Late General Diya Begins Homeward Journey July 26; To Be Buried In Odogbolu, July 29

By Adesina Soyooye

The remains of former Chief  of General Staff during the regime of late General Sani Abacha, Lt. General Oladipo Diya, would start its homeward journey on July 26, 2023.

Diya died in Lagos on March 26, aged 78 years.

According to the Late General’s Media Adviser, Olawale Adekoya, Diya’s homeward journey would begin on 26th July with a Night of Tributes. A Service of Songs will hold in his honour on 27th July, while a Christian Wake will follow on 28th July. Diya’s body will finally be committed to Mother-earth in his Odogbolu, Ogun State home on 29th July.

Said Adekoye: “The final burial rites will hold on July 29, with the Church Service,  interment,  reception and final laying to rest, while the Thanksgiving Service will hold on July 30.”

Diya was a former Military Governor of Ogun State, and was the second in Command to General Abacha.

He was, however, humiliated out of Government and the Military  when he was accused of planning a coup d’etat against the Abacha regime in order to take over from Abacha as Head of State. He maintained the coup was a phantom coup and accused former Chief of Army Staff, General Ishaya Bamiyi of being the mastermind.

He was sentenced to death by a Military Tribunal headed by the now late General Victor Malu.

On the eve of his would- have-been execution along with other convicts, General Abacha died.

Diya and Co. were released from prison and saved from execution by Abacha’s successor, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

On his death, one of his son’s, Dr Tunde Diya, said his father never recovered from the humiliation of the coup trial.