Memories of 2021
By Oluseye Ojo
There is time for everything under the heavens, the time to be born and the time to die; the time to plant and the time to harvest, so the Holy Book says. In the Year 2021, it was time to die for thousands of people across the globe, including Nigeria. Some people cheated death during the year, escaping death by the whiskers even when they were touted to have died. Yet some prominent people also met their demise in the course of the year. Some succumbed to complications from COVID-19 pandemic. For a number of others, deaths came from road accident, gunshots, natural causes, insurgency, banditry, armed robbery, air crash and so on. This report takes a look at 21 prominent Nigerians that succumbed to death in 2021.
APRIL
YINKA ODUMAKIN–NATIONAL PUBLICITY SECRETARY OF AFENIFERE
The first shocking death recorded in 2021 was that of Mr. Yinka Odumakin, who was until his death on April 2, the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation. He breathed his last as a result of COVID-19 complications, at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
Odumakin, who was a human rights activist, fought for the progress of Yorubaland and his demise was regarded as a huge loss to the Yoruba nation. He cut his teeth in activism during his undergraduate days at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. He was part of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) that fought against the military regime from 1993, till power was returned to the civilian administration in 1999. He was a social commentator, public affairs analyst, and a critic.
MAY: DARE ADEBOYE – PASTOR
On Friday May 4, Pastor Dare Adeboye, son of the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastor Enoch Adeboye, died in his sleep, in Eket, Akwa-Ibom State where he was pastoring a branch of the RCCG.
IBRAHIM ATTAHIRU – CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF
The death of former Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru, on May 21 as a result of air crash near Kaduna also shook Nigeria to its foundation. As reported, ten other military officers in the military aircraft also lost their lives to the crash. The death occurred about four months after his appointment as Chief of Army Staff. He recorded a measured level of achievements within the period that he headed the Nigerian Army, especially in the campaign against insecurity.
AHMED GULAK – APC CHIEFTAIN
Ahmed Gulak was a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and former aide of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan. He was shot dead by gunmen in Owerri, the Imo State capital in May 2021. The Imo State Command said six armed bandits ambushed Gulak’s car at Umueze Obiangwu in Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area, on his way to the airport.
ABUBAKAR SHEKAU–BOKO HARAM LEADER
News also filtered out in the same month of May that the leader of Boko Haram in Nigeria, Abubakar Shekau, had blown himself up. The news of his death was confirmed by the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP), a breakaway faction of Boko Haram. He was said to have blown himself up with a bomb to avoid being captured alive by ISWAP fighters on May 19, following a confrontation with the ISWAP fighters.
JUNE: TEMITOPE BALOGUN JOSHUA OF SCOAN
On June 5, popular cleric and Founder of Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos, Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua, fondly called T.B. Joshua, passed on. The news of his death was really shocking to many people. The 57-year-old international preacher was ministering in his church on the fateful day when he felt sick. He retreated and went to his house to rest and died almost immediately.
USIFO ATAGA, CEO, SUPER TV
The Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga also lost his life in June and his dead body was found in a mortuary on his birthday. His death was allegedly masterminded by Miss Chidinma Ojukwu, an undergraduate. June 13 was the last time people heard from him and his dead body was found on June 17. The case is now before a Lagos High Court.
JULY: SOUND SULTAN – NIGERIAN MUSICIAN
On July 11, the death of Olanrewaju Fasasi, fondly called Sound Sultan, came to Nigerians and his lovers all over the world as a rude shock. He succumbed to death at the age of 44. But he used the last four years of his life to battle with cancer. He was a top rated musician during his lifetime.
BARNABAS BANTEX, FORMER DEPUTY GOVERNOR, KADUNA STATE
July also claimed former deputy governor of Kaduna State during the first term of Governor Nasir El-Rufai, between 2015 and 2019, Barnabas Bantex. In 2019, he stepped aside and contested for Kaduna South senatorial district on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but did not win. Prior to 2015, he had served two terms in the House of Representatives and represented Kaura Federal Constituency.
RACHAEL ONIGA – ACTRESS
The Nollywood industry lost an ace actress, Racheal Oniga, on July 30 to death. Her family said she died of a heart-related ailment.
AUGUST: DR WILSON BADEJO, FORMER GENERAL OVERSEER, FOURSQUARE GOSPEL CHURCH IN NIGERIA
Dr. Wilson Badejo, former General Overseer, Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, also died in August at the age of 74.
SEPTEMBER: OBADIAH MALAIFIA – FORMER DEPUTY-GOVERNOR OF CBN
Obadiah Mailafia, former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), was a fearless speaker, who would say the truth without minding whose ox is gored. She transited to the great beyond on September 19 after a brief illness. He died at the age of 64.
CHIKE AKUNYILI – MEDICAL DOCTOR
In the same September, Dr Chike Akunyili, husband of the late Dora Akunyili, a former Minister of Information, was killed in a gruesome manner in Anambra State in September, by gunmen. His police escort and driver were reportedly killed with him.
OCTOBER: TORDUE SALEM – VANGUARD NEWSPAPER REPORTER
A reporter with the Vanguard Newspapers, Tordue Salem, lost his life in October. Until his death, he was the House of Representatives Correspondent in Abuja. He was initially declared missing. The last time he was seen was October 13. However, his dead body was later found in the same Abuja some weeks after he has been declared missing.
NOVEMBER: FEMI OSIBONA – ESTATE DEVELOPER
Remember the collapsed 21-storey Ikoyi building in Lagos? It occurred on November 1 and it led to the death of Managing Director, Foursquare Homes, Femi Osibona, and more than 40 other persons. The incident shook Nigeria. A total of 15 storeys was reportedly approved for the project by the Lagos State Government, before the developer through legal or illegal means, decided to raise the fkoors to 21.
BABATUNDE OMIDINA (BABA SUWE) – YORUBA COMIC ACTOR
A Yoruba actor, Babatunde Omidina, popularly known as Baba Suwe, succumbed to death in November. He had been battling with an undisclosed ailment for sometime before his death.
Nigerians would not easily forget a significant incident in the life of Baba Suwe. The incident occurred in 2011 when he was arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos for alleged drug trafficking. He was detained for three weeks and no drug was found on him. The tests conducted on his body also returned negative. Thereafter, he was granted bail.
The matter got to the Lagos State High Court l, that ordered that Baba Suwe be compensated with the sum of N25million because it was wrong allegation and detention. But he lamented that the compensation was never given to him. There is no evidence that the compensation was paid to him till his death in November.
NOMTHI ODUKOYA, WIFE OF GENERAL OVERSEER, THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE CHURCH
The month of November also claimed the life of Nomthi Odukoya, wife of Pastor Taiwo Odukoya of The Fountain Of Life Church. She died after battling cancer for two years.
OLUSOJI AMOSU, OGUN NUJ CHAIRMAN
The chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Ogun State Council, Olusoji Amosu, also died in November. Secretary of Ogun NUJ, Ayokunle Ewuoso, described Amosu’s death as shocking, devastating and a collective grief to the NUJ.
DECEMBER: OBA JIMOH OYEWUMI, AJAGUNGBADE III, SOUN OF OGBOMOSOLAND
In the early hours of Sunday December 12, first-class monarch and Soun of Ogbomoso in Oyo State, Oba Jimoh Oladunni Oyewumi, Ajagungbade III, joined his ancestors. He died at the age of 95. He ascended the throne of his forefathers on October 24, 1973, and on October 24, 2021, he clocked 48 years on the throne. He was born on May 27, 1926 in Ogbomoso to Oba Bello Afolabi Oyewumi Ajagungbade II and Ayaba Seliat Olatundun Oyewumi.
BONNIE IWUOHA – FORMER NATIONAL PRESIDENT, NUJ
On Monday December 20, death took away a former National President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and former Commissioner for Information in Abia State, Bonnie Iwuoha. Until his death, he was Special Adviser on Media to the Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu.
OBA LASISI ADEOYE, ASHIGANGAN OF IGANGAN
The Ashigangan of Igangan, Oba Lasisi Adeoye Lawuyi Aribiyan ||, Gbadewolu 1, also joined his ancestors on Tuesday December 21. Igangan is one of the seven principal towns that make up Ibarapa zone of Oyo State. The town was at the centre of the crisis that engulfed Ibarapa over the issues between the Yoruba local farmers and Fulani herdsmen. The crisis was caused by destruction of farmlands via open grazing of cows, and poisoning of water sources for cows. The crisis threw up Chief Sunday Adeyemo, fondly called Sunday Igboho, when he intervened and was instrumental to the ousting of the Sarkin Fulani of Oyo State, Alhaji Abdulkadir Salihu, from Igangan.