From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The Leader of the Senate, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, has described the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, as a true democrat who selflessly supported the struggle to restore democracy during Nigeria’s years under military rule.
Speaking in Abuja during the inauguration of the governing council and principal officers of a federal university, Bamidele revealed that Alausa played a critical behind-the-scenes role in mobilising medical resources and providing free healthcare to leaders of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) who were forced into exile during the dictatorship of General Sani Abacha.
“Dr. Alausa was one of the few people we relied on when most of us fled Nigeria due to threats to our lives,” Bamidele said. “He was then a prosperous medical doctor in the United States, and he provided hope, resources, and much-needed medical care for us in exile.”
According to Bamidele, many exiled NADECO leaders suffered injuries—including from tear gas attacks during protests—and required surgeries and other medical attention. Alausa, who was then undergoing medical training in the UK, coordinated free treatment for many of them in Europe and the US.
NADECO was formed in 1994 to challenge the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election and to campaign for the end of military rule in Nigeria. Its key figures, including Chief Anthony Enahoro, Prof. Wole Soyinka, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Ayo Opadokun, and Hon. Olawale Oshun, were either arrested or forced into exile during the Abacha regime.
Bamidele also revealed that when democracy was restored in 1999, Alausa declined offers to serve as Commissioner for Education or Health in Lagos State under then-Governor Tinubu, insisting his contributions to the pro-democracy cause were not motivated by the pursuit of political appointments.
Instead, he continued his support by initiating medical outreaches across the South-west region. “He mobilised medical doctors and experts from the diaspora who offered free healthcare services, eyeglasses, and surgeries,” Bamidele said. “We didn’t pay for their flights, accommodations, or the services. Alausa bore the cost.”
The Senate Leader further disclosed that Alausa eventually accepted his current ministerial appointment after sustained appeals. “He agreed to serve not because of politics but because he believed in the cause we all fought for,” Bamidele concluded.