VANGUARD
After living many years in the United States where he achieved much and made a name for himself, a Nigerian American Harvard Trained professor of medical research, Alphonsus decided to focus homewards to contribute his quota to medical research in Nigeria.
He headed home to Nigeria and was travelling to his native Imo State when he encountered the notorious gunmen operating on that axis. Although he escaped, the trauma haunted him for weeks until he finally gave up the ghost. Before his demise, he called his wife and daughters in the United States and shared his experience and when she offered to come to Nigeria, he begged her not to.
At his demise, his wife had no choice but to arrange his corpse to be returned to the United States where he was buried.
His wife said the only family he had in Nigeria was his sister as his parents were late. His wife and daughters were in the United States and they brought him ‘home’ to bury where the family could visit him, place flowers on his grave and visit him whenever they want.
Similarly, Olugbenga Owolabi, left Nigeria in his 20s and later came back home and was abducted and killed on his return in his 50s in Ogbomosho in Oyo State in 2022.
On July 28, 2022, Olugbenga David Owolabi was kidnapped alongside his staff, Rachael Opadele in Ogbomoso, Oyo State. Owolabi was a Nigerian American who had come to Nigeria, to invest in the hospitality business in Ogbomoso, his hometown. On August 3, 2022, they were senselessly killed by their abductors, despite the payment of N5m ransom. Owolabi was buried on October 1, 2022. His remains were flown back to America where he was appreciated and buried.
When Nigerian reggae musician Majek Fashek died in his sleep in New York City on June 1, 2020, and was buried there. His family initially tried to raise funds to bring his body back to Nigeria for burial but were unable to due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His son Randy added that they couldn’t raise the funds to fly him home.
Only members of his immediate family attended his burial in New York. Fans of Majek Fashek, who were looking forward to paying their last respects to the reggae icon in his home country were disappointed with the development.
Sound Sultan, born Olanrewaju Fasasi a Nigerian rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, comedian and recording artist.
He was regarded as one of the pacesetters of modern hip hop music in Nigeria.
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