Former President Olusegun Obasanjo Sunday, disclosed that it was General Olu Bajowa that saved him from being killed by Lieutenant Colonel Buka Dimka in the February 13, 1976 military coup d’etat.
Obasanjo made the revelation at Igbotako, Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, while speaking at the celebration of 80th birthday of General Olu Bajowa (Retd).
“I want to say something about Olu either he knew it or he did not know. When Dimka coup came, if Olu had not been what he is, I would have gone with the coup. Let me tell you the story.
“Olu is very respectful. He is very conscious of our culture. He had a child, a boy, and wanted to name the child after me. He had to call me early in the morning, that morning that Dimka struck.
And because Olu said he was coming, I had to wait a little bit. I waited beyond the time I would have gone out.
“Olu then came, he made the request and I granted the request.
“So, I was a little bit late in going on the route that I normally took to work. And Reinumuje went ahead of me and they thought it was me and they shot his car. They shot his car, Murtala was shot.
“Indirectly, that was how Olu Bajowa saved my life,” he stated.
He said Bajowa performed very well when he(Obasanjo) drafted him to go and lead 11 Battalion during the nation’s civil war.
