Muyiwa Fapohunda-Popoola in the Season of “End Police Brutality” Protest
By Bode Adenigbo
If Muyiwa Fapohunda-Popoola was able to make it after the gun shot, he would have actively participated in this “End Police Brutality” struggle.
Muyiwa Fapohunda died at a tender age of 27 in July 24, 2004 from a gun shot by a policeman. It was indeed a black day for his friends and the families of the Fapohundas of Uso and the Popoolas of Ikere Ekiti. I would join other folks in describing him a genius. He had a good academic-work-life balance. He was indeed humorous and innovative. His childhood innovations are still unmatched in the community of Uso till today. Whilst we were using cans and tins to make artificial cars, he innovated his with electrical manipulations that marveled people. His room was not normal! Self-made gadgets everywhere. His room chair could recline as past as 1996.
His death and the brutality.
He studied Civil Engineering at the University of Ibadan. He secured an employment two months prior his demise with Prodem Nigeria Limited, a construction firm that handled the renovation of Ado Ekiti Township Stadium. He was drafted to lead a team of Engineers to supervise the Stadium. On his way from the site, Muyiwa was killed by policemen while trailing a gang of armed robbers that snatched a Mercedes Benz car from the owner of a filling station in Ado-Ekiti. He and his colleagues in a Honda Civic car were mistaken for armed robbers and in a bid to arrest them, the police opened fire on them. As he was bleeding, grasping for life while at the police station, a senior police officer ordered his boys to rush him to the hospital. This order met the deaf ears and he bled to death before he was finally taken to the hospital.
Ransom and punishment did not bring him back
The Ekiti State Police Command admitted killing him in error and apologised, blaming it on laxity and unprofessional conduct on the part of its men. The concerned officers were reprimanded and his paternal family sought for damages.
Each time I drive through Zik hall of the University of Ibadan, I look into the room I once visited you as an undergraduate and my heart sinks. I will forever miss you Murphy.
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