Brig. Murtala Muhammad Opens Committee Meetings For New Draft Constitution | October 1975

Saturday, October 18th 1975.
Footage of Nigerian military Head of State, Brigadier Murtala Muhammad opening the work of a fifty man committee to draft a new constitution - the first step towards returning the country to civilian rule.
Brigadier Muhammed named the panel of former politicians, lawyers, intellectuals, businessmen and journalists who will draw up the constitution after his October 1st speech which promised the country a return to democratic rule in October 1979.
Chief Rotimi Williams, a prominent lawyer who played a part in writing most of Nigeria's earlier constitutions, was made chairman of the committee. However, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, an eminent Nigerian politician and lawyer, failed to turn up at the meeting. He had earlier refused to serve on the committee saying his appointment was made without prior reference to him.
Transcript of part of Brig, Muhammad's opening address:
"In my National Day broadcast I outlined the political programme of the Federal Military government and prescribed measures necessary for achieving the aims of the programme. One of such steps whose responsibility it would be to produce an initial draft of a constitutional arrangement which would provide a sound basis for the continued existence of a united Nigeria. This is not the first time of course that we as a people have participated in the fashioning of a constitution for our country. First there was the experiment of a unitary government which was imposed by the colonial government then a federal system which carried us into independence and finally a modified version of Federalism which lasted rather tenuously until January 1966."
Source: Reuters News Archives.