The former Governorship Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Ogun State,and retired Nigerian Army General, Tunji Olurin has been reported dead early Saturday at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital(LUTH), Lagos State at age 77 years.
Penpushing reports that, Olurin junior brother Funso Olurin confirmed the incident, adding that, he fell ill briefly and was rushed to the hospital, where he breathed his last, adding that details of the burial arrangements would be made public after meeting of the family.
‘Yes, it is true he died in the early hours of Saturday, he fell sick briefly and was taken to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, where breathed his last. The family will soon meet to discuss next step and further arrangements’, Olurin said
The deceased is a retired one-star General in the Nigerian Army who was a former military Governor of Oyo State and Field Commander ECOMOG of Peacekeeping Force in Liberia from 1992 to 1993 during the First Liberian Civil War.
Penpushing further reports that, he retired from service in 1993 and he is a member of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), and was administrator of Ekiti State from October 8, 2006 until April 27, 2007.
The late Olurin was born at Ilaro to Chief M.A.O. Olurin, Agoro of Ilaro, and Madam Abigail Fola Olurin, and educated at Egbado College (now Yewa College), and attended the Technical College, Ibadan (now Ibadan Polytechnic) in 1966.
Penpushing also reports that, he became a trainee at the Times Press in Apapa, Lagos, while In 1967 he entered the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, where he obtained his NDA Certificate of Education.
The late Olurin attended many professional courses during his army career, and 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
The deceased 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, became the Brigade Battalalion in Kainji in 1973 and was the Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General of the Nigerian Deffence Academy, Kaduna.
Penpushing reports that, he was Deputy Defence Adviser to the Nigerian High Commission in India (1975–1978) with the rank of major, and after attending Staff College in 1978, 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).
The late Army General’s battalion was deployed between the Palestinian and Israeli forces, and in 1981, as General Staff Officer Operations at Army Headquarters, he mobilized the Organisation of Africa Union (OAU) peacekeeping force in Chad, and this force included troops from Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya and Zaira, while in 1981, he conducted operations in Kano to suppress rebels led by religious fundamentalist.
Penpushing further reports that, at the time of the August 1985 coup, when Major General Muhammadu Buhari was deposed and replaced by Brigadier Ibrahim Babangida, the then Lt. Col. Tunji Olurin was Commander of the 1st Mechanized Brigade, Minna, and he was appointed the Military Governor of Oyo State (1985–1988).
The deceased during his tenure as Governor, he was a member of the National Council of States,and in 1987 he set up a committee that in 1988 recommended establishment of what became the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
Penpushing also reports that, in 1990, Olurin became the General officer commanding the 3rd Armoured Division in Jos and a member of the Armed Forces Ruling Council
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