PAINFULLY SAD AFTER 30 YEARS RESIDENCY IN AMERICA:

Nigerian Naturalized American, GBENGA OWOLABI Relocates to Oyo State to give back to society, kidnapped from hotel establishment, killed after N5million ransom collected

…United States govt gets involved to know true cause of death, visited Nigeria to do a post-mortem, second post-mortem done in the U.S. before the burial

*‘Information Technology degree graduate from University of Baltimore had a farm in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, opened a hotel in the same town last December to help the masses

*‘Owolabi’s lifeless body flown back to the United States and buried in Maryland’

*“Remains taken from LAUTECH back to the U.S for burial. A death certificate was obtained at the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital and also at the Delaware State Military Hospital, USA. American government direct relevant security agencies in Nigeria to bring my brother’s killers to justice”-AYORINDE Owolabi, younger brother of the deceased

*BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/AMERICAN Senior Investigative Editor

HE WAS A GOOD MAN who loved Nigeria to a fault. GBENGA OWOLABI, a Nigerian born Naturalized American citizen after 30 years residency in Maryland, United States, the Information Technology specialist had relocated to Oyo State to establish various businesses to empower the masses, but his life was brutally cut down by kidnappers, who abducted him from his hotel company in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, abducted him, demand for N5million , and after the sum was paid, yet he was killed by same abductors.

Shocking revelations emerged since the burial, Saturday, of Owolabi. He had barely settled down in his home state upon his relocation there when he was kidnapped from his hotel establishment in Ogbomoso and killed later. 

 Owolabi’s body was ferried back to the United States and buried in Maryland last Saturday. The deceased’s younger brother Ayorinde Owolabi told Nigeria’s Punch that it was the US government that organized to have the corpse flown abroad.  

 “The American government wanted evidence (about his death) and they came down here to do a post-mortem. Another post-mortem was done in the US before the burial,” he said. 

 “His remains were taken from LAUTECH back to the US for burial. A death certificate was obtained at the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital and also at the Delaware State Military Hospital, USA.” 

 Ayorinde further said the US government asked the relevant security agencies in Nigeria to bring his brother’s killers to justice. 

 Described by many as a perfect gentleman, Gbenga Owolabi was comfortable in the United States but strongly believed in investing in Nigeria, as part of his giving back to his home country. One report says his wife was unhappy about how the Nigerian government handled the matter.  

 Owolabi moved to the United States in 1993, where he met his wife. He continued his education at the University of Baltimore, graduating with a degree in Information Technology.  

He had a farm in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, and opened a hotel in the same town just last December. He was in Ogbomoso till March 2022 and returned to the US in preparation for his final relocation to Nigeria in July-after decades abroad. 

 Upon his return to Nigeria, he was kidnapped in July. A ransom of N5 million was paid as demanded by his abductors. On July 28, 2022, the kidnappers killed him and two others.  

 Of the two others killed was a student of Ladoke Akintola University Rachel Opadele, who took up a job at the hotel while waiting for the ongoing ASUU strike to end. She died making herself useful as a worker in a new hotel. 

 His killing triggered outrage and an outpouring of condolence from many Nigerians on social media, who lamented how such an illustrious diasporan ended up-no thanks to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.  

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