Remembering Brigadier Musa Usman: A Legacy in History

Brigadier Musa Usman, born in Enugu in 1940, served as the Military Governor of North Eastern State, which constituted one-fifth of Nigeria, 59 years ago. He ceased his role when the Gowon regime was overthrown 51 years ago and passed away in Kaduna 35 years ago.

The article notes that many young Nigerians may not recognize his name due to the passage of time and the removal of History from school curricula. His family commissioned a book about him, with contributions from General Yakubu Gowon, who provided insights into Usman's tenure.

Other contributors included former Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar, Usman's ADC Group Capt. Murtala Salami, and his widow Hajiya Chioma Jummai Usman, among others. The article emphasizes the difficulty in gathering material for the book due to the deaths of many of Usman's contemporaries, with only Alfred Diete-Spiff of Rivers still alive from that era.