The car in which the late Murtala Muhammed, former military head of state, was assassinated 35 years ago has continued to attract an average of 2,000 tourists monthly, from within and outside Nigeria.
The bullet-riddled metallic-black Mercedes Benz 230.6 car is displayed at the 54-year-old National Museum, Onikan, Lagos, alongside other historical national antiques. The late Muhammed was assassinated by renegade soldiers led by Bukar Sukar Dimka on February 13, 1976, after less than seven months in office. He was murdered alongside his Aide-de-Camp, Akintunde Akinsehinwa, opposite the old Federal Secretariat, Obalende, Lagos, as they were heading for Friday prayers.
The curator of the National Museum, Ronke Ashaye, said on Wednesday that the car has continued to attract the highest number of tourists, especially on days shortly before and after the yearly memorial. “During the museum’s peak period, about 3,000 tourists visit the car while 2, 000 visit it at off peak periods,” she said. “The car is placed at the centre of ‘Nigerian Government: Yesterday and Today’ exhibition room. The car was taken into the museum shortly after Muhammed’s assassination. It tells a story of the end of an era. We have been preserving it and many who visit the museum daily request to see it.”
Maintaining the artefacts..
She said that Michelin Tyre Company Ltd had assisted in replacing the tyres of the car periodically. “The tyres are being changed from time to time and the museum officials clean the car daily to preserve it for posterity,” she said, adding that at no point did the authorities attempt to remove the car from the spot. “The gallery where it was initially kept became dilapidated and was closed down before we relocated the car to a new room,” he said. “The gallery became unsafe for visitors and the monument. We have now relocated it to a better place at the back of the museum with the assistance of the Ford Foundation. The car will soon be moved to a more befitting gallery within this premises.”
The well-maintained car has over 20 bullet holes with photographs and write ups on the Nigerian political history from the colonial era to date adorning the room where it is on display. Visitors at the gallery, including two foreigners, Selafsonstein Claudo from Brazil and Ulil Amri from Indonesian, commended the museum for preserving the car.
Meanwhile, Nigerians have called on the government to give Muhammed’s cenotaph at the former Federal Secretariat, Ikoyi, a face lift. The cenotaph, erected by Eti–Osa Local Government, was inaugurated on February 13, 1992, by the then Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida.
A mentally ill woman now inhabits the square located within the precincts of AP filling station, with an auto mechanic workshop at the entrance. “It is an eyesore,” said Biodun Adeseye, a businessman. “Something should be done urgently to restore the cenotaph.”
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