Tragedy as hit-and-run driver kills FUNAAB Professor in Ogun

Residents of Ajebo Road Housing Estate, Kemta, Abeokuta, are in mourning following the tragic death of Professor Oladipo Ademuyiwa of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB).

He was fatally struck by a hit-and-run driver on the newly rehabilitated Kemta-Somorin Road on Sunday.

Ademuyiwa, a professor of biochemical toxicology in his early sixties, had just exited a cab and was attempting to cross the road near the Prof. Wole Soyinka end when a speeding vehicle hit him. The driver fled the scene, leaving him for dead.

Dr. Ayo Ajasa, Chairman of the Ajebo Road Housing Estate Community Development Association, described the incident as a preventable tragedy. He criticized the Ogun State Government for failing to install speed breakers on the road despite repeated appeals from residents.

Ajasa said, “This unfortunate incident, which occurred on Sunday, February 16, 2025, once again highlights the urgent need for government intervention to prevent further tragedies.

“It is disheartening that despite our numerous appeals to the Ogun State Government and relevant agencies, no effort has been made to install speed breakers and other necessary safety measures. The government did not hesitate to install speed bumps on the Ilugun end of the road but has continually ignored our pleas to safeguard lives in Ajebo Road Housing Estate.”

Ajasa lamented that the professor’s death was a significant loss to the community and the nation, given his contributions to academia.

To prevent further casualties, he urged the government to immediately install speed breakers and lorry barriers along the road, along with clear traffic signage to caution motorists against reckless driving. He also called for stricter law enforcement to curb excessive speeding within the estate.

He added, “It is unacceptable that a community of law-abiding citizens must endure repeated accidents, near-fatal encounters, and now the death of an esteemed professor, simply due to government inaction.

“Another accident occurred within 24 hours of this tragic incident, proving that this road remains a death trap.”