Major general tunde idiagbon biography

Tunde Idiagbon

De facto deputy head of state of Nigeria from to

Babatunde "Tunde" Abdulbaki Idiagbon(Listenⓘ) (14 September &#; 24 March ) was a Nigerian general who served as the 6th Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters (second-in-command) under military head of state General Muhammadu Buhari from to

He was also a grate member of Nigeria's military governments between and , serving as a military administrator of Borno State under General Olusegun Obasanjo's military government.[1]

Early life

Idiagbon was born into the family of his father Hassan Dogo[1] who is of Fulani ancestry and mother Ayisatu Iyabeji Hassan Idiagbon on 14 September in Ilorin, Kwara State.[2] He attended United Primary School, Ilorin from to and Okesuna Senior Primary School, Ilorin, – He received his secondary education at the Nigeria Military School, Zaria between and [1]

Military career

In , Idiagbon joined the Nigerian Army by enrolling in the Nigerian Military Training College (NMTC). In February , the college was renamed the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).

From to , Idiagbon attended the Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul (PMA Kakul), Abbottabad, Pakistan, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in economics. Upon arrival to Nigeria from Pakistan he was commissioned second lieutenant in April He was company commander, 4th Battalion from August to February In he studied for the junior commander course at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna. From to he also served as an intelligence officer, 4th Battalion and General Staff Officer, 3rd Intelligence, 1st Sector. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in He fought in the Nigerian Civil War and was made commanding officer, 20 Battalion from October to February In , he was promoted to the rank of captain. He was the commanding officer, Battalion, from to - a dreaded fighting unit.[3]

In , he was promoted to the rank of major. He was made brigade major and deputy commander, 33 Brigade from March to March and the commander, 29 Brigade from March to December In January he served as the general staff officer, Grade 1 and later, principal staff officer (PSO), Supreme Military Headquarters. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in He was made brigade commander, 31 and 15 Brigades from August to August In , Idiagbon proceeded to the Command and Staff College in Quetta, Pakistan, for further military training. In July he was promoted to the rank of colonel. He was appointed as the director of manpower (manning) and planning, Army Headquarters in October [4]

In May he was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general. In , he attended the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria and in he attended the International Defence Management Course, Naval Postgraduate School, US. He was the military secretary of the Nigerian Army from to

Military administrator of Borno State

From August to October , the military Head of State, General Obasanjo appointed Idiagbon as the military administrator (position now called governor) of Borno State, Nigeria.[4]

Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters

General Muhammadu Buhari made Idiagbon his second-in-command as Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters from 31 December to 27 August Described as a thorough military man, he played a key role as the hallmark of Buhari's military government. Idiagbon was promoted to the rank of major-general in [5]

He controlled all visible instruments of national, political, governmental and administrative powers.[6] Idiagbon was responsible for introducing, announcing and implementing many of the government's major policies, they include:

War Against Indiscipline

Main article: War Against Indiscipline

The five phases of the War Against Indiscipline which Idiagbon announced and implemented were:

  • Phase One - Queuing, launched on 20 March
  • Phase Two - Work Ethics, launched on 1 May
  • Phase Three - Nationalism and Patriotism, launched on 21 August
  • Phase Four - Anti-Corruption and Economic Sabotage, launched on 14 May
  • Phase Five - Environmental Sanitation, launched on 29 July

Currency change and currency exchange rate policy

In April , Idiagbon announced the introduction of a new currency for Nigeria. He said the new currency would keep the same name, but the colors of bills would be different.

He also announced limits to currency exchange for corporations and individuals. The individual limit was $7, He said any corporation or individual exchanging in excess of the limit had to explain where the money came from and needed government clearance.

According to Idiagbon the major cause of the nation's economic problems "is the deliberate sabotage of the Nigerian currency through large-scale illegal trafficking of the currency".[7]

Import substitution industrialisation policy

In , Idiagbon implemented the military government's import substitution industrialisation policy based on the use of local materials. Importation was tightened. The aim was to ensure the growth of local industries through the policy.

Go Back to Land Programme

Also in , Idiagbon spearheaded and implemented the Go Back to Land Programme which was part of the government's farming policy that encouraged massive agricultural food production and was also part of the military government's poverty alleviation strategy.[8]

Foreign policy

From January to August , Idiagbon took control of all foreign policy matters that involved security. He was in control of the border closure, expulsion of illegal immigrants, and damage control after the Umaru Dikko Affair in Britain.

He also participated in diplomatic activities. On behalf of Nigeria's military government, he signed credit line and educational cooperation agreements with a visiting Bulgarian delegation led by Prime Minister Grisha Filipov in He led a delegation in to the Soviet Union to meet Soviet leader Konstantin Chernenko.[9]

military coup d'état

After 20 months in power, the military government of Buhari was overthrown by Ibrahim Babangida on 27 August [10] Idiagbon was removed from his position as chief of staff, Supreme Headquarters, and he was placed under house arrest for three years, after his release he retired to his hometown Ilorin and lived in relative obscurity.[11]

Personal life

On 6 March , Idiagbon married Biodun Idiagbon (née Gamra). They had two sons and three daughters together: Adekunle, Junior, Ronke, Mope and Bola.[3] On 24 March , Idiagbon died under very suspicious circumstances.[12]

Awards

Major-General Idiagbon (Rtd.) received several awards and medals. In alphabetical order they include:

References

  1. ^ abcAbubakar Imam (24 March ). "Remembering Idiagbon, the 'no-nonsense' military general who ran Nigeria with Buhari". Premium Times. Archived from the original on 7 June Retrieved 3 August
  2. ^Ojo, Ayodele. "Nigeria: Idiagbon: His Life, His Times Till he died last week". All Africae.
  3. ^ abUwechue, Ralph (). Africa Who's who. Africa Journal Limited. p.&#;
  4. ^ abAdeogun, Segun (). Who is Who in Kwara State. Ilorin, Nigeria:Segun Adeogun. p.&#;
  5. ^Ajibaye, Salu Adewale. "Tunde Idiagbon Nigeria's unsung hero". Newswatch Times Nigeria. Retrieved 11 August [permanent dead link&#;]
  6. ^Inamete, Ufot (). Foreign Policy Decision-making in Nigeria. Susquehanna University Press. p.&#;
  7. ^"Nigerians bank money before exchange of currency".
  8. ^Adediji, Banji (). Deeper insight into Nigeria's public administration. Author House. p.&#;
  9. ^Inamete, Ufot (). Foreign Policy Decision-making in Nigeria. Susquehanna University Press. p.&#;
  10. ^Olukoshi, Adebayo; Abdulraheem, Tajudeen (). "Nigeria, Crisis Management under the Burhari Administration". Review of African Political Economy. 12 (34): 95– doi/ ISSN&#; JSTOR&#;
  11. ^LeVan, A. Carl (November ). Veto Players in Nigeria's Political History since Independence. pp.&#;55– doi/cbo ISBN&#;. Retrieved 28 May
  12. ^"The Shocking Story of How Nigeria's De Facto Vice President Idiagbon Died At 56 & Why Buhari Burst Into Tears During His Burial In Ilorin". drbiggie. 20 November Retrieved 4 July