A family member of a prominent Ondo State businessman, Akinbolusere Kayode, popularly known as Tolufe, has raised questions over the circumstances surrounding his death, as police investigate the incident being treated as a suspected suicide.
Tolufe, owner of the popular Esther Estate, was found dead in his office in Igba town, Ondo State, on Thursday, October 29, hours after a video in which he discussed his business difficulties, marital relationship and plans to bequeath his properties to his wife and children circulated on social media.
His uncle, Femi Akinbolusere, reportedly expressed suspicion that the businessman might have been pressured into making the video, urging security operatives to examine the recording and investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.
- Barber allegedly stabs man to death in Jigawa
- BREAKING: Investigative Panel Says 37 Miners Died of Suffocation in NSCDC Custody
He particularly questioned the deceased’s statements about voluntarily surrendering his properties to his immediate family, arguing that aspects of the recording raised questions about whether he had acted freely.
The uncle also called for an autopsy to establish the actual cause of death.
However, the Ondo State Police Command said preliminary findings had not revealed visible marks of violence on the deceased’s body, while assuring that a thorough investigation would be conducted.
In a statement on Friday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, the command said the 46-year-old businessman was found dead in his office beside BOVAS Petrol Station, Igba, at about 3pm on Thursday.
According to the police, operatives attached to Bolorunduro Division visited the scene following information from members of the public and recovered two empty bottles suspected to have contained insecticide from a nearby bush.
The police said his remains had been deposited at the State Hospital Morgue for preservation and further examination.
The Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, has directed a thorough investigation to establish the actual circumstances surrounding the death, urging members of the public to refrain from speculation.
Meanwhile, in the video, which has since circulated widely on social media, Tolufe spoke about difficulties confronting his business, including technical faults affecting some of the machines used in his operations.
He disclosed that three machines had developed faults, explaining that two of them had commenced operations earlier that morning before the problems emerged.
Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey, the businessman said he built his business through legitimate means, insisting that he had never engaged in illegal or questionable activities to acquire his wealth.
He also spoke emotionally about his wife, Akinbolusere Esther Adenike, whom he acknowledged as a major source of support throughout his journey to financial success.
Tolufe expressed regret over challenges in their marital relationship, taking responsibility for some of the difficulties rather than blaming his wife.
He also mentioned his three children, Oluwafemi, Toluwani and Daniel, while declaring that his accumulated wealth and properties should belong to his wife and children.
He repeatedly maintained that his decision concerning the distribution of his assets was voluntary, stressing that nobody had compelled him or subjected him to any form of pressure.
The police have yet to establish the actual cause of death, while questions raised by the family over the video and the circumstances surrounding the incident remain subjects for investigation.
