Ex-military ‘vice president’, Gen Diya, who escaped Abacha’s bullet dies at age 79

Former Nigerian military number two man, General Oladipo Diya has died at the age of 79, according to the family.

Diya, who once served as the Chief of the General Staff under military Head of State, General Sani Abacha from 1994 until 1997, reportedly passed on in the early hours of Sunday, March 26.

Diya was at one time, the Military Governor of Ogun State from January 1984 to August 1985.

His death was announced in a statement signed on behalf of the family by Barrister (Prince) Oyesinmilola Diya.

“On behalf of the entire Diya family home and abroad, we announce the passing on to glory of our dear husband, father, grandfather, brother, Lt- General Donaldson Oladipo Oyeyinka Diya (Rtd) GCON, LLB, BL, PSC, FSS, mni.

“Our dear daddy passed onto glory in the early hours of 26th March 2023.

“Please keep us in your prayers as we mourn his demise in this period. Further announcements will be made public in due course,” the statement reads.

Who was the late General Diya

Late Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya was born on April 3, 1944, in Odogbolu, Ogun State.

He attended Methodist Primary School, Lagos, the Odogbolu Grammar School, from where he proceeded to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna.

He fought during the Nigerian Civil War and later attended the US Army School of Infantry, the Command and Staff College, Jaji and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos.

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While in the military, Diya also studied law at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and obtained an LLB degree, and was called to bar as Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

In his illustrious military career, Diya served as Commander 31, Airborne Brigade before he was appointed Military Governor of Ogun State from January 1984 to August 1985.

He then became the General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Nigeria Army in 1985, Commandant, National War College between 1991 and 1993 before he was appointed Chief of Defence Staff in 1993 and Vice Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council in 1994, under the Gen. Abacha regime.

As Chief of the General Staff, Diya was the de facto Vice President of Nigeria.

Diya ran into trouble in 1997 when he was roped into a coup plot as he and other dissident soldiers in the military were accused of allegedly planning to overthrow Abacha.

Diya was tried in a military tribunal and was sentenced to death in a plot many believed was orchestrated to take out perceived enemies of the dictator.

Many would remember Diya for weeping profusely while begging Abacha for his life in a leaked video which was said to have been released to further humiliate him.

He was let off the hook after the sudden death of Abacha in 1998, by his successor, Abdulsalami Abubakar, who granted him and others a national pardon.

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