JOSHUA DADA writes about the last-minute activities of Mr Olalekan Oyeyemi, aka Ajagungbade, who was shot dead a few days ago by the yet-to-be-identified gunmen.
For Mr Olalekan Oyeyemi, aka ‘Emir Ajagungbade, it was supposed to be another quiet Sunday after he met with members of his group and an Osun State commissioner. But he did not know that death was lurking around the corner, waiting for the right moment to strike, carried out by men of darkness.
The gunmen came without warning. According to eyewitnesses, his killers stormed in, shot him at close range, then pounced on him. Screams filled the air, but fear kept many indoors. By the time help arrived, Ajagungbade was lying in a pool of his own blood, brutally hacked.
His death has plunged his family and the entire community into mourning and fear. His killing is raising more questions than answers — who wanted Ajagungbade dead and why was such brutal force used against him?
As police begin an investigation, his body is now in the grave. Still, his story lingers in every whispered conversation on the streets — a chilling reminder that nowhere seems safe anymore.
The controversy and tension sparked by the gruesome murder of Mr Olalekan Oyeyemi, aka ‘Emir Ajagungbade’, the factional leader of the Osun State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and a loyalist of Governor Ademola Adeleke, in Ile-Ife may not end soon.
Ajagungbade was reportedly shot dead near Mayfair Motor Park, Ile-Ife, Osun State, on the afternoon of Sunday, 13 September 2026, shortly after attending a meeting with Osun State Commissioner for Transport, Ephraim Olusesan Oyedele, at Oyedele’s country home in Modakeke.
Oyeyemi, who was in his early 40s, was said to hail from Erunmu, Oyo State, while his mother, Mama Gbaale, was said to be an Osun priestess from Ede. Oyeyemi was said to be brilliant at school. He obtained his National Diploma (ND) from Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, but opted to enter the transport business after graduating.
He was described as a selfless and bold leader who won the hearts of his associates through his commitment to their well-being. He was also described as a cheerful giver. While some people attributed his death to a leadership tussle over motor park control across the state, others said he was caught up in the web of cult rivalry. In contrast, others believed that his death was politically motivated.
Ademola Jackson Adeleke, the governor of Osun State, was repeatedly alleged by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to have harboured Emir Ajagungbade at the Government House. The party showed a video allegedly depicting Ajagungbade at the Government House gate in Osogbo.
It was reported that the ‘great Emir’ went to Ile-Ife with some of his associates to attend a meeting on the fateful day, held a fruitful discussion with the Hon. Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Sesan Oyedele, and headed for Mayfair motor park. While cooling down with a sumptuous meal, masked gunmen arrived and ended his life.
His adversaries and associates, including the state vice chairman of NURTW, Mr Gbadegesin, offered different accounts of the circumstances surrounding his death, as in a viral video.
Gbadegesin said, “I was in church when I received a call from our Assistant State Secretary informing me that a meeting was to be held at the Commissioner’s house in Modakeke. The state executives of the NURTW attended the meeting.
“He (the Commissioner) told us that Ajagungbade was touted as the next state chairman of the union. Immediately after the meeting, we took photographs. They were about to leave when Emir told us that the elders who had come to eat would like to have one more meal before returning to Osogbo. That was how we all moved to the Mayfair Park to eat.
“It was during this period that Nurudeen Alowonle, the erstwhile state chairman, whose leadership the government had dissolved, was in question. We had also been seeing several posts on social media touting Emir as the next chairman, endorsed by the state government.”
“What happened afterwards was that Alowonle and one Olayemi Ojo, known as Sibi, the branch chairman of Sabo/Lagere park, came in to attack us. They came with individuals identified as Sultan, Imole, Elesin, and about 10 other people, all wearing masks and carrying sophisticated weapons.
“Everyone had to scamper for safety. I learnt that Emir was shot as he ran to hide. I was not there, but I learnt he did not die on the spot. Thereafter, he was reportedly taken to Osogbo in the Sienna bus he had arrived in.”
Why Ajagungbade Visited Me – Commissioner
His claim, however, was criticised by the commissioner, Sesan Oyedele, who said that, given Gbadegesin’s account, he couldn’t have been at the meeting.
