Gen. Oladipo Diya
By Our Reporter
Former Chief of General Staff (military Vice President) to the late General Sani Abacha. Lt- General Donaldson Oladipo Oyeyinka Diya (Rtd), is dead.
He died at the age of 78
According to Barrister Prince Oyesinmilola Diya, the former military administrator died in early hours of 26th March 2023.
Born in 3rd of April, 1944 Diya was military Governor of Ogun State after the Buhari/Idiagbon coup of December 31st, 1983.
Diya joined the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna and fought during the Nigerian Civil War. He later attended the US Army School of Infantry, the Command and Staff College, Jaji (1980–1981) and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru.
While serving in the military, Diya studied law at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he obtained an LLB degree, and then at the Nigerian Law School, where he was called to bar as Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
He held other top military posts, GOC, 82 Division and finally the Chief of General Staff (military Vice President) to Gen Sani Abacha.
It was as the CGS that he was arrested for planning a coup to unseat Abacha.
He was thereafter condemned to death by firing squad along with men like Maj.-Gen Abdulkarim Adisa on April 28 1998.
Diya was later set free by the General Abubakar Abdulsalami administration after the demise of General Abacha
