Tragedy as hit-and-run driver kills professor in Abeokuta

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

Ademuyiwa, a professor of biochemical toxicology in his early sixties, was fatally struck by a speeding vehicle on the newly rehabilitated Kemta-Somorin Road on Sunday.

Reports indicate that he had just alighted from a cab and was attempting to cross the road near the Prof Wole Soyinka end when the accident occurred.

The driver fled the scene, leaving him for dead. Authorities are currently investigating the incident, while residents have called for stricter traffic regulations and improved pedestrian safety measures in the area.

Chairman of the Ajebo Road Housing Estate Community Development Association, Dr. Ayo Ajasa, in a statement on Tuesday, described the incident as a preventable tragedy, blaming the Ogun State Government for ignoring repeated calls to install speed breakers on the road.

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.”