The Fatai Aborode we know – Father, Igangan residents, others share details about slain businessman

The murder of Dr Fatai Aborode on December 11, 2020, was almost swept under the carpet until protests at the Oyo governor’s office in Ibadan by members of Igangan Development Advocate on December 15, 2020, blew it up.

The intervention of Sunday Igboho after his visit to Igangan in January 2021 and his ultimatum to the Seriki Fulani forced the nation to pay attention to what was happening in the town up north Lagos.

Sunday Igboho didn’t know he was related to Dr Fatai Aborode before his death despite meeting him regularly at the home of ex-governor Rasheed Ladoja. Report of his death took him to Igangan where he met Alhaji Lasisi Aborode, father of the deceased. It was during the visit he realised he was related to the deceased philanthropist

“He said he never knew Dr was his senior brother after seeing the tribal marks on my face which is the same with the one on Dr’s face,” Alhaji Aborode said. “When he was in the Accord Party, they used to meet at Ladoja’s house, Dr used to be good to Sunday Igboho but he never knew they were related.”

At that point, Sunday Igboho became more enraged. It was a death so close to home. And it fuelled his fight for justice.

Alhaji Aborode (right) at Dr Aborode’s Ph.D. convocation at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Photo: Photo: Family. Designer: Tonte Briggs

During a visit to the town on Saturday February 27, 2021, Neusroom spoke with the father of the deceased businessman, friends, and community members who shared intimate details about the man whose death put Igangan in the news.

“Even the death of our king couldn’t have had such a huge impact on the community and Ibarapa the way Dr Aborode’s death did,” one of the residents told Neusroom.

Taiwo Adeagbo, Secretary of Ibarapa Farmers’ Association told Neusroom that Dr Aborode was a man who was very interested in the development of the community and he loved the youths.

“He helped indigent students with financial support. Those who could not afford to earn a living ran to him and he employed over 200 people, Yoruba and Fulani, to work on his farm,” Adeagbo said. “His death is saddening.”

Wale Oladokun, a university lecturer and President of the Igangan Development Advocate, wondered if there could ever be another man like Aborode in Igangan.

“I don’t think we can have another Aborode in that community again,” he said. “See the clout around him, he was everything to everybody. He was like the breath of the community that was why his death triggered all manner of things.”

He said Aborode was a philanthropist who was “doing it selflessly without expecting any reward.”

“He has paid for the WAEC and JAMB registration fees of about a thousand students,” said Oladokun.

Recounting his first encounter with Aborode, Ibrahim Oladoke, a graduate of Ekiti State University, said “the first time I met him was when he returned from overseas. He gathered us (students) and was enlightening and encouraging us. He made us see reasons why as youths we need to participate in politics.”

Oladoke believes the death of Aborode, whom he described as a very humble man even before joining politics, is a great loss to Igangan, Ibarapa, Oyo state and Nigeria.

“His death is a great loss and I’ve started losing hope in this community and nation,” he said.

Shakiru, a 17-year-old student of Igangan High School I met at the public water point within the premises of the Igangan town hall, only knew Dr Aborode as a politician.

He expressed shock when I asked him about Aborode’s death. Shakiru said he was not aware he was dead.

“Dr was a very nice person. I was part of the first set of people who pegged his farm in 2018 before the Cashew seeds were planted,” said Taiwo Sangotunde who had fortified himself with a charm worn around his neck before following Neusroom correspondent to Aborode’s farm.

“You know how terrible this road is, we have to be fully prepared,” he said.

Apart from employing hundreds of youths to work on his farm, Sangotunde said Aborode also empowered youths with resources to start business and secured jobs for many.

“His death has robbed us of the many big dreams he has for Igangan and has taken away glory,” he said.

Alhaji Aborode said all the testimonies about his son are true.

“He was a philanthropist to the core,” he confirmed to Neusroom. “In the family, he was the sole person who takes care of any responsibilities.”

Aborode said whenever his son was called to render assistance to those in the hospital, he would not hesitate to foot the bill. Whenever people in the community are in need, they go to him and no matter the financial challenge, when they go to him, he assists.

“When we were given a new LCDA recently, and the officials complained to him that there are no funds to buy some of the things needed at the secretariat. He called a vendor in Ibadan and asked them to supply some of the materials which he paid for,” Aborode said.

Some residents said many people in Igangan compete to work on Aborode’s farm because he pays his workers well and never owes.

Oyo state governor, Seyi Makinde, who said he knew him personally said “Dr Fatai Aborode was someone I’ve known for a long time. Losing him was very upsetting.”

Upsetting, that is what Dr Fatai Aborode’s death is to many and they are hoping that the perpetrators would be made to face the full wrath of the law.