A tragic and mysterious incident occurred in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State on Saturday, when an unidentified man was found dead beside the revered Agemo deity statue located at the Awujale Roundabout, along Folagbade Road.
The community was thrown into shock when locals woke up to find the gold-coloured Agemo statue—which had stood for over 21 years—forcefully removed from its pedestal. Not far from the fallen structure lay the lifeless body of a young man, whose identity remains unknown.
A widely circulated video captured the motionless figure dressed in a blue top, lying just metres away from the toppled statue. The sight sparked a mix of horror, spiritual fear, and widespread speculation among residents.
A local resident, Hakeem Quadri, who witnessed the aftermath, confirmed the incident and described it as deeply unsettling.
“The incident is real. It happened right in front of my house. We heard people shouting, and when I came out, I saw the Agemo statue had been removed, and a young man—suspected to have attempted to steal it—was lying dead beside it,” he recounted.
Quadri further noted that authorities have since evacuated the body and deposited it at a mortuary.
As of press time, the Ogun State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident. It remains unclear whether the man’s death was due to electrocution, spiritual consequences, or other circumstances.
The Agemo deity holds immense spiritual and traditional value among the Ijebu people, symbolising ancestral protection, unity, and cultural identity. Any desecration of such sacred monuments is considered not only offensive but spiritually dangerous.
A resident who preferred anonymity remarked, “That statue is more than a symbol—it represents our ancestral heritage. Attempting to tamper with it is not just criminal, it’s a spiritual offense. Many believe the gods reacted.”
