Shadows of Ona Ara
Akande Olabisi R. a mother of two, had once found solace in her modest home in Ona Ara Local Government Area. Married to Mr. Mustapha Shola, a dedicated Personal Assistant to the Interim Chairman(Mr Owolabi) of a prominent political party, whose life revolved around his family and the aspirations they both shared for a brighter future.
But in the months that followed June 2023 to be precise, darkness gloomed and descended, leaving a trail of blood, tears, sorrow and unanswered questions.
The storm began on June 15, 2023 while her husband and the Chairman were away on official assignments, a sinister shadow crept into their lives. The Chairman’s wife(Khadijat Owolabi) a gentle and beloved woman in the community who was keenly adorned by all, not because of her hubby’s political clout but because of her passionate love for the less privileged, in a nutshell the grassroots.
She was a woman of the people whom many believe was the driving force behind her hubby’s political clout was discovered murdered in her home—her lifeless body a chilling testament to the cruelty of her unknown assailant.
The community buzzed with speculation and wondered how a woman of timbre and calibre like that could have life snuffed out of her not because of her wealth but solely for the fact she was a renowned and astute trailblazer an epitome of light for the downtrodden.
Despite her affluence and opulence of she and her husband, investigation of the brutal murder or assassination of Khadijat Owolabi was STALLED to the astonishment of many. Whispers of conspiracy and betrayal filled the air, yet no solid leads emerged despite the chairman’s political clout as a serving government official,the case should not be brushed aside as is being……
Months later, on August 16, 2023, tragedy struck again. The Chairman’s lifeless body was found slumped in his official vehicle, parked by the roadside. The blood-soaked scene shocked Ona Ara and it’s environs, plunging it deeper into fear and uncertainty. Worse still, Mustapha, Olabisi Akande’s husband, and the Chairman’s driver Qudus Adebayo got missing. Every search party and police investigation ended in frustration, leaving Olabisi Akande clinging to a fragile hope that her husband was still alive.
Two days after the Chairman’s death, Olabisi Akande’s nightmare reached her doorstep. On returning from a futile meeting with civil authorities about her missing husband, she stumbled upon a horrifying scene: their gateman Azeez Liadi a kind and dependable man, lay dead his lifeless body drenched in his blood. A primal scream tore from her lips as she rushed to the neighbors for help, but fear had silenced them. They watched from behind locked doors, unwilling to become the next victims.
The police were summoned,and a comprehensive investigation was promised. But days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, with no arrests breakthroughs or leads. The string of murders and disappearances appeared to be woven into a web of political intrigue, vengeance and secrecy but the threads remained elusive.
Alone and overwhelmed by grief and terror, Akande knew she had to act fast. Her children’s lives were at stake, their once-safe haven had become a deathtrap. Gathering the little she could, she fled Ona Ara, seeking refuge far from the shadows that stalked her family. Every step away from her home carried a mixture of sorrow and resolve—she vowed to protect her children and uncover the truth, no matter how long it took.
As she rebuilt her life in a new town, Akande became a quiet but determined voice for justice. With the help of human rights groups and investigative journalists, she began piecing together fragments of a story that involved power struggles, betrayal, and dark secrets buried in the heart of Ona Ara. Though the road ahead was fraught with danger and uncertainty Akande’s love for her family fueled her relentless pursuit of the truth.
The shadows of Ona Ara still lingered, but Akande refused to let them claim her light.
