Ahmed Usman

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Ahmed Usman
Military Governor of Ondo State
In office
September 1994 – August 1996
Preceded byMike Torey
Succeeded byAnthony Onyearugbulem
Military Governor of Oyo State
In office
22 August 1996 – August 1998
Preceded byChinyere Ike Nwosu
Succeeded byAmen Edore Oyakhire
Personal details
Born20 August 1951
Died14 April 2021(2021-04-14) (aged 69)
Jos, Nigeria
NationalityNigerian
Military service
Allegiance Nigeria
Branch/service Nigerian Army
RankColonel

Colonel Ahmed Usman listenⓘ (20 August 1951[1] – 14 April 2021)[2] was a Nigerian military administrator of Ondo State and later Oyo State during the military regime of General Sani Abacha.[3]

Early career[edit]

Ahmed Usman was born in 1951 and grew up in Okura-Lafia, Dekina Local Government Area, Kogi State. After joining the army, postings included Second in Command, 192 Battalion, Abak and 141 Battalion, Kano (1983–1985), United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (1985–1986) and Battalion Commander G Amphibious, Elele Port Hartcourt (1990–1991).[4]

Usman was appointed governor of Ondo State in September 1994.[3] While governor of Ondo State, Usman installed Oba Adeleye Orisagbemi as the Attah of Ayede Ekiti.[5] Amid concerns about cultism in the state, on 17 June 1996, Usman threatened to dismiss any Ondo State judge who granted bail to secret cult suspects.[6] In 1998, Adeoluwa Oyerinde, a former Managing Director of a subsidiary of the Odu'a Investment Company, alleged that he had given bribes to Usman and other military governors while Usman was administrator of Ondo State.[7]

Oyo State Governor[edit]

In August 1996, Usman was deployed to Oyo State to be governor at a time of growing discontent about the military regime headed by Sani Abacha. On 12 May 1997, a bomb explosion in the state capital of Ibadan injured two soldiers and a policeman. Usman said the perpetrators were cowards.[8] Two people were killed and about 20 wounded at the Salami Sports Stadium, Ibadan, in April 1998, when supporters of the United Action for Democracy (UAD) disrupted a pro-Abacha rally that had earlier been addressed by Colonel Usman.[9]

Seven people were killed in 1998 May Day clashes between police and pro-democracy protesters. Usman blamed "foreign enemies" of supporting the violence.[10] Later that month, Usman said security forces had been placed on red alert to stop any protest in the state capital, Ibadan.[11] A few days later, thirty-seven Nigerians were arrested and charged with subversion, including educator and Oyo State National Democratic Coalition leader Lam Adesina, who later became Governor of the state in 1999.[12] Usman said they would be treated as "prisoners of war". Three other people, one a prominent newspaper editor, were charged with subversion.[13] Sani Abacha died in June 1998, and Usman was relieved of his position as governor in August 1998.[3]

Later life[edit]

After the return to democracy in 1999, Usman entered private business and stayed out of politics until in August 2008, when he declared that he intended to run for governor of Kogi State in 2011.[14] Running under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, he lost in the party primary election.[3] He later expressed interest in running in the 2019 Kogi State gubernatorial election as well, as part of the All Progressives Congress, but ultimately did not enter the race.[15]

Usman died on 14 April 2021 at the age of 69 in Jos, Plateau State, following an illness. His body was brought back to his hometown of Okura-Lafia, Kogi State, for an Islamic funeral.[16] Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello offered condolences following Usman's death.[17]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Hilary, Amodu (1999). Who's who in IgalaLand?. ISBN 9789783410022.
  2. ^ Adeyemi, Kolade (14 April 2021). "Ex-Oyo, Ondo Military Administrator, Usman, dies". The National. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d "Mike Attah, Ahmed Usman: Where are they now?". Blueprint. 5 October 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  4. ^ Oyo State past and present. Ministry of Information, Youth, Sports & Culture. 2002. p. 56.
  5. ^ "Ayede-Ekiti monarch writes Ekiti govt over activities of ex-regeant". BNW News. 10 May 2004. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  6. ^ Babatunde Olugboji (1996). Human rights practices in Nigeria, January 1995-June 1996. Constitutional Rights Project. p. 92. ISBN 978-2944-06-8.
  7. ^ Otive Igbuzor (9 September 2005). "Youth And The War Against Corruption In Africa: Roles And Policy Options". Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  8. ^ "WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE: Police Probe Ibadan bomb blast". PeaceLink. 22 May 1997. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  9. ^ Taye Babaleye (17 April 1998). "Mayhem in Ibadan". PeaceLink. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  10. ^ "NIGERIA: Police and protestors clash in southwest". UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 4 May 1998. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  11. ^ "Oyo State security on "red alert"". UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 14 May 1998. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  12. ^ Bamidele, Yami (19 November 2012). "Nigeria: Ex-Oyo Gov - Why I Arrested Lam Adesina". AllAfrica. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  13. ^ "Thirty-seven Nigerians charged with subversion". UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 19 May 1998. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  14. ^ SAM EGWU (30 August 2009). "Ex-Milad joins guber race in Kogi". Sunday Trust. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  15. ^ "Kogi guber: Bello faces tough battle". The Nation. 21 April 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  16. ^ Osinusi, Femi (14 April 2021). "Colonel Ahmed Usman, Ex-Oyo, Ondo Military Administrator, Is Dead". Nigerian Tribune. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  17. ^ Olufemi, Alfred (14 April 2021). "Former Oyo, Ondo military administrator, Usman, is dead". Premium Times. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
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