Tunde Ogunesan of the Tribune wrote on Wednesday 11th April, 2012 on the controversy surrounding the gruesome murder of Mr Michael Obadimeji, an Assistant General Manager with Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company during a night vigil organised by his church. MARCH 3, 2012 is a date the Obadimejis would `not forget in a hurry.

It was the day their breadwinner, Michael Bamidele Obadimeji, an Assistant General Manager, Human Resources at the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (PHCN), Capital building, MKO Abiola Road, Ibadan, was brutally murdered on his way to a night vigil. The late Obadimeji, who had just been promoted shortly before his murder, was transferred from Jebba, Kwara State, to Ibadan in 2011 and was due for retirement in three years time. So, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, graduate had been planning for his exit from the federal civil service. At the time of his death, Obadimeji was a law student at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). But as fate would have it, he never lived to see his dream of retiring into the legal profession come to pass. Although, it was learnt that the family had accepted their fate and agreed to bury their breadwinner earlier than expected, the cause of the 56 year-old death remains a mystery till date. According to Nigerian Tribune investigation, the late Obadimeji was said to have been cold about attending what would have been his last vigil on earth on that rainy night, but it was learnt that he was persuaded by one of his prayer partners, Pastor Tope of the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Agbara Nla, Power House, Olodo, Ibadan to be at the vigil on that fateful night.

Not still convinced about going for the vigil, it was learnt that he was persuaded by the clergyman to come, only for him to reach the venue of the vigil and be killed. Nigerian Tribune investigation revealed that when the case was reported at the nearby police station, because the federal government owned Toyota Avensis car with registration number FG 994 41, which was the deceased’s official car, was taken away, the police had no option but to pursue an armed robbery case. From the Iyana-Offa police station, the case was transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Dugbe, Ibadan because according to investigation, it had an armed robbery link.But some members of the extended family thought otherwise.

To them, the case should have been transferred to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) instead of SARS. It was also gathered that there were two other pastors that were said to have been allegedly attacked by the possible killers of Obadimeji who Nigerian Tribune learnt narrated how they were attacked by the same robbers, who kidnapped them in their Hummer Toyota bus and eventually dropped them at Idi-Ayunre village, Oluyole Local Government, in their statement to the police at SARS. According to their statement, the pastors, however, after being dumped by the robbers at Idi-Ayunre still found their way to the church at the dead of the night through a good samaritan to the venue of the vigil at Olodo village. On their return the same night, they said they had discovered with the help of vigilante members that someone (Obadimeji) had been killed few poles to the church. Aside, the clergy men being interrogated by the police, another angle to Obadimeji’s death is an alleged office politics.

To confirm this, Nigerian Tribune sought the view of the management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Principal Manager Public Affairs was said to be on leave while Mr Tokunbo Peters is acting in his capacity. Nigerian Tribune’s several attempts to get the company’s reaction proved abortive. In a telephone conversation, Peters said due to the fact that he was relieving the zonal public affairs manager, his schedule had been very busy. Nevertheless, effort to get him down to speak on the matter since then has been futile. Meanwhile, Nigerian Tribune’s investigation revealed that the late Obadimeji had been having a long battle with a surbordinate officer in his office. It was gathered that the duo had even had their cases taken to Abuja before his death.At the CAC, Oke-Agbara, Pastor Tope as he’s fondly called refused to speak with Nigerian Tribune. His position was that the General Overseer of CAC Oke-Agbara, Prophet Olowere had visited the family and had ordered that nobody should speak with the press on the issue again.”It’s a matter no one likes to talk about. The police are working on it and Baba has said no one should speak with the press on it except him,” Pastor Tope said.As of the time of going to press, the deceased’s car, an Avensis Toyota car with registration number FGN 994 41 , had not been found.

One would expect that the car could have been traced as the family sources confirmed that the car had a tracker device.Although, the wife of the deceased, Mrs Racheal Obadimeji, who is also a staff of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company in an interview on phone after declining several times to speak with Nigerian Tribune said “We’re praying to God to expose the culprits. As a family our hope is that God will judge but the family will not probe further. We leave everything to God,” She said in an emotion laden voice.Earlier during investigation, anonymous sources also confirmed to Nigerian Tribune that the assailant after shooting Obadimeji at close range, matcheted him to death.All efforts to get the reaction of the officer in charge at SARS proved abortive. Meanwhile, the police, it was learnt, were still investigating the mystery surrounding the death of Obadimeji while the family has continue with the burial plans.