*Former LagosCommissioner congratulates Buhari at 76
“Today is the 22nd anniversary of the death ofmy father Alhaji Abdul Yekin Afolabi Olanrewaju Animashaun 17/12/96. I’m using this unique incident to appeal tothe President Buhari to grant Maj Gen Tajudeen Olanrewaju a state pardon as aremembrance gift to the family of the Animashaun of Lagos God bless you Sir asyou do so,” the former Commissioner appealed.
President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, has been urged to “for the sake of Almighty Allah and significance of the fact that December 17 that is your 76th birth anniversary is also death anniversary of our father” revisit the Diya and co issue of 1997 with a view to forgiving, pardoning and releasing all benefits and entitlements of 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.
Making this appeal on Monday December 17 in reaction to a publication in The DEFENDER and a Facebook post by a passionately concerned journalist, Prince Bashir Adefaka, was younger brother of former Minister of Communications Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (Rtd) and former Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture during the administration of Brigadier General Muhammed Buba Marwa, Dr. Mufutau Animashaun.
The DEFENDER during the last few days 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, who include General Olanrewaju, Col. Edwin Jando and her late husband, Lt. Col. Olu Akinyode.
The former Commissioner in a message to The DEFENDER on Monday appealed to the President to seize the significance of “December 17” to both his and the Animashuan family of Lagos where General Tajudeen Olanrewaju’s father, Alhaji Abdul Yekin Afolabi Olanrewaju Animashaun, who died on December 17, 1996 belonged, to pardon his elder brother and assuage strained nerves by so doing.
If President Buhari can grant this appeal, Dr. Animashaun said, it will be treated as “remembrance gift” by the Lagos largest family.
Dr. Animashaun said: “Congratulations to our President Muhammadu Buhari, who is 76 years old today. May Allah (SWT) give him long life and good health to finish the good work he has started in Nigeria for the progress of the country.
“Today is the 22nd anniversary of the death of my father Alhaji Abdul Yekin Afolabi Olanrewaju Animashaun 17/12/96.
“I’m using this unique incident to appeal to the President Buhari to grant Maj Gen Tajudeen Olanrewaju a state pardon as a remembrance gift to the family of the Animashaun of Lagos God bless you Sir as you do so,” the former Commissioner appealed.
In his own appeal, the journalist, Prince Adefaka, who has been an advocate of inclusive participation of all Nigerians in Buharism for better Nigeria without professional, ethnic and ethnic barriers, said the administration of Goodluck Jonathan 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.
To the journalist, President Muhammadu Buhari would make him happy by revisiting the General Olanrewaju’s issue and pardon him as well as restoring his benefits and entitlements like the main leader of the 1997 fathomed coup, Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya is already enjoying.
In an emotion-laden Facebook about General Olanrewaju, Prince Bashir Adefaka, who currently is a media consultant and emerging Nigeria’s young proprietor, gave brief description of the man he wanted President Buhari pardon.
“He is one of our fathers, man of integrity; a Nigeria’s fine Major General, Tajudeen Adeniyi Olanrewaju, who 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. General Olanrewaju had the best report so far on achieving a successful oil sector and its security as Chairman Presidential Review Committee on General Abisoye Report and will continue to be remembered as the man who, under Abacha, liberated Nigerians from the grip of NITEL by his deregulation of the Telecommunications sector licensing wireless phones with GSM about yo launch when Ishaiya Bamaiyi and Allah knows them all implicated him in a Diya coup he had no hand in and was arrested.”
“PDP 16 years government could only pardon thieves and even Diya and late Adisa who had hands in it but left innocent Lagos son of the Animashaun lineage, who is as intelligent and integrity-based despite all attempts by Obasanjo administration to find a single thievery in his past but failed, in the cold.
“That is the fine officer, now 72, that we are asking President Muhammadu Buhari to help us to pardon and pay his 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.
“I CALL ON ALL BUHARISTS like Zara Gift Onyinye, Femi Adesina, Garba Shehu, Liberty Badmus, Dr. Emman Shehu, Lateef Olawumi, Hammed A. B Eleyele, Fowowe Titilopemi, Moyosore Oyetunji, Lawal Garba, Yusuf Shehu Usman, Yusuf U Ajeka, Yusuf Ilemobola AbdlHakeem, Suleiman Haruna, Martins Kunle, Ibrahim Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro, etc TO JOIN ME IN BEGGING PRESIDENT BUHARI TO FOR ALLAH’S SAKE MAKE ME HAPPY BY FRGIVING, FORGETTING AND PARDONING MY “FATHER” MAJOR GENERAL TAJUDEEN OLANREWAJU AND GET ALL HIS ENTITLEMENTS AND SALARIES RESTORED,” he said.
#PardonGenOlanrewaju Campaigns kicks off
Some Nigerians from across the country and in the Diaspora, touched by the new social media campaign by Prince Bashir Adefaka for #PardonOlanrewaju have indicated interest in joining to appeal to President Buhari, who they described as compassionate leader.
In the meantime, members of the Patriotic Friends of PMB, an independent Buhari support group in Nigeria, have risen to the call for Olanrewaju’s pardon with many of them saying on Monday that “We will first celebrate Baba at 76 today and then begin the call for pardon for General Tajudeen Olanrewaju tomorrow”.
A Nigerian in Ghana, who has remained unshaken on Buhari’s support struggle while others were tempted and lured away since the struggle started in 2015, Mr. Robert Rawman Reigns has also added his own voice for the #PardonGenOlanrewaju campaign.
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.
In her own submission, a school administrator and staunch Buharist (names withheld) said: “We will beg him (Buhari) tomorrow, let us first celebrate him @76 today (December 17)”. She said.
In his word, Oyo State Coordinator of the Muhammadu Buhari Organisation, Mr. Hammed Eleyele, said: “I suggest we draft a letter to be jointly signed by us Buharists, appealing in this regard after the celebration.”
A film producer, Alhaji Bolaji Bello, said: “May Allah make it easy. I will love to be part of it Prince. Let’s mobilize ourselves and see how we can get it done as soon as possible.”
Other who added their voices to the newly cropped campaign include Olugbenga Odularu and Afolayan Bolafat who said: “I am ready to support you my Prince”.
