By Bamidele Ademola-Olateju

Murder by any means is a crime and a sin. It should be condemned! I condemn the murder of Abimbola Olamide’s husband. That done with, did Olamide plan killing her husband? What led to his murder?

A few days ago, I saw a video of Olamide, a teacher and mother of two children, hold the body of her dead husband in a tricycle popularly called Marwan in Lagos. She was sobbing. She appeared dazed, even remorseful. In her own words, she stayed in an abusive marriage because she wanted to be with the “husband of her morning/youth”. What we, the Yoruba, call “ọkọ àárọ̀”. While in custody, she alleged in another video that her husband would physically assault and beat her to pulp, while neighbors and onlookers plead with him for mercy. In one of those moments when the angry beast took control of her husband earlier this week, he locked the door to their room, pinned her down, and rained blows on her and hitting her with any object he could find. When she tried to escape mad found no exit, she brandished a kitchen knife to scare him away but the knife penetrated and cut him deep. Her husband bled to death.

I have been wondering how she can be helped because this is a clear case of self defense. This morning, I spoke to Azuka Jebose who had earlier written on her case, to seek further clarification. He has sent Chioma Owolabi, to Olamide’s residence in Ikorodu, for pertinent information related to the murder and how the couple lived as husband and wife. Chioma found a tale of woe and pure misery. In the attached video, women who are witnesses testified to physical abuse, neglect visited on Olamide by her late husband. They are unafraid of being on record in defense of Olamide. Inset is another video showing where she lived in squalor and her account of the incident.

From the narratives given by the women, she had a baby two months ago, and she single handedly paid the hospital bills for the birth of the baby. The poor baby was recently circumcised. According to these witnesses including her employer, Olamide’s husband was lazy, always sleeping, and sought no employment. Aside her job as a teacher, she runs after-school tutorials for neighborhood children, hawks peanuts and braiding of hair to generate additional income. A particular woman said she always loan her money at times. Her employer said; “Sometimes we see her with lacerations, swollen bodies, scarred face and black eyes and when we asked her, she would lie to us that she fell and got bruised. But we knew the truth. We saw him abuse her physically. She ran away while she was pregnant but recently returned to birth her new baby. She wanted him to be a part of their second child birthing experience, as her husband and father of her children . But he didn’t give a damn. She doesn’t deserve this. She is a kind hard working woman that cared for her husband and their children. He brought nothing to support the home. She was always engaged in small business hustles and would surrender whatever profits she made to him as head of household.”

Olamide had no one. She does not know her dad. Her mother was a single mum who died years ago. According to Chioma: “The husband was so abusive that the family of the husband doesn’t want to have anything to do with him. They seem not interested in this matter. My understanding from family and friends in her neighborhood was his family did not want to be part his violence against his wife. According to them, he always beat her. Olamide, her husband and children initially lived with husband’s family but when he would not stop beating her, his family threw them out.

Olamide is a victim of domestic violence. Without competent legal representation, she will become a victim of the law. Without social support she will become damaged and her children will be scarred for life. Join us to help Olamide. She needs robust legal representation and support. Her children needs care. Contact me if you can be of any help. Thank you.