Murtala Mohammed's Historic Anti-Apartheid Speech

General Murtala Mohammed, the Head of State of Nigeria, played a significant role in the fight against Apartheid in South Africa. He condemned Western powers for their support of white minority rule and declared Nigeria a member of the "front line states" in this struggle.

In 1975, he deployed 13,000 Nigerian troops to combat Apartheid forces, utilizing neighboring countries such as Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, and Angola as bases. At the OAU Heads of Government meeting in Addis Ababa, he delivered a historic anti-apartheid speech titled “Africa Has Come of Age,” where he criticized the South African government and its American and Western supporters.

He notably challenged U.S. President Gerald Ford, who had attempted to influence African leaders to soften their stance against Apartheid.

Mohammed's speech emphasized Africa's autonomy and the need for African nations to assert their interests without external interference.