38yr-old man’s suicide plunges Oyo community into grief

The sudden death of a popular hunter and blacksmith via suicide on Feb 11, 2012, in Ibadan, capital of Oyo State, appears to have plunged many residents of the area of the city he lived into grief.

CRIME DIGEST gathered that at about 6.30am on that day, Alamu Olajire, 38, who lived in Bakatari in the Omi-Adio area of the city, allegedly picked up his hunting gun, rode on a commercial motorcycle to an uncompleted house on Condemned Road, not far from his own residence, and shot himself in the chest.

Olajire was said to have removed some charms, which he had always worn underneath his clothes, before shooting himself to death.

The gunshots had reportedly drawn the attention of other people living in the neighbourhood to the scene of the action and they had found lifeless body of the hunter in a pool of his own blood.

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Strangely enough, Olajire was said to have made some disturbing comments a few days before the incident. Sources told our correspondent that the late hunter did actually predict his own death in a dramatic and terrible manner that would rattle every member of the community.

True to his words, the man ended up taking his own life in a way that really baffled his relatives, friends and neighbours alike. The act had shocked members of the community so much that they had wondered what could have made him commit suicide.

Some residents of Eleso and Omi-Adio communities, who had trooped to the scene of the suicide, described the incident as very strange, saying that such a tragedy had never been witnessed before.

It was generally assumed that Olajire might have acted under a spell or out of frustration. One of the residents said, “A few days ago, Olajire phoned his sister in Lagos and told her that his death was going to be like a film too frightening to comprehend.”

Some relatives of the deceased told CRIME DIGEST that he was down with a strange stomach ailment shortly before he killed himself. They said he had suffered persistent and severe stomach ache that had defied orthodox and traditional medical treatment.

Apart from that, Olajire was said to have been emotionally depressed as a result of an argument he had with his wife, who later eloped with their six children.

Olajire’s childhood friend, Femi Olaiya, said that for many years, the deceased was a regular patient at Awojobi Clinic at Eruwa in Ibarapa area of the state. He allegedly complained to his grandmother, popularly known as Mama Osun at Omi-Adio area,  about his wife’s action.

 A few minutes after she learnt that her son had eventually killed himself, Mama Osun, who reportedly fainted on hearing the news of Olajire’s death, said, “He came to me very early in the morning to express his bitterness about the way his wife packed out of the house and that I should also accompany him to get his medication from his doctor.  He discussed his health problem with me, but I told him we could not get any treatment from the doctor because we were still indebted.”

The old woman recalled her last meeting with the deceased in tears and anguish.

CRIME DIGEST made an effort to speak with one of siblings of the dead hunter, but in vain. However, a community leader in the area, Chief Mukaila Adebayo, a.k.a. Mokas, said that he was at home on the day of the tragedy and he heard the sound of the gunshot.

He said, “A few minutes later, I heard some people crying. They told me that it was the blacksmith that killed himself. It is very strange in this community.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, Oyo State Command, who confirmed the incident, said the case was reported at the Apata Police Station. She said that it had since been transferred to the Homicide Department, Iyanganku, for further investigation.

The deceased’s body, it was learnt, was deposited at Adeoyo State Hospital mortuary before being released  for burial eight days later