The second in command to the late Gen. Sani Abacha, Lt. Gen Donaldson Oyeyinka Oladipo Diya (Rtd) GCON, MN, LLB, a former Chief of General Staff passed on to glory on Sunday, March 26, 2023, just eight days to his 79th birthday.

The highly revered personality, elder statesman was born at Odogbolu, Ogun State. He attended Methodist Church Nigeria Primary School, Yaba, Lagos, before advancing to Odogbolu Grammar School, Odogbolu, Ogun State as one of the pioneer students. He later proceeded to the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna where he graduated as a Military cadet Officer, a second lieutenant. He further advanced professionally and earned promotions in his military career.

Diya was appointed as the first military governor of Ogun State and later became the General Officer Commanding, 81st Division of the Nigerian Army in Enugu. He was elevated to the position of Chief of General Staff, Federal Republic of Nigeria after the Gen. Abacha military coup and dislodgment of the General Ibrahim Babangida military regime following the annulment of the 1993 presidential election won by the late Chief MKO Abiola. Gen Diya and some other top military officers were accused of being part of a phantom military coup but the Almighty God intervened and miraculously removed him from the gulag after Gen Abacha’s death on June 8, 1994. The date has since remained indelible in the minds of his friends, relatives and many other well-wishers.

The late Diya was a true lover of God and men, a great philanthropist of Rotary International District 9110 as well as Lions International Districts 404A and 404B. He was a very great mobiliser of men and materials for nation-building, which reflected in the reconstruction and expansion of his church, The African Methodist Evangelical Church, Abule Ijesha, Yaba, Lagos, after her independence from the parent body.

A very true lover of education and human personal drive for self-improvement and environmental advancements, he pioneered and sponsored several notable education advancement projects that benefited a lot of people.. He granted scholarships to the needy, and established a community library named after him and administered by very prominent Professor Tola Atinmo, a Dean at University of Ibadan to service the Odogbolu community and its environs. The late Gen. Diya also organized and personally sponsored Ogun State All Secondary Schools Literary and Debate competition annually and donated prizes to the winner at the annual Odogbolu Day celebrations.

Diya was a great socialite within and outside Odogbolu, a status which earned him the very prestigious “Asiwaju of Odogbolu” as well as the Grand Patron of notable social, literary and religious societies, including the Light Bearers, Wesley Cathedral, Olowogbowo, Lagos, Boys and Girls Brigade as well as the Yoruba Unity Forum.

The late ebullient, God-loving and fearing, philanthropic, passionate, disciplined and admirable elder statesman is survived by wives, children, grandchildren, relatives, friends, associates and fellow Christian faithful, including Dr. Biodun Sobanjo, the Executive Chairman of Insight Communications Group; Senator Anthony Adefuye, his age-long business partner; Senator Ayodeji Otegola, his age-long partner religiously as well as Chief Nike Akande and Dr. Funke Adebajo.