Ogun state government said it has taken over the burial activities of the former Chief of Staff Defence Headquarters Lt Gen Oladipo Diya retired.
Governor Dapo Abiodun made this known when he paid a condolence visit to the widow of the deceased in Lagos on Monday.
General Diya died Sunday morning at the age of 78 years old, but would have been 79 years next week Monday, 3rd of April,2023.
Donaldson Oladipo Diya was born on 3rd April, 1944 in Odogbolu , Ogun State, then Western Region, Nigeria.
He had his primary education at Yaba Methodist Primary School, Lagos and Odogbolu Grammar School.
Military career
Mr 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 between 1980 and 1981 and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru.
While serving in the military, Mr 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.
Mr Diya was Commander 31, Airborne Brigade. He served as Military Governor of Ogun State from January 1984 to August 1985.
He became General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Nigeria Army in 1985. Diya was Commandant, National War College (1991–1993) and then was appointed Chief of Defence Staff.
Chief of General Staff
Mr Diya was appointed Chief of General Staff in 1993 and Vice Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council in 1994.
As Chief of the General Staff, he was the de facto Vice President of Nigeria during the Sani Abacha military junta from 1994 until he was arrested for treason in 1997.
1997 coup plot
In 1997, Mr Diya and dissident soldiers in the military allegedly planned to overthrow the regime of Sani Abacha.
The alleged coup was uncovered by forces loyal to Abacha, and Diya and his cohorts were jailed. Diya was tried in a military tribunal and was given the death penalty.
Upon the untimely death of Abacha in 1998, Diya was pardoned by the late Head of State’s successor, Abdusalami Abubakar.
Later career
Following his release, General Diya refused to co-operate with any investigations by Oputa Panel into his activities while he was vice president.
He spent most of his time attempting to recover possession of various properties seized by the government on his arrest.
On 18 May 2020, General Diya lost his second wife Folashade Diya a few days to her 65th birthday.
It was reported that she died from COVID-19 complications and his first wife is said to be COVID-19 positive as well.
