Nigerian Independence Day Celebrations | October 1976 скачать в хорошем качестве

Nigerian Independence Day Celebrations | October 1976

Friday, October 1st 1976. Footage of Lt. General Olusegun Obasanjo, the Military Head of State, presiding over Nigeria's 16th Independence Day celebration. Reuters Text: "The focal point of celebrations marking the anniversary was Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos where the Head of State, Lieutenant-General Olusegun Obasanjo, reviewed a military parade. The anniversary coincided with the launch of a new draft constitution for the country. The new constitution will undergo public debate before it is adopted. It makes provision for a return to civilian rule in 1979. It was the first independence celebration for Lieutenant-General Obasanjo as Nigeria's military ruler. Last year, the salute was taken by the late Head of State, General Murtala Mohammed, (*) who was originally responsible for setting 1979 as the year for the return to civilian rule. General Mohammed was assassinated in an unsuccessful coup attempt in February. Thirty people were later executed for their part in the coup. As in previous years, both primary and secondary schoolchildren took part in the parade. Many were younger than the nation itself which has seen four successful military coups in its 16 years of independence. The climax of the Lagos parade was the firing of a 21-gun salute in honour of the new Head of State." Source: Reuters News Archive. (*) An error by Reuters. The then Brigadier Murtala Muhammed did not take the salute because in keeping with his low-key approach, military parades were not held to mark independence day. Only school children marched, and in Lagos State, it was the military governor, Captain Adekunle Lawal who presided over a march past of primary and secondary school pupils at the National Stadium in Surulere and not at Tafawa Balewa Square.