By Damola Emmanuel
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the death of a former Military Administrator of Benue and Kano States, also a former Chairman of the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, Brigadier General Dominic Obukadata Oneya, who passed on, Thursday, aged 73.
Oneya, who was appointed chairman of the NFF, on January 17, 2000, died in his home in Effurun GRA, Uvwie LGA of Delta State on Thursday, according to a statement issued by Mr. Abubakar Aminu Ibrahim, media aide of the governor of Kano, Dr. Abduullahi Ganduje.
In a condolence message, issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, President Buhari expressed sadness over the former military administrator’s demise, declaring that “Nigeria will never forget his excellent leadership as a Military commander and sports administrator.”
“Nigeria mourns at the unfortunate demise of General Oneya, former Military Governor of Benue and Kano States,” the President continued. “We remember his outstanding services to the nation through his career in the army and his one-time presidency of the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF. May the Almighty repose his soul.”
Buhari also extended “the nation’s condolences to the family of the deceased General, the Agbarho community in Ughelli North, of which he was always proud, and to the government and people of Delta State over the irreparable loss.”
Born in Lagos on May 26, 1948, the late Oneya was Military Administrator of Kano State from August 1996 to August 1998 during the brutal dictatorship of the late General Sani Abacha. He also served as military administrator of Benue State between August 1998 to May 1999.
He attended Baptist Academy, Palm Grove, Lagos, from 1962 to 1967, and got enlisted into the Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA, in May 1969. Two years later, September 1971, he was commissioned into the Nigeria Army Infantry Corps.
Pursuing his quest for education, Oneya, in 1977, secured admission into then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1980.
The late Brigadier General attended the Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State, from 1983 to 1984, and the Canadian Land Force Command and Staff College from 1987 to 1988.
Between 1972 and 1973, Oneya was an instructor at 4 Division Training School. He also served as an instructor at the Nigerian Army Military Training College, Jaji, between 1975 and 1977.
As a staff officer from 1977, he served at then Army Headquarters, Lagos, and was on foreign mission with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon from 1980 to 1981.
Oneya was commandant of the Nigerian Army Physical Training School, Zaria from 1985 to 1987; directing staff, Command and Staff College, Jaji, from 1987 to 1989; and directing staff, Ghana Armed Forces College Teshie, from 1989 to 1991.
