Man drowns saving his child in Ogun

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Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta

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Pandemonium struck Sunday evening when a commercial driver identified as Oluwagbeminija Oluwasanya Rhodes drowned at Ogun river in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital while he was trying so save his son, Gbeminiyi from drowning inside the river.

The late driver until his untimely death was a member of the MAPOLY Shuttle Bus Association and a popular person in Panseke area of Abeokuta where the students of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, MAPOLY, Ojere board vehicles to their campus.

Our correspondent reliably gathered that the deceased was the pioneer Chairman of the association.

Late Rhodes, it was gathered, took his bus to a nearby car wash on Sunday for cleaning, only to be informed by the attendant that there is no water, the development prompted him to go to the river side in Lafenwa area to fetch water.

A source close to the deceased told our correspondent that Rhodes left for the river side with the attendant and his young child, believed to be age eight.

It was further gathered that Gbeminiyi, who was playing at the river bank missed his step and fell inside the water forcing his father to jump inside the river in an attempt to rescue his child.

While Gbeminiyi was rescued and rushed to the hospital where he was revived, his father perished inside the river while his remains could only be removed late Monday night.

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His remains was later seen at Oriyanrin area, about 3 kilometers away from the point of the incident by some of the local divers and fishermen who was contacted to assist in search of the missing body.

The current Chairman of the MAPOLY Shuttle Bus Association, Prince Adedolapo Adekunle who spoke to our correspondent on the incident explained that his body could not be removed immediately because the river was full.

“We heard about the incident on Sunday and how wanted to save his child but lost his in the process. We consulted the fishermen and the local divers immediately, but they told us that the river was full and that they had to wait for the body to float the third day or they can try by Monday afternoon if the weather was sunny.

“Luckily for us, yesterday (Monday), it was sunny and his body was discovered in Oriiyanrin. We later paid for some rituals before his body could be released to us,” Adekunle narrated.

The Chairman described Rhodes as a complete gentleman, humble and honest, adding that, the association only saw the light of day because of his efforts.

“He was very nice and calm, very honest and faithful, if not for ‘Gbemi and God, there wouldn’t have been anything like our association, he spare headed the struggle and led us for about nine years,” he revealed.

His remains were later buried at his yet to be completed apartment in Ikolaba community of Olomoore, in Abeokuta North local government area of the state.

As at the time of filling this report, members of the MAPOLY Shuttle Bus Association were seen gathering in their numbers at the Panseke park while some are at the main entrance of the institution in preparation for a candle night procession.

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