Some members of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) on Thursday said General Alani Akinrinade (rtd) secretly led the fight against Gen. Sani Abacha’s dictatorship while the late former military Head of State was in power.
They disclosed this in Ibadan, Oyo state, today at the 80th birthday celebration of General Akinrinade.
Some of the NADECO members at the event include the Governor of old Oyo state, Brigadier General Oluwole Rotimi; former Minister of External Affairs, Prof Bolaji Akinyemi, and current governor of Ekiti state, Kayode Fayemi.
Other dignitaries at the event include the Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka; a former governor of Ogun state, Chief Segun Osoba; a former governor of Oyo state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; a former acting National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande; General Raji Rasaki (rtd), an ex-governor of Oyo state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala; General Theophilus Danjuma (rtd).
Traditional rulers who graced the occasion are: the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; Alake of Egbaland, Oba Aremu Gbadebo; and the Orangun of Oke-Ila, among other traditional rulers from across the country.
They took their turns to explain how NADECO fought for the entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria.
Governor Fayemi of Ekiti state, who underscored the role of General Akinrinade said, though, people always credit the success of Radio Kudirat to him, it was the enormous contributions of Gen Akinrinade that did the magic.
Fayemi said, “I’m always credited for being the founder of Radio Kudirat. But, let me say openly here that he paid for the first set of the transmitter and some equipment.”
To Prof Akinyemi, the role of the octogenarian was enormous. He said: “Gen. Akinrinade gave us his office in London to use for NADECO.
“To actualize our mandate, Gen Akinrinade paid for most of our travels. The retired general went beyond giving his resources; he put his life on the line.
“He knew he was provoking the Abacha regime. They put him in surveillance. His house was bombed in Ikeja. His son who was sleeping in the house managed to escape. Alani later joined us in London when we demonstrated.”
Also extolling the virtues of General Akinrinade, Osun state governor, Gboyega Oyetola, said: “He continues to render selfless service to the nation after a distinguished career and in retirement.
“He was a light and a pillar during the dark days of the military when his own primary constituency, the military, annulled the 1993 Presidential Election and supplanted the will of the people.
“At personal costs, Lt. General Akinrinade aligned with the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, to restore democracy and the dignity of the Nigerian nation.
“Lt. General Akinrinade is an encyclopaedia of Nigerian politics, having actively participated in the nation’s political evolution through the military days to the present democratic dispensation.
“As a patriarch of the progressives’ family, gentleman Akinrinade continues to offer counsel behind the scenes to nurture our political family, strengthen our democracy and build a successor generation.”
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