Tunji Olurin
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Major General Adetunji Idowu Ishola Olurin (rtd.), started his early education at Christ Primary School in 1951 and finished at St. Paul’s School, Odo-Ona, Ibadan. He however obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1957 while he was at the famous Egbado College (now Yewa College) where he obtained his WASC in 1964. He also had a brief stay at Technical College, Ibadan (Ibadan Polytechnic) and was a Technical Trainee at the Times Press, Apapa, Lagos.
Major General Olurin enrolled into the Nigerian Army in 1967 as an officer cadet of the 3rd Regular Course where he obtained his NDACE (Nigerian Defence Academic of Education) and was commissioned a second lieutenant into the Nigerian Army in March, 1970 as a Regular Combatant Infantry Officer.
He became the Brigade Battalion in Kainji in 1973 and was the Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna.
After rising to the rank of a Lt. Col., he was deployed to the United Nations Peacekeeping operations in Lebanon. Major Gen. Olurin became the Commander of the Nigerian Battalion in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Major Gen. Olurin was also Colonel staff at the Nigerian School (NASI), Jaji and Deputy Commandant of the same NASI.He later became Brigadier Commander, 14 Mechanised Brigade of the Nigerian Army before he was appointed the Military Governor of Old Oyo State between 1985 and 1988, which made him a member of National Council of States. He was also a member of the Armed Forces Ruling Council; Field Commander of ECOMOG Peacekeeping Force in Liberia.
He attended many scholastic and professional courses. He has also presented papers on peacekeeping in various seminars like the 4th Biennial Berlin Lecture in Germany, International Peace Academy and the United Nations seminars in Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria. He is still a consultant to training institutions including the National War College, when called upon for such assignment. Though, he retired from the army after 27years of meritorious service to the nation, another feather was added to his cap this year when he was appointed the Chancellor of the First University of Education in Nigeria, TASUED by Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State.
He has been decorated with many medals, honours and awards which include Republic Medal, National Service Medal, Nigerian Crisis Medal, General Service Medal, Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Jubilee Medal, Forces Service Star Medal and Meritorious Service Medal.
Other awards are United Nations Peace Medal, ECOWAS Peace Medal, Distinguished Service Order Medal, Medal of Honour, Liberia.
Added to these awards are distinguished ones like the Knight Commander of the Humane Order of African Redemption (KCHOAR), Liberia’s highest national honour award, Officer of the Order of Niger (OON), Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) and Commander of the Order of Niger (CON).
Major General ’Tunji Olurin is an honorary paramount chief of the Republic of Liberia. He loves reading, golfing and flying . He is happily married with children.
He was appointed by President Olusegun Obasanjo as Administrator in Ekiti State on October 8, 2006 for the next six months owing to a forestalling of expected breakdown of public peace as a result of the unconstitutional fallouts of the impeachment of Governor Ayodele Fayose by the State lawmakers and the claim to governorship by both Chief Friday Aderemi (former Speaker), the impeached Fayose who is still in hiding, and his Deputy Chief (Mrs.) Abiodun Olujinmi who was also claiming to be deputising for her boss.
