Sunset for a benevolent heart

Residents of Shogunle, a suburb of Oshodi in Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Council Area of Lagos, will forever have etched in their memories the gory occurrence of this year’s Democracy Day (Monday, May 29th, 2017) in the community.

Shogunle community could best be described as the ghetto area situated on the other side of the railway line opposite the Ikeja GRA.It stretches from the Oshodi-Bolade axis to PWD-Airforce Barracks axis on the everbusy Agege Motor Road.

The community is cosmopolitan in nature as people of different tribes and nationality reside therein.
Over the years it has gradually started the process of upgrading from its ghetto like appearance to a busy centre of commercial activities cum suburban area.

On the dreadful Monday afternoon, the people of the community were doing their normal daily routine of either attending to their business concerns(ranging from petty trading, commercial vehicle drivers, motorcyclists etc) or doing other things that caught their fancies.

Eyewitnesses stated that all of a sudden a staccato of gunshot was heard coming from the Shogunle Town Hall area where the ward congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) towards the forthcoming local government polls was been held.

The booming sound that was coming from the gunshots was described as deafening and terrifying such that people ran helterskelter in different directions not knowing what to do so as to be safe from whatever is happening.

When the hullabaloo subsided the people were shocked to discover that the body of one Rasak Bello(aka Hamburger) was lying lifeless on the ground.
Weeping, gnashing of teeth and curses was the order of the day as the full weight of what just happened hit the crowd of sympathisers.

Rasak Bello, who was the chairman of okada riders (commercial motorcyclists) was well loved and respected in the community. Many recalled his various acts of benevolence to majority of the residents.
For instance,he was said to have dug a borehole in his house on 6 Saka Street which was made accessible to all the residents at anytime of the day. He also single-handedly installed street lights around the area.

A resident,who craved anonymity so as not to be attacked by Hamburger’s killers, some of whom are believed to be in hiding, said: “This(the murder of Hamburger) is very painful and cruel. He was a pillar of support to many of the residents of Shogunle. He was a God sent.

“A very jovial and caring man,he would be remembered for his cheerful disposition to everyone irrespective of tribe, age and religious leaning.

“Funny enough,he attended the same school (State High School, Bolade, Oshodi) with the hoodlum (name with held) accused of killing him. In fact, they were age mates and classmates and uptil that bad day (May 29th, 2017) were intimate friends.

“I remember when one of his killers’ father died about two months ago, he gave them one cow for the seven days prayer and when they were doing the late man’s 40 days prayer he gave them another big cow and some cash.”

Another resident called on the law enforcement agents not to relent until all those involved in the killing of the unionist are brought to book.

“The real reason for the murder of Hamburger is beyond the surface. It goes beyond the issue of politics.

“Those that planned and executed the deadly action I believe were pushed to so do because of petty jealousy. Hamburger’s rising profile was becoming a real threat to them.
“Their major worry was what he was getting from his position as the chairman of okada riders in Lagos State.”