Odunayo Olagbaju
Encyclopedia
Odunayo Omobolanle Olagbaju was a Nigeria
n politician who was an Osun State
legislator. He was stabbed to death in December 2001. In May 2002, eleven suspects were arraigned for the killing. In August, seven additional suspects were arrested. By the end of 2002, the original eleven had been freed on bail, but the incident remained under investigation.
The killing may have been related to a quarrel between governor Bisi Akande of Osun State and deputy governor Iyiola Omisore
. Odunayo Olagbaju was a staunch supporter of Iyiola Omisore. The murder was followed a few days later by the killing of Bisi Akane's supporter, Bola Ige
, the Justice Minister of Nigeria. After an emergency cabinet meeting, the Nigerian government deployed troops to prevent further violence.
Odunayo Olagbaju was bludgeoned to death outside his home in Ife
, sparking riots in which at least five people were reported killed.
The dead included a local Alliance for Democracy
(AD) chairman.
A spokesman for the Ife community, Prince Olakunle Aderemi, said that Olagbaju mentioned a commissioner in the Akande cabinet, a member of the House of Representatives and a member of the State House of Assembly as responsible for the attack before he died "at the doorstep of Nigeria Police, Moore, Ile-Ife".
One of the suspects in the Bola Ige murder said Iyiola Omisore had become close to Olagbaju, and under-wrote a part of his campaign expenses. Sometime in 2001, Iyiola Omisore told Odunayo Olagbaju that he was crossing over to the People's Democratic Party
(PDP), which would back him as candidate for the Osun State governorship. Odunayo Olagbaju and all of Omisore's supporters also crossed over.
In August 2003, Chief Joseph Obadare of the PDP said that Olagbaju alerted the police about threats to his life but the police refused to come to his rescue before his assassins struck.
By the end of 2003, the killers had not yet been identified.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n politician who was an Osun State
Osun State
Ọṣun State is an inland state in south-western Nigeria. Its capital is Osogbo. It is bounded in the north by Kwara State, in the east partly by Ekiti State and partly by Ondo State, in the south by Ogun State and in the west by Oyo State. The state's current governor is Rauf Aregbesola, who was...
legislator. He was stabbed to death in December 2001. In May 2002, eleven suspects were arraigned for the killing. In August, seven additional suspects were arrested. By the end of 2002, the original eleven had been freed on bail, but the incident remained under investigation.
The killing may have been related to a quarrel between governor Bisi Akande of Osun State and deputy governor Iyiola Omisore
Iyiola Omisore
Iyiola Omisore, alias Otunba, is a Nigerian politician who served as deputy governor of Osun State from 1999–2003, and represented the People's Democratic Party as a member of the Nigerian Senate for Osun East from 2003–2009, when his election was annulled by an electoral appeal...
. Odunayo Olagbaju was a staunch supporter of Iyiola Omisore. The murder was followed a few days later by the killing of Bisi Akane's supporter, Bola Ige
Bola Ige
James Ajibola Idowu Ige simply known as Bola Ige was a Nigerian lawyer and politician. He became Federal Minister of Justice for Nigeria...
, the Justice Minister of Nigeria. After an emergency cabinet meeting, the Nigerian government deployed troops to prevent further violence.
Odunayo Olagbaju was bludgeoned to death outside his home in Ife
Ife
Ife is an ancient Yoruba city in south-western Nigeria. Evidence of inhabitation at the site has been discovered to date back to roughly 560 BC...
, sparking riots in which at least five people were reported killed.
The dead included a local Alliance for Democracy
Alliance for Democracy (Nigeria)
The Alliance for Democracy was a progressive opposition political party in Nigeria. It was formed on September 9th 1998. At the 2003 legislative elections, 12 April 2003, the party won 8.8 % of the popular vote and 34 out of 360 seats in the Nigerian House of Representatives and six out of...
(AD) chairman.
A spokesman for the Ife community, Prince Olakunle Aderemi, said that Olagbaju mentioned a commissioner in the Akande cabinet, a member of the House of Representatives and a member of the State House of Assembly as responsible for the attack before he died "at the doorstep of Nigeria Police, Moore, Ile-Ife".
One of the suspects in the Bola Ige murder said Iyiola Omisore had become close to Olagbaju, and under-wrote a part of his campaign expenses. Sometime in 2001, Iyiola Omisore told Odunayo Olagbaju that he was crossing over to the People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP), which would back him as candidate for the Osun State governorship. Odunayo Olagbaju and all of Omisore's supporters also crossed over.
In August 2003, Chief Joseph Obadare of the PDP said that Olagbaju alerted the police about threats to his life but the police refused to come to his rescue before his assassins struck.
By the end of 2003, the killers had not yet been identified.