Shockwaves are reverberating across Yorùbáland and the global Yorùbá diaspora following the sudden death of the Baba Ọba (King’s Father) of the famed Oyotunji African Village in South Carolina, USA. The late Baba Ọba, Lukman Arohunfale, a revered socialite and traditionalist, passed away under circumstances already sparking fierce controversy. His death comes just days after he publicly accused the newly installed Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty Oba Akeem Adéyẹmọ Owoade, of allegedly ordering his courtiers to beat him mercilessly during a recent courtesy visit to the Oyo palace in Nigeria. In a widely circulated voice recording, the deceased recounted how what was meant to be a simple homage turned violent. Although the Baba Ọba had reportedly battled ill health in the past year, growing insinuations suggest that the alleged physical assault may have aggravated his condition, ultimately leading to his untimely death. The palace in Oyo recently denied that s...
The Sun reports that eyewitnesses claim that the man who appears to be in his 40s, had muttered some words in Ibo and then plunged into the river.
The timely intervention of a passing speedboat prevented him from drowning after passengers on the speedboat dived into the river and dragged the man to the riverbank.
One of the eyewitnesses who gave his name as Andy Odiaka, said the victim, who wore native clothes was speaking to himself just before he plunged into the river
“I was there on the bridge where the man was also standing. He was speaking to himself. He said he had no transport fare to move from one place to another. He said his suffering was too much that he could hardly feed. I also heard him saying life was meaningless to him. He mentioned Buhari many times, and the next thing I saw, the man jumped from the bridge into the water. He is an Igbo man because he was speaking the language. I thought he was joking when he said he was tired of everything around him. If not for a speedboat that was passing, he would have died. The boat stopped and the passengers dragged him to the riverbank and they continued their journey. Thereafter, nobody was ready to assist him. People simply looked at him, expressed sympathy and continued their journey. I have to call an emergency number” he said.Odiaka said men of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) later came in to rescue the man. When the victim’s pockets were searched for any means identity, only N90 was found on him.
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