Tragedy As Father Of Three Disengaged From Work At PHCN Hangs Himself

A father of three and former Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN staff, Popoola Adepoju has been found dangling from a rope tied to a ceiling fan in his room with a three-page suicide note on the table.

The residents of Idi-Ose community, along Akan Road, in the Ona Ara council area of Ibadan, the Oyo state capital are still in deep shock after discovering that the 48-year-old father and landlord committed suicide leaving behind his three kids and a wife, who reportedly found his corpse after she returned home on Tuesday and reported to the police.

The deceased wife also disclosed that two years ago, her husband left NEPA in Abeokuta, but his entitlement had yet to be paid, adding that he had started a cement business on small scale before the tragic incident.

Speaking of how the incident happened, Punch Metro learnt from the deceased neighbors who claimed Adepoju sent his children on errands before taking his own life, while a member of the Four Square Gospel Church, where the deceased worshiped with his family, said he attended Monday morning service in the church and never gave a sign of depression.

He said: “Adepoju was a devout Christian, pious and talented. He was always offering useful suggestions whenever the welfare committee of the zone met. What could have informed this action is unclear.

We were together at the early morning service at our church on Monday. We usually have such a service on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of every month. When I saw him last Monday after the evening service, he never gave any hint that he was contemplating suicide.”

According to another witness, a landlord in the area, the deceased was going through a difficult period. He explained that Adepoju had wanted to sell his Honda car for N250,000, but only got a buyer who was ready to pay N150,000, adding that he had planned to buy a smaller car to be used as taxi to supplement what he made from his small cement business.

“He said he wanted to sell the car so he could buy a small vehicle which he would be using as a cab to serve as a sustaining means of livelihood for his family. He, however, said the amount being offered was too small.

“He sometimes complained that things were no longer as they were before he was disengaged from work. It was a surprise when we discovered that this unfortunate incident happened,” said the landlord.

On the three-page suicide note the deceased left on the table, information gathered claimed that his family members refused to hand over the note to the policemen who came to investigate the case.

However, after the intervention of the Chairman of the Idi-Ose community, Taiwo Alimi, the note was taken to the Akanran Police Division.

Photo credit: Punch