When the late Prince Gabriel Adefemi Ogundipe returned to Nigeria after staying in the United States of America for 35 years, he had no inkling that he could be killed by some armed robbers who struck in Owo, Ondo State recently. Taiwo Abiodun captures the fate that befell the America returnee.
The well polished wooden casket bore the logo of the All Progressives Congress (APC). As it was lowered into the grave in an expansive compound in Ipenme, Owo, Ondo State, wailing sympathisers and family members rained curses on the dare devil bandits that sniffed life out of Prince Gabriel Adefemi Ogundipe a.k.a Londoner.
At 75, the late Ogundipe was certainly not a young man. But the way and manner the politician died was what pained the sympathisers. The deceased’s children could not hold back tears as they beheld his lifeless body in a wooden casket. Family sources said that some of the children had actually expected him to pay them a visit in America in February but the journey was postponed because of an important ceremony he had to attend last month.
Penultimate Thursday, a wake was held at his residence while a church service was held at St. James’ Anglican Church, Upenmen where sympathizers paid their last respects. At the event, the church’s Vicar, Reverend S.O Akinro, spoke glowingly about the late Ogundipe.
How he was killed
Family sources said Ogundipe was killed by bandits who invaded the ancient town of Owo and rained bullets on innocent souls during a robbery operation. Many of the sympathisers could not help wondering why he was shot by the robbers after he had released his car key and other items to them.
According to an eyewitness account, the deceased septuagenarian was attending a meeting of the APC when the news began to spread that armed robbers had attacked some parts of the town. While some of the people at the meeting ran away and others went into hiding, the late Ogundipe decided to return home. Unfortunately, he took the route where the robbers had barricaded.
The robbers accosted him and asked him to alight from his vehicle. He obeyed and was immediately dispossessed of the money and other valuable items he had on him. Thereafter, the robbers asked him to start running. He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender and started running. One of the robbers was said to have fired a shot at him but missed target. A terrified Ogundipe then looked back and pleaded with the gun-wielding men not to kill him.
Unfortunately, his plea fell on deaf ears. The robbers fired another shot that caught him in the back and came out from his chest. He fell beside his Camry car, soaked in blood. Efforts made to revive him after the robbers had left failed. Some good Samaritans took his lifeless body to the Federal Medical Centre in the town.
Life history
Born in Ipenme near Owo, Ondo State in 1940 to the families of Ogundipe and Ogundampe, he was the last child of his parents. He had his primary education at St. James’ Anglican Primary School, Ipenme , then St. Andrew Primary School, Owo in 1952 where he completed his primary education. He went to Methodist Modern School and completed it in 1960. Life became worse when he had a broken leg in one of the football games in which he participated while representing his school.
After he recovered, he proceeded to Accra, Ghana, to join his late uncle, Rufus Ogundipe. He later attended O’ralley Secondary Grammar School in Accra, Ghana, where he was the school prefect. In 1969, he went to the United States of America to join his cousin, Ademola Adetula. Adetula assisted the late Ogundipe to gain admission into LSD College, Salt Lake City , UTAH. Ogundipe later went to the University of Chicago where he bagged his Bsc and MSc degrees in International Relations.
He came back to Nigeria to work as a lecturer at the Polytechnic Ado-Ekiti. But when he found the environment not conducive, he went back until he finally retired in 1991 and stayed behind, preferring to live the remaining of his years in his country. Thus he came back to Nigeria in 2013 and started full-scale farming, growing yam, cassava and fruits, among others.
He later joined the APC in order to contribute his own quota to the community. His brilliant ideas earned him such nicknames as Obafemi Awolowo, Kwame Nkrumah and Adekunle Ajasin.
Premonition of his death
While the small town, Upenmen, was mourning, a woman who said the small community had been praying against any calamity, said: “We did not know that this was what we were praying against. As a cooperative community, we were asked to hold on to a pole at the King’s palace and pray that no pillar of a household should die. We all did this as we were told not knowing that this was what was going to happen. Ogundipe was a pillar of Upenmen, not just of a household.”
The late APC chieftain was said to have planned to travel to the United States to see his children but postponed it in order to participate in the burial ceremony of his father in-law, which was slated for the second week of April. He however did not live to participate in the burial. According to reports, he had sent out invitation cards and had prepared fully for the event before the cold hands of death snatched him away.
While paying his tributes, Prof. Ibisesan Ayodele, who was visibly touched, described him as an epitome of character and an intelligent man.
He wrote: ” Omoh”, ” Awe”!! ,”Elemele !!! The information on your demise en route the wicked and cruel hands of the men of the underworld on the fateful Thursday of March 26th 2015, after we had just parted for about 15 minutes, constitutes the greatest tragedy not only on me as a childhood friend but also as on ULAC where I am the chairman and you were the Vice President, the age group where both of us worked, and relentlessly acted together to move the community forward as leaders…..”
An Ondo State governorship aspirant in the state’s last election, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, said: “It was a death too painful. The tragic news of the gruesome murder of Prince Gabriel Ogundipe Salokun of Ayiwoye Akinola ruling house of Upenmen land came as a rude shock to many people, especially those who saw him a few moments before his life was cut short by some brigands who came to wreck our peace in Owo. He will be sorely missed. May his resourceful soul rest in peace (amen).”
Dr (Mrs) Lambo could not control her tears as she spoke about the deceased. She said: “Prince Gabriel (Ogundipe) was my cousin. We were very close. I saw him last about 40 years ago. He was clean, humble and an easy going man. I was not myself when I heard of his death, It is too painful.”
Mr. Samuel Olu Aragbaiye, a cousin of the deceased, described him as an epitome of character who could not hurt a fly.
He said: “The news came as a rude shock to me. I believe God will surely expose the killers.”
Mr. ‘Demola Adetula, a former Managing Director of Owena Press, publisher of Hope Newspaper, described the late Ogundipe as a good man. “He has good exposure, very brilliant and humble. He is a colossus and a party chieftain who contributed brilliant ideas to the party.”
Dele Adene said: “The old man was my uncle. He was the last born of his parents and he played a fatherly role in the family. I thought he would be as old as my late father who died at 110, for there is longevity in our lineage. But it is a pity these wicked robbers did their worst.
“My consolation is that he was a good Christian in his life time and surely he would be at the right hand of God.”
In tears, one of the children of the deceased, Adeola, wrote: “My father was a caring man who loved his family and his country very much. I could really go on for days on how great he is. But anyone who knows him personally would say a lot of the same thing. I pray that all his efforts towards a better tomorrow for Nigeria comes to fruition.”
Tola, another daughter of the late Ogundipe, wrote: “My father always tried to see the best in people even though they proved him wrong time and time again. The country lost a great man .I hope now they finally know what they have lost.”