Donaldson Oladipo Diya, retired lieutenant-general and former chief of general staff, 75, April 3. Born in Odogbolu, Ogun State, he was educated at Yaba Methodist Primary School, Lagos; Odogbolu Grammar School, Odogbolu; Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna; United States Army School of Infantry, Fort Genning, Georgia; Command and Staff College, Jaji; Nigeria Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru, 1983, and University of Lagos. He started his military career as a cadet at the Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna, and was commissioned second lieutenant in March 1967. He was commander, Nigerian contingent to Lebanon and chief military personnel officer, UN Interim Forces in Lebanon, 1979-1985; commander, National War College, 1992, and chief of defence staff, 1993; chief of general staff and vice-chairman, Provincial Ruling Council, PRC, 1993-1997. He was implicated in a phantom coup and was sentenced to death in 1998. He was granted state pardon by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013.

 – Mar. 29, 2019 @ 12:55 GMT |