A quiet community in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State has been thrown into mourning after a Celestial Church of Christ shepherd, Bidemi Odukoya, allegedly killed his wife during a domestic dispute before reportedly taking his own life hours later.
Odukoya, the Shepherd of Iri Orun Parish of the Celestial Church of Christ in Ogooluwa community, Akiode Ibogun, reportedly attacked his wife around 2am on Monday, August 31, allegedly using a machete and a wooden stool.
The couple, who had lived in the community for about nine or 10 years and were regarded by many residents as friendly and respectful, were both buried beside their three-bedroom home on Monday.
The house, located beside the church owned by the couple, was deserted when journalists visited the community on Thursday. Two fresh heaps of sand behind the building marked the graves of the deceased husband and wife.
According to the community’s Baale, Chief Taiwo Akiode, residents were alerted to the incident shortly after 3am after some people knocked on his door and informed him that the Shepherd had allegedly killed his wife.
Akiode said residents had first contacted the police before informing him.
“I was told that the Shepherd had killed his wife, that he macheted her. I could not believe my ears until we got to their residence and met the woman in a pool of her blood,” he said.
The Baale said a wound consistent with a machete cut was found on the woman, while residents also heard that a stool had been used to strike her on the head.
He added that the police arrived at the scene and took photographs while Odukoya was nowhere to be found.
“The thought was that he had taken to his heels, having realised the weight of his grievous actions,” Akiode said.
Hours later, around 7am, residents reportedly received another disturbing report that Odukoya had been struck and killed after allegedly throwing himself in front of a moving truck at Coker Junction, along the Ifo section of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
Akiode said residents sent people to confirm the report, after which the police in Ifo took over the matter.
According to information gathered by the community, Odukoya was allegedly seen crossing the expressway repeatedly before sitting on the median. He reportedly got up when he saw an approaching truck and jumped in front of it.
The wife was buried at about 5pm, while Odukoya’s remains were returned to the community later in the evening and buried beside her after 7pm.
The tragedy has left residents struggling to reconcile the violent end of the couple with the image they had of them over the years.
Akiode described the incident as unprecedented in the community, saying nobody expected such a tragedy involving the couple.
“This unfortunate incident is the first of its kind in this environment. It is a tragedy of monumental proportion that no one saw coming,” he said.
The Baale said he had never heard of the couple being troublesome during their years in the community and described both of them as jovial and respectful.
However, accounts from some residents suggested that the couple had experienced prolonged marital problems.
