As a young man of 21, he enlisted in the Nigerian Army in 1958.

He trained at Aldershot, and was commissioned as an officer in

the Nigerian Army. He was also trained in India at the Defence
Services Staff College, Wellington and at the Indian Army
School of Engineering.[9][10] He served at 1 Area Command in
Kaduna. Promoted to Chief Army Engineer, he was made
commander of 2 Area Command from July 1967, which was
redesignated 2 Division Rear, and then the Ibadan Garrison
Organisation.[11] He was also trained in DSSC, Wellington.
During the Nigerian Civil War, he commanded the Army's 3
Marine Commando Division that took Owerri, effectively
bringing an end to the civil war.

Obasanjo 1978
Obasanjo in 1978

Although Brig. Ọbasanjọ did not participate in the military coup

of 29 July 1975, led by Murtala Mohammed, he supported it and
was named Murtala’s deputy in the new government. As chief of
staff of Supreme Headquarters, Obasanjo sought advice from
Rogerlay of Akobi and gained support of the military. On 13
February 1976, coup plotters, led by Army Col. Dimka, marked
him, Murtala and other senior military personnel for
assassination. Murtala was killed during the attempted coup, but
Obasanjo escaped death. The low profile security policy adopted
by Murtala had allowed the plotters easy access to their targets.
The coup was foiled because the plotters missed Obasanjo and
General Theophilus Danjuma, chief of army staff and de facto
number three man in the country. The plotters failed to
monopolize communications, although they were able to take
over the radio station to announce the coup attempt.

Obasanjo and Danjuma established a chain of command and re-

established security in Lagos, thereby regaining control.
Obasanjo was appointed as head of state by the Supreme
Military Council. Keeping the chain of command established by
Murtala, Obasanjo pledged to continue the programme for the
restoration of civilian government in 1979 and to carry forward
the reform programme to improve the quality of public service.

Obasanjo Carter 2
With US President Jimmy Carter in Lagos, 1978

The second republican constitution, which was adopted in 1979,

was modelled on the Constitution of the United States, with
provision for a President, Senate, and House of Representatives.
The country was prepared for local elections, to be followed by
national elections, to return Nigeria to civilian rule.