A clarion call has gone to President Muhammadu Buhari to revisit the Diya and co issue of 1997 with a view to forgiving, pardoning and releasing all their benefits and entitlements.
This appeal came about as a result of a campaign embarked upon by a Journalist who kicked off #PardonGenOlanrewaju Campaign.
Reacting to a publication in The DEFENDER and a Facebook post by a passionately-concerned journalist, Prince Bashir Adefaka, several Nigerians called on the president to show mercy to one of his successors as General Officer Commanding (GOC) Third Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army Jos, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, who the past administration of Goodluck Jonathan left out in his selective pardon.
The DEFENDER had published and recapped the cries for mercy by Ruth, widow of late Col. Akinyode, who died 20 years ago in prison due to torture, urging the President to show mercy and pardon the officers Jonathan left out of his pardon gesture, including General Olanrewaju, Col. Edwin Jando and her late husband, Lt. Col. Olu Akinyode.
Many of those who responded appealed to President Buhari to grant Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju a state pardon.
In his own appeal, Prince Adefaka, who has been an advocate of inclusive participation of all Nigerians in Buharism for better Nigeria without professional and ethnic barriers, said the administration of Goodluck Jonathan caused some bad feelings when he pardoned those who had at all times, confessed to be the architects of the fathomed coup of 1997 and even a former governor convicted on corruption-related crimes, thereby putting Nigeria image on the line, but left General Olanrewaju, who by all records did not sit down with any coupist, in the cold.
According to him and many others, President Buhari would do a lot of good by revisiting the General Olanrewaju and others’ issue, pardoning them, as well as restoring their benefits and entitlements like the main leader of the 1997 fathomed coup, Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya is already enjoying.
Major General Olanrewaju had commanded in the service as Corp Commander Artillery, General Officer Commanding (GOC), Third Armoured Division Nigerian Army, Jos, which was also commanded by President Muhammadu Buhari far earlier, Brigade Commander in Akure and Air Defence Commanding Officer also in old Ondo State, Member Nigeria’s Military High Command and Provisional Ruling Council (PRC), Minister of Communications, a Chairman of States Boundaries/Assets Sharing Committee proportionally dividing assets between Abia, Imo, Anambra and Enugu states.
“Olanrewaju, now 72, and others are those that we are asking President Muhammadu Buhari to help us to pardon and pay their entitlements. Diya has soldiers now guarding him and smiles to banks with his pension from the Army.
“General Olanrewaju, as Lt. Col. was Acting Military Governor of Old Ondo State who stopped rascality among Ilawe peoole of Ekiti during the time of Navy Captain Bode George and I was in JSS3 in Anglican Grammar School Iju Itaogbolu, Akure then.” Adefaka recalled.
Many Nigerians from across the country and in the Diaspora, touched by the new social media campaign have indicated interest in joining to appeal to President Buhari, who they described as compassionate leader.
Mr. Robert Rawman Reigns, who wrote from the Republic of Ghana, said: “Since Al-Mustapha has been released after some years of incarceration, there is hope for the General to get his pardon soon.”