Lt Gen. Oladipo Diya Celebrates 75th Birthday

A lot of eminent Nigerians stormed Lagos, today, Saturday 6th April 2019 to celebrate with Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya, the former No 2 man under Gen. Sani Abacha who clocked 75.  Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was in attendance with other top government functionaries. Lieutenant General Oladipo Diya was born at Odogbolu now Ogun State on 3rd April, 1944 to the late High Chief Michael Oyetola Diya and late Chief (Mrs.) Racheal Tanimowo Diya.

His parents moved to Lagos in 1946 and enrolled young Oladipo in Yaba Methodist School in January 1949 for his primary education. He completed his primary education in December 1956. He attended Odogbolu Grammer School from 1957 to 1962 where he obtained the West African School Certificate (WASC) in December 1962. 

He started his military career when he gained admission to Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna in December 1963 by direct entry. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in March 1967. After commissioning, he was posted to 6th Battalion, Ikeja where he was until the beginning of the Nigerian Civil War.

He fought for Nigeria as a 2nd Lt. in April 1970, was a platoon commander in the liberation of Bonny and the commander of the 6th Battalion till the end of the War in 1970. From 1974 to 1978, he was Deputy Adjutant General, Nigerian Army; Staff Officer at the command and Staff College Jaji, and commanding officer 29 Battalion, Jaji. In 1979 he was the commander, Nigerian Contingent of the United Nations Peacekeeping Operation in Lebanon (UNIFIL). 

He was appointed Military Governor of Ogun State in January, 1984. In August 1985, he became a member of the Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC) and he was appointed Commandant National War College. In 1993 he became Chief of Defence Staff, and the same year he was appointed the chief of General Staff and Vice-Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council (PRC) that is Military Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

In addition to the success he achieved in his military career, General Diya took time off to study Law at both the University of Nigeria Nsukka and Ahmadu Bello Univerity Zaira. After earning the Bachelor of Law Degree, he went to the Nigerian Law School where he was called to the Bar as Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. In 1996, General Diya obtained a Doctorate Degree in Law (Honoris Causa) from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology. 

Also in 1977, he bagged another LL.D (Honoris Causa) from the Ogun State University, now Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye. Lt. General Diya is a practising Lawyer, and Chairman of some companies, which includes Goldvision Publications, Publishers of the Federation weekly Reports and other Law Journals. The only title Lt. General Diya accepts is the Asiwaju of Odogbolu.

 His hobbies includes squash, listening to music especially classical and Nigerian old tunes. 

He was an active footballer in his student days. Lt. General Diya is married with children and grandchildren. 

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