is mourning the death of two battle warriors and a political warhorse, three of whom exited the earth in September this year under different circumstances.
The man who championed the war against cultists, kidnappers and criminals in the division, Chief Kamorudeen Oshikabala Bombata, the head of Onyabo vigilante group, died on Friday, September 28, 2018, followed few hours later by a veteran politician and a strong man in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA and Lagos State politics, Asiwaju Segun Adeyemi who died same day September 28, 2018, at the age of 75 after two weeks sickness.
Earlier in the same September on an undisclosed date, the Head of the traditional army and a warrior by his title, Chief Razak Dawodu, the Balogun of Ikorodu, died in faraway America at the age of 89. These multiple deaths of the influential sons of Ikorodu created ripples in socio-political and security circles in Ikorodu division and the state on Friday September 28, 2018, when Bombata, the man who terrorized the terrorists in the persons of cultists, kidnappers, armed robbers and other criminals, was pronounced dead.
The news immediately went viral on social, oral and electronic media as a shocker having been the frontline man who risked his life to fight criminals at a time criminals laid siege on Ikorodu division and held it to ransom.
The late warrior, who was also a prominent Magbo singer, died after suffering from stroke for about four months.
Following the news of his death, a massive convergence of prominent, eminent and notable personalities, including the old and young, was witnessed at his residence along Eturenren road, Ikorodu. The whole area was enveloped with sympathizers who had assembled to pay their last respects to the great man.
According to family sources, the late Bombata had been sick since four months. The family engaged notable doctors and moved him from hospital to hospital including Haruna Ogun Specialist Hospital, Ebute, where he spent some weeks and another hospital in Ijebu Ode.
When the orthodox medicine could not help the sick man, the family brought him home for traditional doctors to handle.
His first son, Sakiru Bombata, a graduate of Business Administration awaiting call up for his National Youth Service, told Oriwu Sun that his family is not happy with Ikorodu Community for not coming to the help of their father at his hour of need. He said that the family was disappointed that the community their father served faithfully and committedly abandoned him during his sickness.
He recalled the threats to his father’s life and those of his children by criminals during his active years in Onyabo and said all these sacrifices did not come to reckoning when his father became ill as he was abandoned.
On the deceased role in Magbo singing, Sikiru said his father inherited the gift of singing from his own father (grandfather of Sikiru) and added that he (Sikiru) has picked a bit of his late father’s talent and intends to continue where his father stopped.
The first child of the late Bombata, Rukayat, confirmed the efforts the family made to save their father by ensuring that he was taken to appropriate places for treatment before he died at last. She was full of praises for her late father describing him as bold, courageous and caring as a father. Her brother, Sikiru, had also added that their late father died of spiritual attack because they had done their best in getting western and traditional medical attention for him and spent a huge sum of money to keep him alive by taking him from one hospital to another until they brought him home to Ikorodu.
Both Sikiru and Rukayat affirmed that late Bombata worked relentlessly for peace and security of Ikorodu division because of his belief that only such can guarantee progress and development.
Oriwu Sun visited the residence of the late Onyabo leader who worked successfully with Lanre Labinjo for the good of Ikorodu division. The two leaders stepped on several criminals’ toes hence, they were hated and see them as their enemies but friends of the larger society.
At his three storey building along Etunrenren road, Ikorodu, people trooped to pay their tributes and homages to the general of the vigilante groups.
Bombata may not have died a very rich man, but definitely he died a community hero who laboured to make Ikorodu safe for all and sowed the seed that established the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corp which Governor Ambode launched in 2017.
CHIEF RAAK DAWODU ILO
As mourners gathered late evening of that Friday, September 28, 2018, death was knocking at the doors of another warrior unknown to many people.
Meanwhile, earlier in the month, the Commander of the traditional army in Ikorodu and head of the warriors in past traditional history, Chief Razak Dawodu, the Balogun of Ikorodu, had also joined his ancestors at the age of 89.
It was uncertain the exact day of his death in the USA. Even the poster prepared for his burial on Friday, September 14, 2018, did not state this.
The powerful warrior, who hailed from Ilo’s family in Ikorodu, had contested this top position in 2006 with Chief Mukaila Onabanjo (aka Mikky Mikky) on behalf of his own family. About five or six families are said to be entitled to produce the Balogun of Ikorodu.
The death of this warrior had ushered in the exit of Bombata and a political warlord, the Asiwaju of Bayeiku in Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA.
The late Balogun of Ikorodu was buried by the Osugbos. The Wonparis (warriors) and other traditional cultists received the corpse of their leader at Ikorodu Garage round about on its arrival from USA and took the remains round the entire town with Hadji Kazim Ganiu-Sanni, the Editor of Oriwu Sun and his group providing the Aponran traditional music for them.
The town shook heavily as expected when the head of warriors passes on. The late Balogun occupied this powerful position for about twelve (12) years since 2006 and stood as the man who would have led Ikorodu to war if the town had come under any attack from outside.
ASIWAJU SEGUN ADEYEMI (WAKE UP, ALANOTO)
The deaths of Chief Dawodu and Bombata were climaxed with the exit of a political warlord in Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA, Asiwaju Segun Adeyemi, who died almost the same day as the Onyabo leader.
Asiwaju Adeyemi (aka Wake UP) died late night of September 28, 2018, after bedridden for about two (2) weeks in sickness.
The deceased, who is said to be a former teacher before he joined politics, became the chairman of the defunct National Party of Nigeria in Ikorodu during the 2nd Republic and later joined the National Republican Convention (NRC) during the 3rd Republic of the Abiola era.
He was said to have played a vital role in the emergence of Michael Otedola as Governor of Lagos State.
He was State Vice Chairman of the UNCP, one of the five political parties fashioned out during the reign of maximum dictator General Sani Abacha.
At the inception of the current democratic rule in 1999, late Adeyemi joined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) where he served as the State Vice Chairman of that party and later Deputy Chairman. He was also Lagos East Coordinator of the Network Alliance (the political machinery for the late Funsho Williams). He later joined the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) where he was a chieftain until his death.
He was a member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (Overcomer’s Parish, Ikorodu).
His wives described him as a very loving husband and father who did not believe in do or die politics. They noted that he applied the fear of God into his political career and did not play politics for selfish reasons or self-aggrandizement but for the good of all. They implored Nigerian politicians to emulate the exemplary virtue of late Asiwaju of Baiyeku.
The family fixed the Wake keep event and funeral programme of the late politician for October 11 & 12, 2018 respectively.