By Enyichukwu Enemanna
President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu has announced the appointment of Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the new acting Chief of Army Staff.
This was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by the presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga.
He said Oluyede who hails from the same South West region with Tinubu will hold sway as the COAS pending the return of Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who is said to be indisposed and is receiving treatment abroad.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS),” the statement read.
“Oluyede will act in the position pending the return of the indisposed substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja.”
President Tinubu has been accused of appointing his “kinsmen” into key positions in his government, an allegation he has denied.
In addition to appointing a South Westerner Wale Edun as the Finance Minister, the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Yemi Cardoso is also from the same region from the President.
In security architecture, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale and the Director General of DSS, Mr Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi are all from South West.
It was recently rumoured that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja had passed away at an undisclosed medical facility abroad, but the army quickly dismissed the news as “fake”.
Until his appointment, Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, based in Jaji, Kaduna.
The 56-year-old Oluyede and Lagbaja were coursemates and members of the 39th Regular Course.
He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1992, effective from 1987. He rose to Major-General in September 2020.
Oluyede has held many commands since his commissioning as an officer. He was Platoon Commander and adjutant at 65 Battalion, Company Commander at 177 Guards Battalion, Staff Officer Guards Brigade, Commandant Amphibious Training School.
General Oluyede participated in several operations, including the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Mission in Liberia, Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi, and Operation HADIN KAI in the North East theatre of operations, where he commanded 27 Task Force Brigade.
Oluyede has earned many honours for his meritorious service in various fields of operations. These include the Corps Medal of Honour, the Grand Service Star, Passing the Staff Course, and Membership in the National Institute.
