In a new revelation about the strained relationship between late General Sani Abacha and his second-in-command, General Oladipo Diya, author Dr. Oluranti Afowowe has shared a disturbing account of humiliation Diya endured within the corridors of power.
Speaking in an interview on Splash FM 105.5, Afowowe, author of Destiny Anchored On Faith: The Story of Oladipo Diya said the late Diya did not initially understand the reason for his sudden removal from command until he personally confronted General Abacha.
According to Afowowe, Diya who had been stripped of his influence and reassigned, finally approached Abacha to ask for clarity regarding his situation. It was during that encounter, Afowowe said, that Abacha mocked Diya’s command of English in a tone laced with sarcasm.
“It was when he now moved to General Abacha’s office that he confronted him and said, ‘sebi you sabi turenchi, for that office you go speak turenchi tire,’” Afowowe revealed.
The phrase, said in Nigerian Pidgin English, loosely translates to, “Since you know how to speak big grammar, you will speak a lot of grammar in that office,” implying mockery and possibly punishment for Diya’s articulate nature and Western-educated background.
The comment, according to Afowowe, was not just a joke but a symbolic dismissal of Diya’s intellect and a clear sign that he had fallen out of favour. The confrontation marked a turning point, showing how personal animosity had crept into the leadership dynamics of Nigeria’s highest military offices.
Afowowe’s biography sheds light on the internal hostilities that defined Diya’s final years in power, offering readers a rare glimpse into the political undercurrents that eventually led to his arrest and trial.
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