Nigerian Pastor, Wife Found Dead
A Celestial Church of Christ evangelist, Abidemi Odukoya, and his wife, Adenike, have died following an alleged domestic dispute at their residence in the Akinode/Ibogun community of Ogun State.
The incident reportedly happened in the early hours of Monday, August 25, when the couple allegedly got into a disagreement that later turned physical.
Residents were said to have raised an alarm after the situation escalated.
Adenike was reportedly found unconscious and seriously injured inside the house, while her husband was said to have left the residence.
A former Chairman of the Community Development Association in the area, Adejimi Olawumi, said he was alerted by cries from neighbours during the incident.
He reportedly went to the house with other residents and found Adenike lying in a pool of blood.
According to Olawumi, residents initially struggled to find a vehicle to take the injured woman to a hospital.
He added that the couple’s son, who was in another room when the incident occurred, told them that he did not witness what happened between his parents.
As residents tried to arrange help for Adenike, members of the community reportedly discovered that Odukoya was no longer at home.
Members of the CDA then began searching for him while also informing local leaders about the situation.
The search later led to information that Odukoya had been struck by a vehicle in the Ifo area of Ogun State. He was reportedly taken to a hospital by the police, where his identity was confirmed.
The community subsequently began arrangements to return his remains to the area.
The incident has reportedly shocked residents, who said they were aware that the couple sometimes had disagreements but that such disputes were usually resolved.
The younger sister of the late evangelist also disclosed in a video circulating online that the couple had a history of disagreements.
She said the pair had visited her in April after another domestic dispute and that the matter was later resolved at a police station.
She said the couple had been advised to be patient with each other and avoid physical confrontations.
The family was reportedly informed about the latest incident after one of the siblings received a phone call. Relatives then began making arrangements for the burial of the deceased.
Adenike was reportedly buried on the day of the incident, while Odukoya was buried on Wednesday, September 2.
Footage circulating online also showed some clerics conducting burial rites over the remains of the evangelist at an undisclosed location.
However, the exact circumstances that led to the deaths of the couple had not been fully established as of Wednesday.
The Ogun State Police Command confirmed that the incident had been reported and that an investigation was underway.
The police are expected to establish what happened at the couple’s residence, the circumstances surrounding Adenike’s injuries and how Odukoya later died after reportedly being involved in a road accident in Ifo.
