Tunji Olurin
Encyclopedia
Adetunji Idowu Ishola Olurin (born December 3, 1944) is a retired one-star general in the Nigerian Army
who was a former military Governor of Oyo State
and Field Commander of ECOMOG Peacekeeping Force in Liberia
from 1992 to 1993 during the First Liberian Civil War. Olurin retired from service in 1993 and he is a member of People's Democratic Party
(PDP) in Nigeria
. He was administrator of Ekiti State
from October 8, 2006 until April 27, 2007.
to the Chief M.A.O. Olurin, the Agoro of Ilaro, and Madam Abigail Fola Olurin.
He was educated at Egbado College (now Yewa College), and attended the Technical College, Ibadan (now Ibadan Polytechnic) in 1966. He become a trainee at the Times Press in Apapa
, Lagos
. In 1967 he entered the Nigerian Defence Academy
(NDA), Kaduna
, where he obtained his NDA Certificate of Education. He attended many professional courses during his army career. He is a graduate of the School of Infantry, Quetta
, Pakistan
, the Command and Staff College
, Jaji
, Kaduna
and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru
, Jos
.
in 1973 and was the Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General of the Nigerian Defence Academy
, Kaduna.
He was Deputy Defence Adviser to the Nigerian High Commission in India (1975–1978) with the rank of major. After attending Staff College in 1978, he was deployed to the United Nations
Peace Keeping Operation in Lebanon
, where he commanded the Nigerian troops in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
(UNIFIL). His battalion was deployed between the Palestinian and Israeli forces.
In 1981, as General Staff Officer Operations at Army Headquarters, he mobilized the OAU peacekeeping force in Chad
. This force included troops from Nigeria, Senegal
, Kenya
and Zaire
. Also in 1981, he conducted operations in Kano
to suppress rebels led by religious fundamentalist.
At the time of the August 1985 coup, when Major General Muhammadu Buhari
was deposed and replaced by Brigadier Ibrahim Babangida
,
Lt. Col. Tunji Olurin was Commander of the 1st Mechanized Brigade, Minna
. He was "aware" but not "active" in the coup.
After the coup, he was appointed the Military Governor of Oyo State
(1985–1988). During his tenure as governor, he was a member of the National Council of States.
In 1987 he set up a committee that in 1988 recommended establishment of what became the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
.
In 1990, Olurin became the General officer commanding the 3rd Armoured Division in Jos and a member of the Armed Forces Ruling Council.
He served as a Field Commander in the ECOMOG Peacekeeping Force in Liberia
from December 1992 to September 1993, when he was relieved by Brigadier General John Nanzip Shagaya
.
He used his trusted relationship with the Nigerian head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida
, to obtain more troops for the mission, and by January 1993 had 16,000 troops under his command of whom 12,000 were Nigerian. Olurin was determined to force Charles Taylor onto the defensive. His aggressive tactics were militarily successful, forcing the NPFL to open negotiations by July 1993, although he was accused of showing favoritism to certain Liberian political groups.
.
On 26 September 2006 the Ekiti State
House of Assembly impeached the governor, Ayodele Fayose and his deputy Abiodun Christine Olujimi, alleging gross misconduct. On October 19, 2006, President Olusegun Obasanjo declared a State of Emergency in Ekiti State
and suspended the governor, deputy governor and House of Assembly of the state. He appointed Tunji Olurin, as "Sole Administrator" on Ekiti State. The State of Emergency was ratified by the National Assembly on October 26.
Soon after being appointed, Olurin dissolved the local government councils, who were under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) for allegedly misappropriating of about 7.3 billion naira.
In March 2007, Tunji Olurin ordered the Ekiti State radio and television stations not to broadcast programs of the Action Congress
(AC) candidate for the state governorship, Kayode Fayemi
, while allowing broadcasts by the PDP.
Olurin remained in charge until he was replaced by Tope Ademiluyi
on April 27, 2007.
of Ogun State.
Olurin has been the recipient of many honours including the United Nations Peace Medal and the Knight Commander of the Liberian Humane Order of African Redemption
(KCHOAR), Liberia’s highest national honour award. He is an honorary paramount chief of the Republic of Liberia.
Nigerian Army
The Nigerian Army the largest of the Nigerian Armed Forces, has about 100,000 professional personnel. The original elements of the Royal West African Frontier Force in Nigeria were formed in 1900....
who was a former military Governor of Oyo State
Oyo State
Ọyọ State is an inland state in south-western Nigeria, with its capital at Ibadan. It is bounded in the north by Kwara State, in the east by Osun State, in the south by Ogun State and in the west partly by Ogun State and partly by the Republic of Benin....
and Field Commander of ECOMOG Peacekeeping Force in Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
from 1992 to 1993 during the First Liberian Civil War. Olurin retired from service in 1993 and he is a member of People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP) in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. He was administrator of Ekiti State
Ekiti State
Ekiti State is a state in southwest Nigeria, created on October 1, 1996 alongside five other new states by military dictator General Sani Abacha...
from October 8, 2006 until April 27, 2007.
Birth and education
Tunji Olurin was born at IlaroIlaro
Ilaro, Ogun State is a town in Ogun State, Nigeria.Ilaro [3] is the headquarters of the Yewa South[1] Local government area of Nigeria, west of Africa. Ilaro town is about 50 km from Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, and about 100 km from Ikeja, the capital city of Lagos State...
to the Chief M.A.O. Olurin, the Agoro of Ilaro, and Madam Abigail Fola Olurin.
He was educated at Egbado College (now Yewa College), and attended the Technical College, Ibadan (now Ibadan Polytechnic) in 1966. He become a trainee at the Times Press in Apapa
Apapa
Apapa is the major port of the city of Lagos, Nigeria, and is located to the west of Lagos Island, across Lagos Harbour. It is also one of Nigeria's 774 Local Government Areas.- Overview :...
, Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
. In 1967 he entered the Nigerian Defence Academy
Nigerian Defence Academy
The Nigerian Defence Academy at Kaduna is the only Military University in Nigeria.The NDA was established in January 1964 as a reformation of the British run Royal Military Forces Training College , which had been renamed the Nigerian Military Training College on independence...
(NDA), Kaduna
Kaduna
Kaduna is the state capital of Kaduna State in north-central Nigeria. The city, located on the Kaduna River, is a trade center and a major transportation hub for the surrounding agricultural areas with its rail and road junction. The population of Kaduna is at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census...
, where he obtained his NDA Certificate of Education. He attended many professional courses during his army career. He is a graduate of the School of Infantry, Quetta
Quetta
is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, the Command and Staff College
Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji
The Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji is a training facility for the Nigerian Armed Forces, including the army, air force and navy. It is near the village of Jaji, Nigeria, about 35 km northeast of Kaduna in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria.-History:The Army...
, Jaji
Jaji, Nigeria
Jaji is a community in Nigeria near Kaduna in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.-Military staff college:Jaji is the site of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji. The college opened in May 1976 with two senior officers' courses based on a curriculum derived from that of...
, Kaduna
Kaduna State
-History:The state is the successor to the old Northern Region of Nigeria, which had its capital at Kaduna. In 1967 this was split up into six states, one of which was the North-Central State, whose name was changed to Kaduna State in 1976. This was further divided in 1987, losing the area now part...
and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru
Kuru, Nigeria
Kuru is located on the Jos Plateau in north-central Nigeria commonly referred as the middle belt region of Nigeria. Located about 20 km to Jos on the Jos-Abuja highway in Plateau State...
, Jos
Jos
Jos is a city in the Middle Belt of Nigeria.The city has a population of about 1.5 million residents. Popularly called "J-town" or "Jesus Our Saviour" by the residents, it is the administrative capital of Plateau State....
.
Military career
Olurin enrolled into the Nigerian Army in 1967 as an officer cadet of the 3rd Regular Course where he obtained his NDACE (Nigerian Defence Academic of Education) and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Nigerian Army in March, 1970. He became the Brigade Battalion in KainjiKainji
Kainji may refer to several locations in Nigeria:*Kainji Lake*Kainji Dam*Kainji National ParkIt is also used to refer to a group of languages spoken around and to the east of the lake*Kainji languages...
in 1973 and was the Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General of the Nigerian Defence Academy
Nigerian Defence Academy
The Nigerian Defence Academy at Kaduna is the only Military University in Nigeria.The NDA was established in January 1964 as a reformation of the British run Royal Military Forces Training College , which had been renamed the Nigerian Military Training College on independence...
, Kaduna.
He was Deputy Defence Adviser to the Nigerian High Commission in India (1975–1978) with the rank of major. After attending Staff College in 1978, he was deployed to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Peace Keeping Operation in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, where he commanded the Nigerian troops in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, was created by the United Nations, with the adoption of Security Council Resolution 425 and 426 on 19 March 1978, to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon which Israel had invaded five days prior, restore international peace and security,...
(UNIFIL). His battalion was deployed between the Palestinian and Israeli forces.
In 1981, as General Staff Officer Operations at Army Headquarters, he mobilized the OAU peacekeeping force in Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
. This force included troops from Nigeria, Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
. Also in 1981, he conducted operations in Kano
Kano
Kano is a city in Nigeria and the capital of Kano State in Northern Nigeria. Its metropolitan population is the second largest in Nigeria after Lagos. The Kano Urban area covers 137 sq.km and comprises six Local Government Area - Kano Municipal, Fagge, Dala, Gwale, Tarauni and Nassarawa - with a...
to suppress rebels led by religious fundamentalist.
At the time of the August 1985 coup, when Major General Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari was a military ruler of Nigeria and an unsuccessful candidate for president in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections...
was deposed and replaced by Brigadier Ibrahim Babangida
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
,
Lt. Col. Tunji Olurin was Commander of the 1st Mechanized Brigade, Minna
Minna
Minna is a city in west central Nigeria. It's the capital of Niger State, one of Nigeria's 36 federal states, and is the headquarters of Chanchaga Local Government Area.- Geography :...
. He was "aware" but not "active" in the coup.
After the coup, he was appointed the Military Governor of Oyo State
Oyo State
Ọyọ State is an inland state in south-western Nigeria, with its capital at Ibadan. It is bounded in the north by Kwara State, in the east by Osun State, in the south by Ogun State and in the west partly by Ogun State and partly by the Republic of Benin....
(1985–1988). During his tenure as governor, he was a member of the National Council of States.
In 1987 he set up a committee that in 1988 recommended establishment of what became the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
Ladoke Akintola University of Technology is a technical university located in Ogbomosho, Oyo State, Nigeria. The university currently enrolls 25,000 students and employs more than 3,000 people.-History:...
.
In 1990, Olurin became the General officer commanding the 3rd Armoured Division in Jos and a member of the Armed Forces Ruling Council.
He served as a Field Commander in the ECOMOG Peacekeeping Force in Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
from December 1992 to September 1993, when he was relieved by Brigadier General John Nanzip Shagaya
John Nanzip Shagaya
John Nanzip Shagaya is a Nigerian senator who was elected in April 2007 to represent the People's Democratic Party in Plateau State as member of the Nigerian Senate for Plateau South....
.
He used his trusted relationship with the Nigerian head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
, to obtain more troops for the mission, and by January 1993 had 16,000 troops under his command of whom 12,000 were Nigerian. Olurin was determined to force Charles Taylor onto the defensive. His aggressive tactics were militarily successful, forcing the NPFL to open negotiations by July 1993, although he was accused of showing favoritism to certain Liberian political groups.
Later career
On March 9, 2002, Tunji Olurin was elected as the President of the Yewa Group (YG), formed to develop Yewaland in Ogun StateOgun State
Ogun State is a state in South-western Nigeria. It borders Lagos State to the South, Oyo and Osun states to the North, Ondo State to the east and the republic of Benin to the west. Abeokuta is the capital and largest city in the state...
.
On 26 September 2006 the Ekiti State
Ekiti State
Ekiti State is a state in southwest Nigeria, created on October 1, 1996 alongside five other new states by military dictator General Sani Abacha...
House of Assembly impeached the governor, Ayodele Fayose and his deputy Abiodun Christine Olujimi, alleging gross misconduct. On October 19, 2006, President Olusegun Obasanjo declared a State of Emergency in Ekiti State
Ekiti State
Ekiti State is a state in southwest Nigeria, created on October 1, 1996 alongside five other new states by military dictator General Sani Abacha...
and suspended the governor, deputy governor and House of Assembly of the state. He appointed Tunji Olurin, as "Sole Administrator" on Ekiti State. The State of Emergency was ratified by the National Assembly on October 26.
Soon after being appointed, Olurin dissolved the local government councils, who were under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is a Nigerian law enforcement agency that investigates financial crimes such as advance fee fraud and money laundering...
(EFCC) for allegedly misappropriating of about 7.3 billion naira.
In March 2007, Tunji Olurin ordered the Ekiti State radio and television stations not to broadcast programs of the Action Congress
Action Congress
The Action Congress of Nigeria , formerly known as Action Congress , is a classical liberal Nigerian political party formed via the merger of the Alliance for Democracy, the Justice Party, the Advance Congress of Democrats, and several other minor political parties in September 2006. The party...
(AC) candidate for the state governorship, Kayode Fayemi
Kayode Fayemi
Kayode Fayemi, is the current Governor of Ekiti State and a native of Isan-Ekiti in Oye Local Government of Ekiti State, Nigeria.-Education:...
, while allowing broadcasts by the PDP.
Olurin remained in charge until he was replaced by Tope Ademiluyi
Tope Ademiluyi
Tope Ademiluyi is a Nigerian politician from Aramoko-Ekiti, Ekiti-West, Ekiti State. He was appointed to the position of acting governor on April 27, 2007, and succeeded Tunji Olurin, the previous acting governor. Ademiluyi held that position until 29 May 2007, when Olusegun Oni took...
on April 27, 2007.
Personal life
Olurin has lectured on peacekeeping at the International Peace Academy, the National War College, and United Nations seminars in Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal. In 2006, he was appointed the Chancellor of the First University of Education in Nigeria, TASUED by Governor Gbenga DanielGbenga Daniel
Gbenga Daniel is a Nigerian politician,and Governor of Ogun State of Nigeria since 29 May 2003. He is a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party and the owner of the Nigerian Compass, a daily newspaper.-Background:...
of Ogun State.
Olurin has been the recipient of many honours including the United Nations Peace Medal and the Knight Commander of the Liberian Humane Order of African Redemption
Liberian Humane Order of African Redemption
Liberian Humane Order of African Redemption was founded on January 13, 1879 during the presidency of Anthony W. Gardiner. It is awarded for humanitarian work in Liberia, for acts supporting and assisting the Liberian nation and to individuals who have played a prominent role in the emancipation of...
(KCHOAR), Liberia’s highest national honour award. He is an honorary paramount chief of the Republic of Liberia.