“My dear wife, First Lady, Iya Alakara.”
- President Tinubu playfully remarks about his wife, Remi Tinubu, regarding her recent comments on Akara during tonight’s Presidential Press Corps Dinner at the State House Banquet Hall.
MAJOR SEGUN ABIODUN ONI: THE SPECIAL FORCES WARRIOR WHO NEVER CAME BACK
Some soldiers serve.
Some soldiers lead.
A few become legends long before their final battle.
Major Segun Abiodun Oni (Maj SA Oni) belonged to the last category.
Born on 20 December 1986 in Benin City, Edo State, the gallant officer hailed from Eruku in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State. He began his educational journey at Ebenezer Nursery and Primary School, Ilorin, before proceeding to the prestigious Nigerian Military School (NMS), Zaria, where he studied from 1999 to 2004. He was later commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant on 17 September 2011 after completing his Military rigorous training in NDA.
An Infantry officer by corps, Major Oni quickly distinguished himself as an exceptional combat leader. Over the years, he served in virtually every major theatre of operations in Nigeria, participating in
✓Operation Lafiya Dole (now Operation Hadin Kai),
✓Operation Nut Cracker,
✓Operation Safe Haven, ✓Operation Restore Peace, ✓Operation Ceto Dole,
✓Operation Forest Sanity, and ✓Operation Whirl Punch.
His career saw him occupy several strategic appointments, including serving as
✓Platoon Commander, 72 Special Forces Battalion,
✓Company Second-in-Command, Armed Forces Special Forces Battalion, and later ✓Second-in-Command, Defence Headquarters Special Operations Forces Battalion.
But what truly set Major Oni apart was his dedication to Special Operations.
He trained extensively both within and outside Nigeria, earning elite qualifications in Special Purpose •Counter-Terrorism and
•Ranger Operations in Belarus, •Special Forces Airborne Training at Fort Bragg, United States,
•Special Forces Reconnaissance in South Africa, and
•Advanced Military courses in the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
On 13 August 2023, while leading troops on a mission against heavily armed bandits in Niger State, Major Oni and his men came under a fierce t£rrorist ambush. True to the creed of Special Forces officers, he led from the front and paid the ultimate price in the service of his Nation. He was 36 years old.
Beyond the battlefield, Major Oni was also a scholar. Before his untimely death, he was pursuing a Master's degree in Peace and Conflict Resolution at the Nigerian Defence Academy Postgraduate School, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to learning, leadership, and Nation-building.
Those who knew him describe him as a brilliant, humble, and highly respected officer. An outstanding Ex-Boy, a dependable leader, and above all, a soldier deeply loved by his men. In the military, respect cannot be demanded, it is earned. Major Oni earned it in abundance.
His death was felt deeply across the Armed Forces and beyond.
So profound was his impact that the Nigerian Army later immortalized him by naming the newly constructed 1 Division Garrison Main Gate in his honour.
He was a fine Officer, A great Special Forces Operator, A brilliant Scholar, A Patriot and of course a charismatic Leader.
Major SA Oni did not merely wear the uniform.
He honoured it.
And though he has fallen, his name now belongs to that sacred roll of Nigerian warriors who gave everything so that others may live.
Rest on, Warrior.
Once a Boy Soldier. Forever a Soldier.
We Have The Watch, Thank You for your service Sir 🇳🇬🫡
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I am advising myself and all of you to have conscious awareness (Taqwa) of Allah openly and in private and this is a counsel, which if followed, Is a guarantorfor the obtainment of everything sought for, in this life and the life to come.
~Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse رضي الله عنه