36-years-old man hacked to death over ram

By Taiwo Olanrewaju

Dead: TaofeekIT was death most cruel! It was a gruesome way to die! D-E-A-T-H!. The five-letter word was the last thing on Taofeek Amoo Omotolani’s mind when he took his brother’s ram to a fighting competition on Sunday, 20th April, 2008. But alas! He was hacked down in his prime, leaving behind a wife and a child to mourn him.

For 36-years old Taofeek, a ram seller at Bodija market in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State, who took his big brother’s ram to participate in a fighting competition, victory was all that was on his mind. And who wouldn’t have thought of victory anyway, considering the size and strength of the ram, christened Ultimate Arabambi. Being a ram seller, versed in the antics of rams, Taofeek chose the best of the rams for his brother, Alhaji Ganiyu Iyanda Composer, the National General Secretary, Fuji Musicians Association of Nigeria (FUMAN). Knowing fully well that the ram would bring in money for him, when it tops at competitions, Hadji Composer did not hesitate to pay the N75, 000.00 price of the ram.

It was at the Cafe at Yemetu Alaadorin in Ibadan. The ram was fighting to expectation, when some street boys got into the field and demanded that Taofeek release the ram to them. It sounded unbelievable. Why on earth should anybody demand for a ram that was fighting and on the field too?

Taofeek Omotolani,
before he was murderedTaofeek, according to spectators, resisted the attempt to take the ram away from him and that became his undoing as the boys attacked him with a big stick and cutlass. He was matcheted severally on the head and he slumped. The boys, however, escaped with the ram, leaving Taofeek on the field in a pool of his blood. The boys were said to have had a field day because the Ram Owners Association Of Nigeria, Yemetu Branch, did not invite policemen to guard the venue of the event as was the custom.

According to Hadji Composer, it was some residents of Yemetu who took his brother to the hospital. He was first taken to the Adeoyo State Hospital, a stone throw from the venue of the incident, next, to a private hospital at Ekotedo and to another private hospital at Ogunpa junction but they all rejected him. Having succeeded in notifying members of his family, Taofeek was eventually admitted at the University College Hospital, Oritamefa, where he underwent series of tests, about nine in number.

He was later transferred to the Special Care Unit of the hospital. He was receiving the fourth pint of blood when he gave up the ghost. Hadji Composer, who lamented the untimely demise of his brother, whom he said he brought up, however, praised the efforts of the UCH staff who did all it could to save his life. and nine members of the cult members that matcheted him were said to have been arrested at Isheri, ota, Ijora, Bariga, Ilaje and Seme, all in Lagos.

Meanwhile, Taofeek was buried on Thursday, 15th May, 2008 while the case of the arrested suspects, who were recently arraigned at the Court 2, Iyaganku, has been adjourned till 17th July, 2008.