28-Year-Old Corp Member Found Dead in Matrimonial Home, Hubby Absconds

A 28-year-old youth corps member in Zamfara State, Olusayo Onikuyade, reportedly found dead in her matrimonial home on Lane One, Ajegunle Street, Ile-Ife, Osun State, in the early hours of Wednesday, November 11, 2015, with her husband, Niyi, still at large. Her suspicious death has thrown their families in Ile-Ife, Osun State into a bitter battle.

A family member told Punch that the deceased’s body was found dead on the floor in the sitting room of the apartment she shared with her husband, foaming in the mouth and nostrils.

Olusayo’s uncle, Rev. Gbenga Gbadebo, explained that the neighbours forcibly opened the door because they said it was unusual for the couple’s apartment to remain locked when everybody was awake and going about their businesses of the day.

“The neighbours said since Olusayo and Niyi did not indicate they were travelling the night before, they decided to knock on the door of their flat but when they got no answer, they forced the door open only to find her body sprawled on the floor in the apartment,” Rev. Gbadebo said.

According to the couple’s neighbours, they became curious when they could not find the husband and while they searched for Niyi, they called his line which was initially switched off.

The neighbours said they were alarmed when they eventually got through to him and he said he was in Ghana.

The neighbours later notified the deceased’s family who in turn kept trying to call Niyi.

“He kept giving different locations. Sometimes, he would say he was in Togo and sometimes Ghana or Ondo,” Rev. Gbadebo said.

The couple reportedly got married in April and in October, Olusayo proceeded for her national youth service. She had only been back home a couple of days when she met her death.

According to the deceased’s family, Niyi occasionally had disagreements with his late wife over financial issues as his business was reportedly not doing well. He trades in mattresses.

Olusayo’s family said she frequently complained that her husband was not living up to his financial responsibilities in the home.

The deceased’s father, Pastor Rotimi Gbadebo, said she once complained that her husband gave her just N500 when she was leaving for NYSC camp. She was said to have sought the help of her mother, who ran around to arrange money for her.

He said,

“In August, they had a fight and I had to call them to a meeting along with the family of the husband. I warned them that I must not hear of any fight between them again. In October, my daughter travelled to Zamfara State for her NYSC. She came back on Saturday, November 7. She came first to our house. She left for her husband’s house on Tuesday. There was no communication between us for a few days.

But on Tuesday, November 10, she called for financial assistance and I promised her that I would send the money the following day. That was the last time I heard from my daughter.

Some of her neighbours called my wife about the terrible news and she informed me. I was in serious shock. I had to watch myself because I am hypertensive.

The man had been misbehaving all along. He would sometimes abandon the house and leave my daughter uncared for, for days at a time. Sometimes, my daughter would be sick and he would tell her to go back to her parents’ house to get treatment.”

Olusayo’s father alleged that there was a time she was ill and spent three weeks with them and the husband neither visited nor called.

An autopsy was conducted on the body of the deceased at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, but the result has not been released.