Lieutenant General Oladipo Diya (retd.) has died at the age of 79, a relative disclosed on Sunday morning.
Diya served as Chief of the General Staff and de facto Vice President to the infamous military ruler, General Sani Abacha until his arrest for treason in 1997.
He also served as Chief of Defence Staff and was military governor of Ogun State from January 1984 to August 1985.
Born Donaldson Oladipo Diya on 3 April 1944 in Odogbolu, Ogun state. He went to school at the Methodist Primary School, Lagos and Odogbolu Grammar School.
He joined the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna and fought during the Nigerian Civil War.
He then 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, Oladipo 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 was later promoted to Commander 31, Airborne Brigade before his appointment as military governor of Ogun state from January 1984 to August 1985.
He was then promoted to General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Nigeria Army in 1985. He was also Commandant, National War College (1991–1993) and then was appointed Chief of Defence Staff.
In 1993, he was appointed Chief of General Staff and Vice Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council in 1994.
