By Adekunle Williams
Lagos, Aug. 21, 2021
A former Military Governor of Oyo State, Brig. Gen. Adetunji Idowu Olurin (rtd), reportedly died on Saturday at the age of 78.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the septuagenarian was reported to have died at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) in Lagos of an undisclosed illness.
Olurin, who was an indigene of Ilaro, Ogun State was born on Dec. 3, 1944.
A former Commander, ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), Olurin had his primary education at Christ Church School, Ilaro from 1951 to 1954; St. Paul’s School, Odo-Ona, Ibadan, 1955 to 1957 and Local Government Authority Modern School, 1958.
Olurin also attended Egbado College, Ilaro, 1959-64 and Technical College (now The Polytechnic), Ibadan in 1966.
He, thereafter, attended the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, 1967 to 1970; School of Infantry, Quetta, Pakistan, 1973; Army Command and Staff College, Jaji, 1977 to 1978.
He was also a former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State in 2011.
He got married to his wife, Kehinde Oyeleye, in 1975 and they had two sons.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has sent condolences to government and people of Ogun, Ekiti and Oyo states over passing of the former military Governor and Administrator.
Gen. Olurin, a former Military Governor of the old Oyo State, served as Sole Administrator of Ekiti State for six months between October 19, 2006 and April 27, 2007 during the state of emergency imposed by the Olusegun Obasanjo Administration in the wake of political crisis that engulfed the state at the time.
Governor Fayemi, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, described Gen. Olurin’s death as a great loss to Nigeria, Ogun State, his home state and Ekiti, which he helped stabilise during the six-month emergency rule.
He described the late General as a selfless statesman, courageous soldier and an altruistic patriot who served his country diligently while in active service and during his retirement.
The Governor pointed out that the deceased discharged his duties as the Sole Administrator of Ekiti State with a great measure of fairness and firmness and left some legacies he would be remembered for in the annals of history of the Land of Honour.
Dr. Fayemi said although the late Gen. Olurin was a soldier, he was a man of the people who was very much concerned about their welfare and ever ready to solve problems brought to his attention.
The Governor noted that Gen. Olurin brought his humane nature and professionalism to bear during his tenure as the Military Governor of the old Oyo State and while on peace- keeping assignment as the Field Commander of ECOMOG in Liberia.
According to him, the history of how a lasting peace was achieved in the then war- torn Liberia would not be complete without a worthy mention and glowing chapters written on the sterling contributions of the late General Olurin.
He expressed sadness that Gen. Olurin’s demise came just few weeks after the death of a distinguished daughter of Ekiti, Mrs. Abike Sonoiki, who served during the emergency rule as Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
The Governor prayed God to grant the family and associates of the deceased the fortitude to bear the loss, urging them to be consoled by the legacies of service, selflessness and excellence he left behind.
“On behalf of the Government and good people of Ekiti State, I commiserate with the immediate family and associates of our amiable General Olurin. Our prayer is that God will grant the deceased eternal rest and grant the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.” the Governor said.
