Family still in shock, anguish
Nigerians, especially friends and associates of Temidayo Adeleke, the bride-to-be stabbed to death by her steward, at her Ikoyi, Lagos house on Tuesday, have taken to the social media to rain curses at her killer, 22-year-old Joel Ludguo, even as relations soaked her Prince Tayo Adesanya Street, Lake View estate, Ikoyi, residence in tears.
The 33-year- old late Dayo’s gruesome murder has triggered shock, anguish numbness and confusion as she was reported to be neck deep in the arrangements for her wedding next year
Outrage has continued to trail the killing on the various social media platforms since the news broke midweek, with many commentators and friends cursing her killer and paying the deceased a flurry of tributes.
One of Dayo’s devastated friends, Gbemi evoked pathos on Instagram, where she shared a photo they both took together recently. In her comment, Gbemi said they had met few weeks ago to discuss her upcoming wedding. “My heart is so broken and I can only trust that God needed an angel! This picture is how I will always remember you and is a tribute to our friendship, since we were three years old playing in Mulliner Towers up until a few weeks ago when I saw you at dinner and we were discussing your upcoming wedding!
You lived life on your own terms and always had a way of making me laugh out loud! I still remember my birthday trip in Barbados when you insisted we swim with the turtles and then as soon as it came near you, you screamed that it molested you. That still makes me chuckle every time I remember that! I love you girl and i can’t believe you have left us way too soon! Rest in perfect peace!”
Another visibly shaken Nigerian, Amanda Chisom, was particularly incensed at Dayo’s tragic fate, noting that it could happen to anyone. She poured out her worries on her Facebook wall: ““You do not owe anybody anything, do not try to consider what will happen if you sack them or stop using their services. The world is full of serious, committed people, use their help and let the horny, greedy and incapable people go find another person.
Why is this girl’s death paining me,? This could easily be me or any of my single friends who work too hard to do certain things themselves”.
An anonymous individual after reading the story on a blog was full of rage as he blasted and called on Nigerians to shun employing non-Nigerians, apparently reacting to reports that the killer- help hand was a Cameroonian refugee until Dayo picked him from the streets and gave him a means of livelihood.
He comments: “When will Nigerians stop employing all these foreigners as cooks and drivers? My aunt who lives at Lekki almost lost her life too, but her cook made away with her Jewellery and other valuables in the house. We think Nigerians are bad, but I tell you these Cameroonians, Ghanaians, Togolese, etc are worse than our brothers.
They come to our country, take the jobs from our people. Thereafter, they loot from their employees and sometimes kill them as well. Then they run back to their country. NIGERIANS WAKE UP. R.I.P young lady”
The dancing video alleged to have been uploaded on Instagram by the suspect same day Dayo died has continued to trend online drawing the ire of commentators. It was seen as a “victory dance” and has not only attracted multitude of viewership, but countless curses and vituperation on his instagram page.
Below are a few of them dnova710: “Idiot… You shall never know peace even in death. Omo ale jatijati” chi_natural: “This is the bastard that killed his boss” officialhushfanpage: “You were taken from church and housed, clothed and given work. The way you repay that is to stab her in the chest, right? You will reap everything you have sown in a thousandfold. The heartache you have caused to many, that’s all you will know for the rest of your miserable life.”
Hrmolorisandra: “Killer. God will avenge her death, watch God. He’s a silent judge. Mad man jumping up and down like a possessed demon. Who would have thought that your other personality is being a murderer.”
In contrast to the roiling atmosphere on the web, however, the mood at Dayo’s home is somber, reflecting the misfortune that has hit her family.
For her family members and loved ones it will certainly be a sad Christmas as they grieve over the violent death of their daughter.
Sympathizers, friends and family members who throng the Ikoyi home are still trying to make sense of the tragedy.
Wearing long faces, many of them lacked words to express how they really felt
Saturday Sun saw mourners, men and women, leaving the residence of the Adelekes, talking in dejected and hushed tones.
A condolence register has been opened at the entrance of the living room, with late Dayo’s photograph and candles burning slowly by the side. Entries mostly eulogizes the deceased and bade her a peaceful farewell.
Even though members of the family refused to officially comment on the incident, a relation, who spoke to Saturday Sun in confidence, said the family has left whatever necessary steps to be taken about the case to the government.
When pressed further about the behavior of the alleged killer, he said that: ‘’Talking about Joel is not our business. It is the police and the government’s job to punish his offence, not ours. We don’t want to put sensation into it. When we are ready to let the press report the story and the stand of the family, we will write a press release and make it official.
“It is a big tragedy that has befallen us and we are trying to take our loss like humans. She was killed. It is different from when someone dies a natural death. We can’t even let her mother hear about it.’’
The source expressed disappointment at the different versions of the story that has been trending on the internet, saying they were mostly false and distorted. He urged the media to refrain from false publication or face the family’s wrath.
“We don’t like what some media outlets are writing, they are publishing false report. They didn’t get many things right, what happened before her death and the circumstances surrounding her death,’’ he complained.
On a paper pasted on the door was an appeal to visitors to keep their voices low and refrain from discussing the incident with Dayo’s mother.
However, Adeleke would not be the first or only employer to be murdered by callous and bloodthirsty employees or aides.
The police stations and courtrooms are replete with cases of aggrieved workers acting alone or in concert to put their masters, mistress or their close relations to death.
For instance, a 50-year-old businesswoman’s decomposing body was found in her apartment last week at the Victoria Garden City, VGC, in August. She was allegedly murdered by her gate man, following an argument over the latter’s salary.
It was gathered that the deceased, Mabel Okafor, who lived alone in her palatial duplex at House J68B, Close 9, VGC, Ajah, had no domestic worker except the gate man.
The gate man, with an undisclosed identity, reportedly resumed work about two months before the incident brought by the deceased’s former gate man.
One of her neihbours said: “Nobody knew that the woman was dead until last Friday. We learned that she was stabbed last Wednesday, but it was not until her church members visited on Friday that they found her decomposing body.
“The gate of the building was only bolted, but not locked when the church members came. “One of them said they became apprehensive after several calls to her mobile telephone indicated that her line was switched off, prompting them to pay her a visit, only to be welcomed with a stench from her room. “Her body was found on the floor of the sitting room downstairs, with a knife protruding out of her stomach.
“After her death, some gate men from the suspected culprit’s ethnic group said he had boasted that he would leave an indelible mark on her madam, following argument over increase in his salary. “They said he claimed he was being paid N20,000 but demanded an increase of N10,000, which the woman refused. The fleeing gate man was quoted by some gate men here to have argued that he usually washed his madam’s car and also swept the compound.”
Another resident, who simply gave his name as Goke, said: “Police have not been able to get the gate man since the incident occurred, neither have they been able to reach the one that brought him. In fact, the gate man went away with her phone. We have been warned several times to employ private guards from registered security companies, but some landlords here do not heed the advice.”
Also, on May 6, 2015, a 65-year-old beer parlour operator, Agnes Elue residing at No 293B Agbani road in Enugu was killed by the house help over issues of fund diversion.
The suspect, Joseph Ijeh had lived with the deceased for over 20 year. It was gathered that the suspect had over the years built confidence on his ability to run the beer parlour until recently when the proprietress noticed that he (Joseph) had not been rendering proper account.
On the ill fated day, Agnes beckoned on Joseph to render account of sales made during the period in review. This, however, allegedly infuriated Joseph and he went for the kill. According to the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, DSP, “Unknown to Agnes, rather than furnish her with the account, Joseph armed with pestle, hit Agnes at the back of the head and she died immediately.
The suspect hid the corpse in one of the rooms for days before operatives got wind of the crime. They swung into action and arrested the suspect.
Also in 2014, the police in Lagos arrested an 18- year- old boy, Hounvenou Yavine, a Beninoise, for slitting the throat of his boss’ mother, Mrs. Mariam Abiola.
Yavine was brought into Lagos in April 2014 by his elder sister on the request of late Mrs. Abiola’s daughter. He was then taken to the Ikeja home of the late 78- year -old woman to serve as her house help as well as an assistant at her alcohol distribution shop.
A month after his arrival, her home was demolished by the state government, prompting her to temporarily relocate to her daughter’s home at the Ijaiye Low Cost Housing Estate, where his primary assignment was to take care of her and also clean her daughter’s house. On July 1 of that year, Yavine, who was alone at home with the old woman, slit her throat and left her to die.
No one knew why he killed the woman, but when asked, the young boy said someone asked him to kill her.
Yasvine was arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate court where a one count charge of murder was read to him.
In Ogun, a State High Court sentenced a 21-year old house help to death by hanging for killing his former boss, a retired Chief Magistrate in March last year.
The court, sitting in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, found David Ndah, 21, guilty of killing Funmilayo Timehin, 65, at her Laderin Estate Residence in Abeokuta.
David, an Igede indigene from Benue State, was a former house help of late
Madam Timehin, but was sacked for alleged stealing of mobile phones and jewellery.
Again in 2012, a manager and a housemaid were arrested by the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja for allegedly killing their boss,.
The victim whose name was given as Alhaja Sikirat Eko of Omole Phase 1, Lagos State was until her untimely death the owner of a restaurant and bar located in her compound, where she lived alone with the maid.
The suspects, according to the police authorities reportedly murdered Eko at her home located on 5, Babatunde Ladega Street and threw her corpse into a well .
After the gruesome murder, the manager and the maid continued managing the bar, claiming that their boss had travelled.
The suspects met their waterloo when relatives of the late Eko came on a visit and demanded for the deceased’s whereabouts, and having failed to give a reasonable answer, the relatives reported to the case to Area G Command, in Ogba.
The manager was reportedly using the deceased’s phone and assumed her identity. Sometimes, he would send text messages with her phone, telling people that all was well.”
Source:The Sun
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