Today, March 24, makes it exactly two decades since Nigeria lost one of its foremost heroic figures, the late Major-General AbdulBaki Babatunde Idiagbon, to the cold hands of death.
General Tunde Idiagbon, as he was simply known, was a celebrated soldier, an accomplished statesman and a remarkable ‘political figure’ who served as the Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters of the Federal Republic of Nigeria between December 31, 1983 and August 27, 1985.
Just like most of his predecessors and contemporaries in Ilorin and the rest of northern Nigeria, the late no-nonsense military tactician adopted the name of his ancestral family compound as his official surname, which he bore with total respect and pride throughout his eventful sojourn on earth. The late general attended the Ilorin United School, an institution founded by the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union , for his primary education between 1950 and 1952.
He was, thereafter, enlisted as an officer into the Nigerian army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1965 after successfully completing training at the Pakistani Military Academy, Kakul, from where he also bagged a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. In the course of his outstanding military services, this gallant soldier held various command posts. He was the commander, 4th Battalion of the Nigerian Army from August 1965 to February 1966. He was the sector commanding officer, 20 Battalion from October 1967 to February 1968. He also served in the same capacity at the 125 Battalion from 1968 to 1970.
Mr Idiagbon’s direct political appointment, however, began in August 1978 when he was made the military administrator of the old Borno State. While Mr Idiagbon was, no doubt, the engine-room, the brain-box, and the star boy of the military regime headed by Mr Buhari, the story of how he emerged as the deputy head of that corrective government needs to be shared for us to have an insight into that unique ‘leadership partnership’ he built with his lanky boss and friend.
Mr Buhari was said to have accepted to lead the government only on the condition that he would be given the absolute liberty to select his deputy. Because Mr Buhari was so needed, he was allowed to make his choice and the lot fell on Mr Idiagbon because of their apparent compatibility in the realm of background, career path, integrity, personality, and political philosophy.
Mr Idiagbon was a man who not only chorused discipline, he lived it throughout his career and life. He was a man who utilised the privileges of several offices he held to promote nation-building and national development. He demonstrated absolute honesty, loyalty, and comradeship to the extent that 35 years after he left public service and two decades after his death, no one has accused him of any form of moral or financial corruption.
Besides, Mr Idiagbon was also a silent community leader who influenced many of the developmental agenda of the IEDPU prior to, while he was in, and even after leaving office as the nation’s number two citizen.
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