Posted by By Akeeb Alarape and Jide Jegede, Ibadan on
Butchers in Oyo State Wednesday buried one of their own, Alhaji Taofeek Ayinla Olayode the traditional way, assuring that his death would be avenged in the next few days.
Butchers in Oyo State Wednesday buried one of their own, Alhaji Taofeek Ayinla Olayode the traditional way, assuring that his death would be avenged in the next few days.
Popularly called Ayinla, the butcher who was also the Seriki of Oje Butchers Association, was found dead in his new apartment on Tuesday alongside nine members of his family including his two pregnant wives and three children.
At the burial site, beside the Oke-Ogbere Alagbaa area, Islamic clerics who came for the burial around 5.20pm were shocked when members of the Butchers Association, mainly youths, insisted that the deceased, who they regarded as their benefactor, must not die in vain.
They consequently prevailed on the Alfas to allow them invoke Ayinla's spirit, so that he can avenge his death in a matter of days.
Their pleas taken, a sword and some charms were placed in the deceased's hand. Early in the morning, the butchers had closed shops throughout the state to give the last honour to Ayinla who they described as epitome of humility, generosity and philanthropy.
Both at Bodija and Oje meat markets, tears flowed freely as traders got the gist of the tragic incident via newspaper reports.
The butchers who later thronged the premises of the State Hospital, Ring Road to see the corpses, charged the atmosphere as they moved about in dirges and sorrowful songs.
"They have killed him. They also killed the fowls that were laying eggs for him and later destroyed his eggs so as to wipe his name off the surface of the earth," lamented Mrs Mulikat Ojerinde, the first child of the late Ayinla's parents.
"If they have told me he offended them, I would have begged on his behalf. I would have offered my life to rescue him. But they did not report his offence to me. Now, they have killed, they have stripped me naked. I am done! Who will lift my burden for me?" the bereaved woman continued sorrowfully.
Ayinla's eldest brother, Mr Fatai Aremu, a staff of Ministry of Defence, Lagos, also lamented that his bread-winner had gone.
"He never refused me any assistance, no matter how burdensome. We did not know our offence and they did not tell us. Now, they have uprooted the tree of prosperity that God planted in our midst. They uprooted the tree and burnt it along with all its roots, leaving no traces," Aremu lamented.
The late Ayinla's friend, Mr Muideen Abiodun Ayetoro, said he was not aware of any rift existing between his friend and anybody. He foreclosed the issue of food poisoning as the cause of his friend's death, saying that he left Ayinla's house around 8 p.m on Sunday.
Seriki ‘n Kara of Oyo, Ogun and Lagos, Chief Gbolagade Muritala Babalola, who led other notable butchers in the state to receive the corpses, also ruled out the issue of food poisoning due to traces of body injuries noticed on Ayinla.
Babalola, who said he trained the late Ayinla as butcher in 1973 attested to his humility and gentility. He vowed that everything will be done to ensure that the cause of the mysterious deaths were uncovered.