Shock and grief swept through Adebiopon Village, Obafemi Owode LGA, Ogun State on Wednesday after 50-year-old traditional priest Muritala Shodiya, popularly known as “Ifa,” allegedly set himself on fire and died the next day.
—“He Poured Petrol on Himself”—
Community sources said the incident happened Wednesday evening inside an uncompleted building in Adebiopon.
Shodiya reportedly doused himself with petrol and set himself ablaze.
Residents said they extinguished the flames and rushed him to General Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta. Doctors confirmed him dead Thursday morning.
A source said the priest had been showing signs of depression since his wife left him for another man.
“We learnt that he set himself on fire. He had not been himself since his wife left him for another man. He had been showing signs of depression,” the source said.
—“He Crawled Out of the Bush on Fire”—
Resident Kazeem said villagers found him burning and tried to save him.
“We rushed to the scene to save his life. We put out the fire and took him to the hospital, but I just heard this morning that he has died,” Kazeem said.
“Although some people claimed that other people set him on fire, he actually set himself ablaze. He crawled out of the bush while he was on fire.”
Shodiya was known in the area for fortune-telling and Ifa worship. He had practised in Ijaye, Abeokuta for years before relocating to Adebiopon Village.
—Police Confirm, Probe Underway—
Confirming the incident, Ogun Police spokesperson Babaseyi Oluseyi said:
“On July 1, 2026, a 50-year-old man, Muritala Shodiya, allegedly set himself ablaze after pouring petrol on himself in an uncompleted building at Adebiopon Village. He was rescued and taken to the General Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, for treatment. Police officers visited the scene, documented the incident, and commenced an investigation.”
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The case mirrors a 2018 incident in Omole Phase 1, Ojodu, Lagos, when a man in his early 20s allegedly set himself ablaze while lamenting hardship. [Rewritten story culled from The Punch]
