A late-night domestic dispute in the Elega area of Abeokuta, Ogun State, turned fatal on Saturday as a man, identified as Olamide, mistakenly struck his one-year-old son, Ayinde, with an iron rod during a fight with his wife, leading to the child’s death.
According to eyewitness accounts and a video obtained by reporters on Monday, the tragic incident unfolded when Olamide, during a heated altercation with his wife, picked up an iron rod—reportedly one attached to a weightlifting device he regularly used—and attempted to hit his wife. However, the rod landed on the baby’s head instead.
A co-tenant, Mrs. Bolatito, recounted the harrowing experience. “Around midnight, I heard the woman calling out for help. She was crying that Ola had killed Ayinde. I was shocked. She told me they had been to Tyre, and I should help them get a vehicle. When I saw some people with a car, I said we should rush the child to Trinity hospital, the closest in our area.”
Bolatito said the child was initially declared dead at Trinity. “But on returning home, we noticed the child was still making sounds, so we rushed him to the hospital again. Unfortunately, we were told a second time that he was dead,” she said.
She also revealed that the man had a history of domestic abuse. “This is not the first time he’s beaten his wife. The last pregnancy she had was lost because of the beatings,” she alleged.
The Chairman of the Community Development Association, Mr. Ramoni Adegbola, also confirmed the incident. He said he was alerted by residents about the fight.
“I heard people shouting for help, so I ran to the house. I saw the couple with the child, who was already unconscious. We immediately rushed him to the hospital, but they came back saying the boy had died,” Adegbola told reporters.
He noted that the man was known in the community for frequent violence and substance abuse. “There was a day he collapsed after taking something, and I had to mobilize neighbours to help revive him. It’s unfortunate it has now come to this.”
Adegbola added that Olamide fled the scene after the incident but later turned himself in. “He had been on the run since the night of the incident, but I was told he has now reported himself to the police.”
When contacted on Monday, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, SP Omolola Odutola, confirmed the development.
“It happened, and the police are investigating,” she said briefly.
