PUNCH
Dr Babatunde Diya, a son of a former Chief of Defence Staff, the late Lt-Gen. Oladipo Diya, speaks about the life and times of his father in this interview with SEGUN ADEWOLE
What were the last moments of your dad like?
The last moments were moments of him being very close to God, attending the church he set up in Abule Ijesha and the other branches in Idi Iroko and of course the church in Odogbolu, the Cathedral of St Paul. He was also dedicated to making sure that many Nigerians got a proper education. So, those were the final moments and of course. He was closer to home, closer to his children and wife, and his extended family.
Can you describe to us what the mood of the family is right now?
The family is in a sober mood and at the same time in a joyous and grateful mood because his life was one well-spent. He lived his life meritoriously. He lived his life with dignity, and he served the country with all passion and dedication. So, we are grateful to God and we are happy.
What does the family consider as his most important legacies and how will he be missed?
What I would consider his best legacy is that he was very particular about honesty. So many elder statesmen and public officeholders referred to him as the incorruptible leader. I think this is very key to the general public in Nigeria because if you look at the present situation of the country, even President Muhammadu Buhari is fighting against corruption and his anti-corruption drive is very alive. Handing over to President-elect Bola Tinubu will be a continuous drive to end corruption. So, his legacies included a dedication to public service and serving the people.
Did Diya ever narrate to his family how he cheated death by escaping a bomb explosion?
Should I tell you the truth? My dad had one particular nature and that was that he kept a lot of things to himself. He never really opened up to people. He believed that no matter what the situation may be, God as the ultimate judge would answer him. So, yes, he didn’t speak about it, but I being someone very interested in history, I look at it and say wow. This was somebody that had nine lives like a cat because he got involved in two near-death experiences. The first one, I think he went to use the rest room and there was a bomb blast. The second one was when Victor Malu passed the verdict of the death sentence and the night before the Abacha regime was supposed to carry it out, Abacha passed away. People in Odogbolu, my local government, didn’t take it lightly because they were prayerful and stood solidly behind the man, saying ‘no, you cannot take our son from us’. He was someone that loved his people and dedicated his time and energy to helping people. My mum also said she saw a couple of shenanigans going on in Aso Rock. She could perceive something wasn’t right.
