By Abiola Olawale
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele has shed light on the role played by Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa in mobilizing resources for exiled leaders of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) during the regime of General Sani Abacha.
Bamidele, the Senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District of Ekiti State at the Senate, made this revelation during the inauguration of the Governing Council and Principal Officers of the Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences (FUTES) in Iyin-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
The New Diplomat reports that during the days of Abacha’s military rule which began in 1993 and ended in 1998, NADECO, which was formed on May 15, 1994, to push for the de-annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, was the most effective broad based pro-demicracy movement in Nigeria at the time.
Prominent figures such as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; the late elder statesman, Chief Anthony Enahoro; Africa’s first Nobel Laureate for Literature, Prof. Wole Soyinka; NADECO’s first Secretary General, Chief Ayo Opadokun, former House of Representatives Chief Whip Olawale Oshun, eminent businessman, Chief Ralph Obioha, Second Republic governor of Kwara State, Chief C.O.Adebayo, former Chief of Defence Staff, General Alani Akinrinade, amongst others were forced into exile on account of massive threats to their lives persecution and life-threatening developments.
Bamidele revealed that Alausa, then a medical doctor based at Royal Bolton Hospital and the University of Newcastle (1995–1997), stepped in as a critical ally.
“Many of these leaders sustained serious injuries while fleeing persecution and urgently required medical attention,” Bamidele stated.
The lawmaker further disclosed that Alausa, leveraging his medical expertise, provided free healthcare services to reasonable numbers of exiled activists across Europe and the United States, ensuring they received the care needed to continue their fight for democracy.He also added that the Minister mobilized diaspora doctors and health professionals to conduct weeks-long medical outreach programs, all without government funding for flights, accommodation, or services.
He continued: “When some of our leaders had the opportunity to come back to Nigeria at the advent of the Fourth Republic, Alausa did not just watch us from his country of residence. He initiated several medical programmes we implemented across all states of the Southwest.
“Alausa was the brain behind such medical programmes as free medical care, free eyeglasses and different surgery programmes that we implemented across the geo-political zone then. He mobilised medical doctors and experts from the diaspora to Nigeria.
“For weeks, they were in the Southwest holding different medical outreaches free of charge. As a government, we did not pay for their flights, accommodation or the medical care they provided for the beneficiaries of the interventions. He implemented the programmes free of charge behind the scenes.
“I can also testify as a commissioner under Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos State that the governor did everything to make Alausa serve in his State Executive Council (Exco). He was supposed to choose between the Commissioner for Education or Health. But he told Asiwaju that he did not support the pro-democracy leaders because he wanted to be in government but because he was obliged to support them.
“I am also aware of the pressure exerted on him before he accepted to come and serve in the administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the 16th President of Nigeria. The pressure lasted for some weeks. But somehow along the line, God touched his heart and he agreed to come and be part of us.”
