Dr. Oluranti Afowowe, author of Destiny Anchored On Faith: The Story of Oladipo Diya, has revealed a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s military history involving the late General Oladipo Diya, Nigeria’s former Chief of General Staff. Speaking in an interview on Splash FM 105.5, Afowowe gave insight into the immediate aftermath of the foiled 1997 coup attempt and how Diya’s reaction stood out from the rest of the military leadership.
According to Dr. Afowowe, during the first meeting of the Armed Forces Supreme Council following the failed coup, Diya made a bold and reflective statement that highlighted his desire for introspection and institutional reform within the military.
“At the first Armed Forces Supreme Council Meeting after that coup, he was the officer that rose up and said, ‘Look, yes, we have defeated these people and we can be patting ourselves on the back for a job well done, but there are fundamental issues that were raised by these boys. These issues must not be swept under the carpet; we need to address them, so that things like this will not happen again,’” Afowowe quoted Diya as saying.
Diya’s position was seen as a rare moment of candour in a time of heightened tension and mistrust within the military. The 1997 coup attempt, widely viewed as an act of treason, had led to arrests, trials, and subsequent executions. Despite being one of the primary targets of the coup, Diya did not call for vengeance, but rather urged the military to examine the systemic problems that could have fueled the discontent.
Afowowe emphasized that Diya’s comments reflected his deep understanding of the military’s internal dynamics and his commitment to preventing future uprisings through reform and open dialogue.
“Diya wasn’t just about authority and control. He believed in the stability of institutions and recognized the danger of ignoring dissatisfaction among the ranks. That meeting showed his courage to speak truth to power,” Afowowe noted.
The interview has sparked renewed interest in Diya’s legacy, particularly his controversial role in Nigeria’s military politics during the 1990s. Many political analysts now view him as a complex figure—one who navigated power, loyalty, and reform in a very turbulent era.
Dr. Afowowe’s book sheds more light on Diya’s life, from his humble beginnings to his rise in the military and his fall from power during the Abacha regime. The author argues that despite the controversies, Diya’s actions during the crisis revealed a leader more interested in healing and reform than in personal revenge or political survival.
With Nigeria still grappling with civil-military relations, Diya’s approach to leadership continues to inspire debate, particularly among scholars and policy analysts who see parallels with modern governance challenges.
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