Dr. Afowowe has revealed a hidden plan by General Oladipo Diya that could have saved Chief MKO Abiola’s life during the military rule of General Sani Abacha. Speaking on Edmund Obilo’s podcast, Afowowe explained that Diya tried to secure Abiola’s release through bail, but the plan was later blocked.
According to Afowowe, many ministers in Abacha’s government were appointed through Diya, so they trusted him. One of them was Alex Ibru, the then Minister of Internal Affairs, who was also Diya’s schoolmate and spoke fluent Yoruba. This close connection made Ibru an important figure in the secret plan.
Diya had arranged that once Abiola was granted bail and freed from prison, an aircraft would be ready to fly him out of Nigeria to safety. Afowowe said Diya instructed Alex Ibru to personally follow Abiola, speak to him in Yoruba, and convince him to board the plane.
Afowowe quoted Diya as telling Ibru: “Tell Abiola that we told Abacha this plane is going to Lagos but divert the plane to anywhere outside Nigeria, so Abiola can escape because his life will be in danger.”
The plan was designed to outsmart Abacha and secretly protect Abiola. However, it collapsed when some Yoruba elders objected, asking why Abiola should be given a conditional bail. Their opposition embarrassed Abacha, who then abandoned the arrangement.
Afowowe concluded that this failed plan might have been Abiola’s best chance of survival. Instead, the opportunity slipped away, leaving him trapped in prison under Abacha’s rule.
