Salaudeen Latinwo, Kwara’s Most Principled Military Gov, Dies At 80…Gov AbdulRazaq Offers Condolences

 Alhaji Salaudeen Adebola Latinwo, a retired Group Captain , is dead . Latinwo , who was born in 1943, joined  the Nigerian Air Force in  1963.

He served as Military Governor of Kwara state between January 1984 and August 1985, and he has been recognized by many as a principled person.

He had while serving as governor began dealing with ‘powerful individuals’ that had hoarded goods right from his hometown , Offa and he had kinsmen among those affected.

Their goods were sold to the people at giveaway prices.

‘I wish to say that the State Government under Kwara state Military Governor, Group Captain Salaudeen Adebola Latinwo’s leadership  has done a lot to better, the lots of the masses throughout Kwara state. His actions have instilled discipline and increased people’s confidence in his administration’  the then Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari  had submitted during his official visit to the state between April  9 and 12 , 1985.

Latinwo left the Airforce  in 1986 after getting arrested in connection with the failed coup organized by  General Mamman Jiya Vasta, who was the Minister of FCT.

  The retired Airforce officer, who had left as Kwara state governor, was then serving as Director of the Directorate of Administration, Nigerian Air Force Headquarters.

While Vasta and some others were executed  on  March 5 , 1986, Latinwo was though cleared of any wrongdoing he was however retired from the Air force.

He noted years later that the recollection of this had brought painful feelings.

‘It’s like you were in a place which was like a family, and suddenly you are cut off. It was very painful. For the first two to three years, you would be dazed. When you leave the service you were already used to, more so when you are just 42 years, it was very painful.

I would have loved to remain with the family I belonged to, but here I was with gun pointed at my neck and loads of allegations. I think I was lucky to escape with my life. The kind of separation I had was a matter of life and death; because no sooner was the government overthrown than the new government identified me as one of those poised to bring it down. But somehow, I came out with my life. I count myself lucky because not everyone that was picked up made it’ he had submitted in an interview.

Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has commiserated with the people of the state, especially Offa community, over the death of the retired Air force officer and one of his predecessors.

In a Government House statement made available to  Team@orientactualmags.com on Saturday, Governor AbdulRazaq called  Latinwo’s death a sad occurrence and a big void in the crop of great statesmen whose well of wisdom and experience ‘is invaluable’. 

“On behalf of the AbdulRazaqs, the government and people of Kwara state, the governor sends his heartfelt condolences to the family of the late military administrator, the Offa community, and the military establishment on this development.

The governor prays  Allaah to repose the soul of the former leader in Al-jannah and uphold his family and the community he left behind’ the statement said–Team@orientactualmags.com
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