The first child and son of the slain University of Ibadan lecturer, Tomiwa Ajewole, has spoken on what happened in front of their residence in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Monday, June 5, which preceded the news of the murder of his father, Prof. Opeyemi Ajewole.
Tomiwa, who spoke with Thenewsbearer after he struggled to find his voice, told of how he was in the house with his mother, now a widow, Mrs Yemisi Ajewole, at about 8pm on the fateful day when a gunshot broke the silence in the house.
According to him, “typical of my dad, he was the one who usually opened the gate whenever he returned home. My mother and I were inside when we heard a gunshot. We were both spooked by the sound.
“Again, we heard the sound of a car. With the thought that Daddy was back, I decided to go and check what was happening. As I was about to step out, I heard car doors being slammed shut.
“The next I saw was the reverse light of the car. By that time, I was already outside. I looked over the fence and saw the car being driven away fast. It was dark and I couldn’t see if it was my father’s own. I stepped outside our compound and chased the car barefooted, but I couldn’t meet up with the occupants. I was sure something was wrong.
“I went back inside to pick the key to another car and we went to the Ojoo police station to lodge a report. Later, I guess the police got some information. They called one of us outside and showed him some pictures, but they didn’t tell us anything at that time.
“On his return, the person called by the police told us that picture shown to him was of someone else. We didn’t know that he was avoiding breaking the news to us. The police told us to go home and get the car documents.
“When we got back home, we saw blood on the ground in front of our gate. We also picked his UI identity card and two ATM cards. We got in touch with our Reverend and he was the one who came to break the news to us.”
A biological sister to the widow, Mrs Toyin Falana, also said she just got a call that her brother-in-law was missing, and that he was taken away in his car.
“After about an hour, I got another call that his dead body had been found,” she stated further.
The murdered Professor reportedly left his workplace, UI, for home when he was shot to death and dumped at Ebedi area of Ibadan-Oyo expressway.
His body was found by policemen who started patrolling many areas in the state capital while others were stationed at exit points as ordered by the Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Williams, after the case was reported.
Since Monday, family and friends of the late lecturer had been in mourning mood, with their eyes turned red as a result of weeping. Also, all lecturers in the premier university have been unable to swallow the shocking news of one of them.
The Head of Department (HoD), Social and Environmental Forestry Development, Prof. Ismail Azeez, told Thenewsbearer that his colleague’s brutal killing would surely affect the department. He said: “The department is dead. The backbone of the department has just been cut off.
“There was no way you would interact with Ajewole when something is bothering you and the problem would not be dissipated. My worry is why someone who always brought joy to other people would meet this kind of death.
“Aside his academic colleagues, talk to any cadre of staff, they would tell you the kind of person he was. But who are we to query God? We only take solace in the fact that he will take care of the rest of us.”
Prof. Abiodun Oluwadare, who is the Dean, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, under which the late Professor’s department falls, also said: “The news was a shock to everyone of us. It was never expected.
“He was an amiable man to colleagues, students and even the university as a whole. He was full of honour and integrity. He was former Hall Warden and had served in several positions and currently in Senate of the university before his killing. We will surely miss him, but God knows the best.”
Lecturers from Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, led by the Dean, had on Wednesday, June 7, paid a condolence visit the deceased’s family at their residence situated at Duku Close, Orogun, Ibadan.
Findings from a credible source said lecturer was already at the gate of his house when the gunshot was heard. The assailants reportedly came in a gold colour Toyota Camry (Big Daddy). As the late Professor was about to open the gate of his house, a voice among the assailants was said to have barked: “Come back here.” What followed was the gunshot, after which doors of cars were slammed and the assailants sped off.
The recovered body of the deceased showed a gaping hole on the left side of his forehead, while the white polo shirt he was wearing had become red as it had been soaked with his blood.
Speaking during the condolence visit, one of the lecturers, Prof Bamidele Omitoyin said: “We have come to commiserate with our sister, the children and the entire family. It’s a rude shock to all of us. There is no gainsaying, as we are all pained. However, it has happened because if it had not happened, we could have prevented it.”
Philosophically, he said:”We came to this part (world) one day, and a day of departure will come. Nobody knows when, how and the exact time. We are all living corpses.”
Saying that no one could query God, he told the family members of the deceased that in spite of the vacuum created by the sudden loss of the head, “I assure you that God of heaven will take care of you and the children, and will also fill the vacuum.”
Describing the sudden death of their colleague as a big loss to the faculty, Omitoyin said: “Prof. Ajewole was one of the most popular figure, not only in our faculty but in the university. He never had a dull moment. He was not the type that would take anything to heart. This makes his death so painful to everyone.”
Born in March 6, 1962, Professor Ajewole, popularly called ‘Iroko’ hailed from Igbara Oke in Osun State. He celebrated his 60th birthday 2022, and was said to be the immediate past HOD of his department.
His Toyota Corolla, with registration number APP 53 HT, taken away by the assailants had yet to be recovered.
