By Yemisi Suleiman

The former Military Governor of the Old Ondo state, Rear Admiral Sunday Abiodun Olukoya (rtd.) has passed on, aged 74.

This occurred on Monday, August 23rd 2021 after battling a brief illness. Olukoya was an officer in the Nigerian Navy, retiring after 32 years of meritorious service as a Rear Admiral.

He was once the ADC to the Military Governor of Western State, Vice Admiral Akintunde Aduwo. He also served as the Director of Naval Signals, as well as the Commanding Officer of Naval Ships and Shore Bases.

He was the Defense Attaché, Nigerian Embassy, Yaoundé, Cameroun between 1986 and 1990.

He served briefly as the Director of Administration and Logistics at the Directorate of Intelligence Agency before his appointment as the Military Governor of Old Ondo State (current day Ondo and Ekiti states) between 1990 and 1992, during the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.).

He was appointed the Commandant of the Apapa Port in 1992 and served as the Director of Administration at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) between 1996 and 1998. Before his retirement in 1999, he served as the Director of Logistics at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.

As a retired officer, he was appointed as the Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Auditing, Wrecking, Clearing and Sale of residual metals in Nigerian waters by the Late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

He was a recipient of various awards including Commander of the Order of Niger (CON), Forces Service Star (FSS), National Service Medal (NSM), Silver Jubilee Medal (SJM), Meritorious Service Star (MSS), amongst others. He was also celebrated by the Nigerian Tribune Newspaper as one of Ogun State’s 35 eminent indigenes.

Admiral Olukoya also sat as the board Chairman of several companies including DGU Consult Limited, HSENations (Organizers of AfriSAFE), Oakland and Johnson, amongst others.

He was also the Publisher of Real World Magazine, a magazine dedicated to celebrating God’s goodness.

He was a loving husband to Chief Mrs. Oluremi Olukoya, a caring father and grandfather and a faithful follower of Jesus Christ.

Details will be provided by the family on burial arrangements.