So short of words. Her death is definitely not natural. But how
can you be sick and be with your parents for three weeks without your husband
asking after you and shortly after you got back on your feet you return to him. Honestly, women have been made to see marriage as a must. Even if it will take
your life, you must just stay married. I really pity ladies, especially my
Yoruba sisters. Don’t know about other tribes, but I think it’s tough with us. Is
it what your mother will say? And your father? What about your extended family members? Even those aunts with broken homes (mschew).
can you be sick and be with your parents for three weeks without your husband
asking after you and shortly after you got back on your feet you return to him. Honestly, women have been made to see marriage as a must. Even if it will take
your life, you must just stay married. I really pity ladies, especially my
Yoruba sisters. Don’t know about other tribes, but I think it’s tough with us. Is
it what your mother will say? And your father? What about your extended family members? Even those aunts with broken homes (mschew).
Everybody just want to see you married, even if you are the one financing your home
and your husband is still maltreating you, they just want you still there. Her
case reminds us of the banker woman and many other women who died while just
being at home with their spouse alone. However, one thing their spouses all
have in common is that they are always out of job. They never finance their
homes and they take it out on their women. Though the women turn out to be the bread winners, they mostly end up in grave. The
sad end of 28-year old Olusayo….
and your husband is still maltreating you, they just want you still there. Her
case reminds us of the banker woman and many other women who died while just
being at home with their spouse alone. However, one thing their spouses all
have in common is that they are always out of job. They never finance their
homes and they take it out on their women. Though the women turn out to be the bread winners, they mostly end up in grave. The
sad end of 28-year old Olusayo….
Two families in Ile-Ife, Osun State are currently locked in a
bitter battle over the suspicious death of a 28-year-old woman, Olusayo
Onikuyade,
bitter battle over the suspicious death of a 28-year-old woman, Olusayo
Onikuyade,
Olusayo, up until her death, was a youth corps member in
Zamfara State. Saturday Punch learnt that Olusayo was found dead in her home
on Lane One, Ajegunle Street, Ile-Ife, Osun State in the early hours of
Wednesday, November 11, 2015.
Zamfara State. Saturday Punch learnt that Olusayo was found dead in her home
on Lane One, Ajegunle Street, Ile-Ife, Osun State in the early hours of
Wednesday, November 11, 2015.
A family member told our correspondent that the deceased’s
body was found in the apartment she shared with her husband, foaming in the
mouth and nostrils.
body was found in the apartment she shared with her husband, foaming in the
mouth and nostrils.
But her family said the police must get to the root of the
matter because her husband, Niyi, whom she slept in the same apartment with on
Tuesday night, was nowhere to be found by the time neighbours forced the door
open and found her body.
matter because her husband, Niyi, whom she slept in the same apartment with on
Tuesday night, was nowhere to be found by the time neighbours forced the door
open and found her body.
Olusayo’s uncle, Rev. Gbenga Gbadebo, explained that the
neighbours forcibly opened the door because they said it was unusual for the
couple’s apartment to remain locked when everybody was awake and going about
their businesses of the day.
neighbours forcibly opened the door because they said it was unusual for the
couple’s apartment to remain locked when everybody was awake and going about
their businesses of the day.
“The neighbours said since Olusayo and Niyi did not indicate
they were travelling the night before, they decided to knock on the door of
their flat but when they got no answer, they forced the door open only to find
her body sprawled on the floor in the apartment,” Rev. Gbadebo said.
they were travelling the night before, they decided to knock on the door of
their flat but when they got no answer, they forced the door open only to find
her body sprawled on the floor in the apartment,” Rev. Gbadebo said.
According to the couple’s neighbours, they became curious
when they could not find the husband and while they searched for Niyi, they
called his line which was initially switched off.
when they could not find the husband and while they searched for Niyi, they
called his line which was initially switched off.
The neighbours said they were alarmed when they eventually
got through to him and he said he was in Ghana.
got through to him and he said he was in Ghana.
The neighbours later notified the deceased’s family who in
turn kept trying to call Niyi.
turn kept trying to call Niyi.
“He kept giving different locations. Sometimes, he would say
he was in Togo and sometimes Ghana or Ondo,” Rev. Gbadebo said.
he was in Togo and sometimes Ghana or Ondo,” Rev. Gbadebo said.
Saturday Punch learnt that the couple got married in April
and in October, Olusayo proceeded for her national youth service.
and in October, Olusayo proceeded for her national youth service.
The deceased had only been back home a couple of days when
she met her death.
she met her death.
According to the deceased’s family, Niyi occasionally had
disagreements with his late wife over financial issues as his business was
reportedly not doing well. He trades in mattresses.
disagreements with his late wife over financial issues as his business was
reportedly not doing well. He trades in mattresses.
Olusayo’s family said she frequently complained that her
husband was not living up to his financial responsibilities in the home.
husband was not living up to his financial responsibilities in the home.
The deceased’s father, Pastor Rotimi Gbadebo, said she once
complained that her husband gave her just N500 when she was leaving for NYSC
camp. She was said to have sought the help of her mother, who ran around to
arrange money for her.
complained that her husband gave her just N500 when she was leaving for NYSC
camp. She was said to have sought the help of her mother, who ran around to
arrange money for her.
However, more than 24 hours after Olusayo’s death and after
series of calls to Niyi, an uncle of his, a priest, who stood as the father
figure during their wedding, prevailed on him to return and he finally made an
appearance at the Moore Police Division where the case was reported.
series of calls to Niyi, an uncle of his, a priest, who stood as the father
figure during their wedding, prevailed on him to return and he finally made an
appearance at the Moore Police Division where the case was reported.
Our correspondent spoke with the father of the deceased, who
in an emotion-laden voice gave an account of her daughter’s short and very
rocky marriage.
in an emotion-laden voice gave an account of her daughter’s short and very
rocky marriage.
According to him, few months after his daughter’s wedding,
the husband started to misbehave.
the husband started to misbehave.
He said, “In August, they had a fight and I had to call them
to a meeting along with the family of the husband. I warned them that I must
not hear of any fight between them again.
to a meeting along with the family of the husband. I warned them that I must
not hear of any fight between them again.
“In October, my daughter travelled to Zamfara State for her
NYSC. She came back on Saturday, November 7. She came first to our house. She
left for her husband’s house on Tuesday. There was no communication between us
for a few days.
NYSC. She came back on Saturday, November 7. She came first to our house. She
left for her husband’s house on Tuesday. There was no communication between us
for a few days.
“But on Tuesday, November 10, she called for financial
assistance and I promised her that I would send the money the following day.
That was the last time I heard from my daughter.
assistance and I promised her that I would send the money the following day.
That was the last time I heard from my daughter.
“Some of her neighbours called my wife about the terrible
news and she informed me. I was in serious shock. I had to watch myself because
I am hypertensive.
news and she informed me. I was in serious shock. I had to watch myself because
I am hypertensive.
“The man had been misbehaving all along. He would sometimes
abandon the house and leave my daughter uncared for, for days at a time.
Sometimes, my daughter would be sick and he would tell her to go back to her
parents’ house to get treatment.”
abandon the house and leave my daughter uncared for, for days at a time.
Sometimes, my daughter would be sick and he would tell her to go back to her
parents’ house to get treatment.”
Olusayo’s father alleged that there was a time she was ill
and spent three weeks with them and the husband neither visited nor called.
and spent three weeks with them and the husband neither visited nor called.
“The next thing I heard after all these was her death. How do
you expect us to take that?” he said.
you expect us to take that?” he said.
The neighbours who found Olusayo’s body said she was found on
the floor of their sitting room.
the floor of their sitting room.
Saturday Punch learnt that an autopsy was conducted on the
body of the deceased at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital,
Ile-Ife, but the result has not been released.
body of the deceased at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital,
Ile-Ife, but the result has not been released.
The body of the deceased was about to be buried last
Saturday, November 14, but an argument between the Gbadebos (family of the
deceased) and the Olukuyides (family of the husband) degenerated to the extent
that the corpse had to be returned to the mortuary.
Saturday, November 14, but an argument between the Gbadebos (family of the
deceased) and the Olukuyides (family of the husband) degenerated to the extent
that the corpse had to be returned to the mortuary.
The priests who were to officiate the interment later went
home after waiting endlessly.
home after waiting endlessly.
The deceased’s family alleged the Olukuyides were treating
Olusayo’s death with levity while the husband’s family insisted Niyi had no
hand in her death.
Olusayo’s death with levity while the husband’s family insisted Niyi had no
hand in her death.
When our correspondent contacted Niyi, a brother of his,
Olayinka, who picked the call, said that he was in custody and as such, did not
have access to a phone.
Olayinka, who picked the call, said that he was in custody and as such, did not
have access to a phone.
Olayinka, who spoke on his behalf insisted that it was not
true that Niyi was at home when his wife died.
true that Niyi was at home when his wife died.
He said, “My brother travelled the day his wife died and
there is no way the mother of Olusayo can deny that. When they informed him
about her death, he only expressed shock and said what if he had travelled to a
far place like Ghana? He did not actually say he was in Ghana.
there is no way the mother of Olusayo can deny that. When they informed him
about her death, he only expressed shock and said what if he had travelled to a
far place like Ghana? He did not actually say he was in Ghana.
“He had the intention of going to Ghana initially but
financial challenges had been delaying him. We have visited the house where his
wife died with the policemen investigating her death and some of the neighbours
attested to the fact that Olusayo was always sick.
financial challenges had been delaying him. We have visited the house where his
wife died with the policemen investigating her death and some of the neighbours
attested to the fact that Olusayo was always sick.
“The deceased always complained of headache, which they said
sometimes disoriented her. The truth is, my brother did not spend enough time
with her during their five-year courtship. Her family rarely allowed them to
see each other, which was why he did not know about her health challenges.
sometimes disoriented her. The truth is, my brother did not spend enough time
with her during their five-year courtship. Her family rarely allowed them to
see each other, which was why he did not know about her health challenges.
“My brother kept asking about the result of the medical test
they were mandated to do by the church before their wedding. He kept asking but
they did not show him.”
they were mandated to do by the church before their wedding. He kept asking but
they did not show him.”
Olayinka alleged that on the day the burial was supposed to
take place, some members of Olusayo’s family attempted to attack him, which was
why the body was returned to the mortuary.
take place, some members of Olusayo’s family attempted to attack him, which was
why the body was returned to the mortuary.
According to him, while they were coming back from the
mortuary, some of the deceased’s family allegedly cornered them and while they
were trying to attack him with cutlasses, he escaped to the police station and
reported the threat to his life. He alleged that the leg of one of his uncles
was fractured in the process.
mortuary, some of the deceased’s family allegedly cornered them and while they
were trying to attack him with cutlasses, he escaped to the police station and
reported the threat to his life. He alleged that the leg of one of his uncles
was fractured in the process.
The police said Niyi had been transferred from the Moore
Police Division, Ile-Ife, to the Osun State Police Command’s Department of
Criminal Investigation in Osogbo, for further investigation.
Police Division, Ile-Ife, to the Osun State Police Command’s Department of
Criminal Investigation in Osogbo, for further investigation.
The spokesperson for the command, Mrs. Folashade Odoro, told
our correspondent on the phone that investigation is still ongoing in the case.
our correspondent on the phone that investigation is still ongoing in the case.
“At this point, it is important we determine the cause of her
death. All I can say is that we are still investigating,” she said.
death. All I can say is that we are still investigating,” she said.
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