How education minister helped NADECO activists fleeing Abacha — Bamidele

Alausa

The Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has revealed that the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, played a crucial role in supporting chieftains of the National Democratic Coalition who fled Nigeria during the military regime of the late General Sani Abacha.

Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central in the National Assembly, also disclosed that Alausa declined offers to serve as either Commissioner for Education or Commissioner for Health under Bola Tinubu during his tenure as the 12th Governor of Lagos State.

Speaking at the inauguration of the governing council and principal officers of a federal university in Abuja, Bamidele recounted Alausa’s interventions for exiled pro-democracy advocates in Europe and the United States between 1993 and 1999.

NADECO, a broad coalition of democrats formed on May 15, 1994, was established to protest the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by the late Chief Moshood Abiola.

The group also aimed to end decades of military rule and restore democracy in Nigeria.

Several prominent figures were forced into exile during Abacha’s regime, including pro-democracy icon Chief Anthony Enahoro, Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, President Bola Tinubu, NADECO’s first Secretary-General, Chief Ayo Opadokun, and former House of Representatives Chief Whip, Olawale Oshun.

Recalling Alausa’s support for exiled activists, Bamidele noted that many of them had sustained serious injuries while fleeing persecution and urgently required medical attention.He explained that Alausa, then undergoing residency in Internal Medicine at the Royal Bolton Hospital and the University of Newcastle between 1995 and 1997, provided critical medical care—free of charge—to many exiled pro-democracy leaders in both Europe and the United States.

“The honourable minister was one of the few people we relied on for years while in exile,” Bamidele said. “He was then a successful medical doctor in the United States. He gave us hope, financial assistance, and vital medical care. Some beneficiaries are still alive today; others have passed on.”