Former Military Administrator of Kwara state, Group Captain Salaudeen Latinwo (retd), has passed away at the age of 80. He breathed his last in the early hours of Saturday in the United Kingdom after a prolonged battle with illness.
Salaudeen Latinwo assumed the role of Military Administrator of Kwara state from January 1984 to August 1985 during the leadership of Major General Buhari/Idiagbon.
Born in Offa in 1943, Latinwo hailed from the distinguished and affluent Aliu Onaolapo Olatinwo family of Offa, located in the Offa local government of Kwara State. He was one among 43 children of his father Aliu Olatinwo, who had ten wives.
Latinwo was part of the inaugural group of officer cadets enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force in 1963 under the guidance of Colonel Gerhard Kahtz, the initial Chief of Air Staff of the Nigerian Airforce. The Nigerian Air Force was officially established on April 18, 1964, under the Air Force Act of 1964.
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Reacting to the news, Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, expressed his condolences through a statement issued by Rafiu Ajakaye, his Chief Press Secretary. Governor AbdulRazaq described Latinwo’s demise as a poignant event, leaving a significant void among the ranks of esteemed statesmen renowned for their invaluable wisdom and experience.
The Governor conveyed his sympathies to Latinwo’s family, the Offa community, and the military fraternity, and offered his prayers for the peaceful repose of the former leader’s soul and for strength for his family and community.
The Emir of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, lamented the loss of the former military governor, Group Captain Salaudeen Olatinwo (retd), emphasizing its profound impact on both the state and the nation. Alhaji Sulu-Gambari noted that his tenure coincided with his own investiture as the Ciroma of Ilorin in 1984, an event overseen by the late 9th Emir of Ilorin, Shehu Zulqarnaini Muhammadu Gambari.
Praising Olatinwo’s dedicated governance of the state, Alhaji Sulu-Gambari also highlighted his role as a staunch advocate of the War Against Indiscipline and Corruption, a hallmark of the Buhari/Idiagbon-led military administration.
In his condolences, the Emir conveyed his sympathy to the family of the late military leader and the entire Offa community, while praying for his soul’s eternal rest in Al-janatul Firdaus. The Emir regarded the incident as an unfortunate loss to Kwara State, the nation, and humanity as a whole.
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