A former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on
Sunday, narrated how he survived the February 1976 military coup d’etat,
involving Lieutenant Colonel Buka Dimka.
Obasanjo said it was General Olu Bajowa (retd.) that
indirectly saved him from being killed in the coup.
The former Head of State gave the revelation at the
celebration of the 80th birthday of General Bajowa held in Igbotako, Okitipupa
Local Government Area of Ondo State.
He described Bajowa, a former Commandant, Command and Staff
College, Jaji, as a respectful and cultured man.
During the ceremony, the former President told the audience
a story of how he was indirectly saved from being killed during the coup.
Obasanjo said, “I want to say something about Olu – either
he knew it or he didn’t know. When Dimka coup came, if Olu had not been what he
is, I would have gone with the coup.
“Olu is very respectful. He is very conscious of our
culture. He had a child, a boy, and wanted to name the child after me. He had
to call me early in the morning, that morning Dimka struck.
“And because Olu said he was coming, I had to wait a little
bit. I waited beyond the time I would have gone out. Olu then came, he made the
request and I granted the request.
“So, I was a little bit late in going on the route that I
normally took to work. And Reinumuje went ahead of me and they thought it was
me and they shot his car. They shot his car, Murtala was shot. Indirectly, that
is how Olu Bajowa saved my life,”
Describing Bajowa as a performing soldier, Obasanjo revealed
that Bajowa performed very well when he (Obasanjo) drafted him to go and lead
11 Battalion during the nation’s civil war.
He emphasised that any job that Bajowa could not do, no one
else could do it.
Earlier, the state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, had called
on owners of local radio stations in the state to dwell more in educating and
disseminating information in local languages.
He made the call while inaugurating a new radio station in
commemoration of the 80th birthday of General Bajowa (retd.) at Okitipupa. The
station is founded by Bajowa.
The governor commended General Bajowa for the role he played
towards the development of the Southern Senatorial District of the state.
In his address, Bajowa explained that the aim of
establishing the radio station was “to complement the effort of government in
reviving and prompting Ikale, Ilaje, Ijaw-Apoi and Ijaw-Arogbo culture,
tradition, custom and by extension the Yoruba heritage, which are now becoming
abandoned or extinct.
“We also identify ourselves with the government effort to
make information an important tool for social development and dissemination of
the benefits of democracy at the grassroots level.”
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