can still deliver a talk on what it takes to be the wife of a President.
So, her children and many personalities have extolled the virtues of his widow and mother, Dr. Ajoke Murtala Muhammed, on the occasion of her 80th birthday celebration.
Describing her as a bridge builder, they revealed that Dr. Ajoke, was a professional dental therapist that had contributed not only in the health sector but also on the environment, ensuring that the world where she, her children and grand-children as well as other family members live remain eco-friendly for them.
At the event marking her 80th birthday, the matriarch was celebrated by many for her contribution to human development across the country, including her children, who took time to celebrate the wife of the former head of state.
In a message to the octogenarian, who took the mantle of leadership of the home at the age of 33 years old after the death of her husband, the daughter, Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode, stated that her mother had continued to inspire them, saying she is relentless in her pursuits.
Muhammed-Oyebode, who spoke on behalf of her siblings through a statement, said: “It was indeed a challenging mantle left on the shoulders of a young 33-year-old widow now solely responsible for the welfare of her children and their many adopted nieces and nephews. Many of which have gone on to be extremely successful in their professions and careers.