Estranged Couple Fight Dirty Over Daughter’s Death In Ondo

‘Tosin Ajuwon, Akure.

The death of a minor is causing rumpus between an estranged couple in Akure, the capital of Ondo state.

Esther Ajijolaoluwa, six year old died on August 6, 2021.

She was in the custody of her father, Mr Raphael Ajijolaoluwa, when she died.

The mother, Mrs. Oladunni Adebori, has petitioned Police in the Ondo State Command requesting that detectives unravel the actual and cause of death of their daughter.

Adebori said she was informed by her estranged husband, Mr. Ajijolaoluwa, earlier this month that their daughter died and has since been buried.

In a petition to the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Bolaji Salami, the distraught mother said that she suspected that her little daughter must have been used for ritual purposes by her father, who has her in his custody, if she was actually dead.

The woman said all indications pointed to the fact that the girl was used for rituals or must have been kept deliberately away from her by her father.

She noted that their daughter was hale and hearty when they divorced and till the moment she visited her school and wondered what could have happened to her without her consent.

In a copy of the petition obtained by our correspondent and written by her lawyer, Mr. Mufutau Adegboye, the bereaved woman said that the Ondo Police must exhume the remains of the girl to confirm if the girl is actually dead or is kept for other purposes.

She further argued that the circumstances sorounding the ‘death’ of the girl is suspicious to easily believed the claim of her estranged husband.

It read “sometimes in 2019, our client approached customary court for dissolution of their eleven years old association due to belligerent behaviours and atrocities exhibited and committed by Mr Ajijolaoluwa Raphael.

“The court ordered among other that the custody of the three children should be with Ajijolaoluwa Raphael while our client should be permitted to visit her except at night.

“But surprisingly in deviating to the order of the court, Mr Ajijolaoluwa Raphael did not give our client access to her children despite the fact that both of them are living in the same town.

“Surprisingly as Friday 6th August, 2021, information got to our client that the last born of our client Esther Ajijolaoluwa was dead on Tuesday, 3rd of August and was buried without the knowledge of our client.

“Our client reported the matter at Ore Divisional Police Station. It was when Mr Ajijolaoluwa Raphael reported at the station that he confirmed to our client that truly Ajijolaoluwa Esther had died and since been buried without the knowledge of our client.”

Speaking in a chat, Mr. Ajijolaoluwa accused the wife of causing the ill-health of their child before they got separated adding that he had spent a fortune to ensure the she stayed alive.

He noted that the court gave him custody of the children because the estranged wife claimed she was too busy to stay back at home to cater for the child who he said was sickly.

“There is no problem. It was my wife that took the child to Onitsha where she had convulsion and she was given injection. Since then, she has not been growing well and could not do anything herself.

He added that she informed the family of her former wife about the “death of their child before she was buried”.

Spokesperson of the Ondo State Police Command, DSP Funmilayo Odunlami, said the police would investigate the case and ensure it get to its root.