Tolani Ajayi, the 21-year-old undergraduate who killed his father, has declared his readiness to face the consequences of his action.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday at the Eleweran Police Headquarters, Abeokuta, Tolani stated that he hacked his father, a lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria to death, because he angered him. Tolani said his father provoked him by beating him with a stick; and that he needed no help from Nigerians.
“There is no way Nigerians can help me. I am going to face my judgement. I am meant to pay for what I have done ” he said. “It is not as if I am ready, it is something that is inevitable – something that is going to happen; I am just waiting for it.”
PREMIUM TIMES’ findings revealed that Tolani, a 300- level student of Department of History and International Relations of Redeemer University, Ogun State, was into drugs. He was said to have been caught twice by the authorities of the University. It was also gathered that the school had set up a panel to question him on alleged drug offence before he committed the murder.
The suspect, however, said his action may be “spiritual.” He said he regretted it and had sent emissaries to his widowed mother, begging for her forgiveness.
“My mother is still grieving. I have sent some people to talk to her that I am sorry. I want to give her time. I have talked to my sister. I have asked for forgiveness,” he said. When asked whether he had been under the influence of drugs, the suspect confessed that he took drugs but denied being under the influence on the day of the murder.
He said his action was not planned.
“The incident happened around 1 a.m. when the church would have been sleeping by then. It was anger that led me to this. There was an argument between us and I stood up to him. “He beat me with a stick and bit me with his teeth repeatedly. Just the two of us were at home; my mother was in Abuja,” he said.
Tolani said his father was the one that first went to the kitchen to get a wooden spoon which he used to hit him repeatedly. He confessed that he actually used a kitchen knife and cutlass to attack his father. “I tried to defend myself, then he bit me on my shoulder and I got angry. I used normal small kitchen knife then I used a cutlass to attack him. I regret the action,” the young man said.
Tolani said that his family resides in Abuja while he lived at the Redeemed Church, RCCG, camp. “My father came for a programme; then, my school was on break so I went to meet him. We were meant to go back to Abuja together then the incident happened and I am here,” he said.He told journalists that contrary to previous reports, the altercation was not based on his church attendance.
“I didn’t miss church throughout this semester. I never missed church for once. It is not about the church,” he said.
