Ogun To Take Over General Diya’s Burial

Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has promised to take over the burial of former Chief of General Staff (CGS), Lt.-Gen. Oladipo Diya, to give him a befitting farewell.

Abiodun spoke during his condolence visit to the family of the former CGS at the GRA in Ikeja, Lagos State.

Diya died on March 26. He was 79.

A former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Uche Ogah, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Anthony Adefuye, were among dignitaries who also paid condolence visits to the Diyas.

Addressing the family and others present during the condolence visit, Abiodun said: “I want to particularly extend my deepest condolences to the matriarch of this family, Mrs. Josephine Diya, all General’s children and other members of the family.

“General Diya was a man of many parts. His life epitomised integrity and character. He was a soldier and a gentleman. He was not just a soldier, he was a lawyer. His career was a very eventful. He rose to the peak of his career by becoming the Chief of General Staff, which, at that time, was like the Vice President of Nigeria. He was a military governor in Ogun State in 1984 and 1985.

“He was the Commandant of the Nigerian War College, after which he became the de facto Vice President. He left the army and he continued to impact humanity.

“Take a look at his military career and his antecedent. He was exemplary. He was very humble, a good Christian, a gentleman, a loving and passionate father. One of the lessons that can be learnt from the life of General Diya is that when God is with you and you put all your trust in God, man can sentence you, but God will uphold you.

“His philanthropic activities, his community involvement is such that in Ogun State, you cannot write the history of Ogun State without remembering him, particularly where he came from in Odogodo Local Government Area.

“All of us in Ogun State will forever be grateful to the impactful life that he has lived.”