By Akinwale Kasali
26 Years after his death in active service as an Israeli Soldier, Nigerian- born, Sola Adebiyi Adesina is still remembered yearly by the Israeli Defence Force, IDF, for his courageous feat, dying in active service, and honouring his Fatherland.
For over Two Decades, Adesina has been honoured every year by Israel as a brave Soldier who died defending his adopted homeland of Israel.
Born in 1980 into the Ola Adesina in Ijesa, Osun State, Sola always had passion for the Military, but this didn’t come to reality until his Parents migrated to Lagos.
The Parents were Christians and attended a Church in Lagos, but later converted to Judaism.
At 18 Years of age, a youthful Sola joined the Mandatory Israeli Military Service.
After his Combat Training, he became a Sergeant in the Israeli Defence Force, IDF, with training background in infantry.
Following his enlisting into the IDF, the Israelis applied Hebrew in spelling his name, he was called, Sergeant Shlomo (Adbigi’) Adshinah.
Sola’s Father had become a Judaism Priest and was a well known Leader in his Community.
Sola also embraced Judaism leading to the migration of his Father and two sisters to Israel in 1998.
The Aliyah term reflects both a physical and spiritual journey of returning to the ancestral Jewish homeland.
Sola became the first and only Nigerian, in fact the first and only Black African that ever joined the IDF.
While in Israeli, he was posted to combat, as his Commanders transferred him to the Elite Nahal Infantry Brigade.
He was just 19 Years of age then, full of energy, strength and raw talents, ambition, youth enthusiasm and adventure.
In the year 2000, while on a Combat mission, Sergeant Sola Adesina was killed by a Palestinian Sniper in the month of November.
The attack was in the West Bank of Al-Khader located next to Bethlehem.
IDF records praised him as a courageous Israeli Soldier who died in the service of fatherland.
His family remains the only Black family that have ever converted to Judaisim and then migrated to Israeli with their only Son serving in the IDF where he paid the supreme sacrifice.
In a statement by the IDF, “We would like to take a moment to remember Sergeant Shlomo (Adbigi’) Adshinah” an IDF official said in a recent tribute.
26 Years down the line, Sola is still remembered by the IDF for paying the Supreme Price for his adopted Fatherland.
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