How Ibadan Lost 3 Popular Celebrities Within 4 Days, The Death Story of Tina Ogundoyin, Sunny Shooting & Alhaji Adesokan

Two weeks ago, Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State was rocked with death of three prominent personalities. The trio of Alhaji Rasheed Adesokan, popularly known as 'Baale Bodija'; Chief (Mrs) Justina Ogundoyin, mother of the Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin and a popular socialite Mr Sunday Adebayo Adeagbo aka 'Sunny Shooting' all died, in succession, within four days.

While Alhaji Rasheed Adesokan (Baale Bodija) died on Saturday 25 March, 2023, at the age of 75, after a brief illness. He died while receiving treatment at the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan.

Both Tina Ogundoyin and Sunday Adeagbo, however, lost the battle of life on Sunday 26 and Tuesday 28 March, respectively, at 63.

The deaths of these celebrities have since thrown into a deep mourning not only the Ibadan social establishment but also the business and religion circles. Infact many are yet to term with the deaths, especially that of Tina Ogundoyin and Sunday Adeagbo, who were still relatively young.

Apart from the fact that Tina Ogundoyin and Sunday Adeagbo both died at 63, they were popular, loved and respected in the social scene. Tina Ogundoyin, in her lifetime, was very sociable and beautiful with a lot of sense of humor. She was a very hard working and a strong woman too. Having singlehandedly raised her children after the death of her husband in 1991. All the children are today doing wonderfully well with their lives.

Tina Ogundoyin was one of the widows of the late Eruwa-born business mogul, Chief Adeseun Ayisa Ogundoyin. She was a woman of refreshing candour and beauty. Tina Ogundoyin was always the cynosure of all eyes at party due to her beauty and the way she carried herself. She was called 'Queen of Sheba' in the social circle. Until her death, Yeye Tina Ogundoyin was also the Iyaloja-General of Ibarapaland.

She dominated both the business and social circle. She was into oil & gas and real estate.

Meanwhile, Sunday Adeagbo on the other hand was another popular socialite in Ibadan. Sunny Shooting as he was popularly known in the social circle was an household name. He was one of the hottest male celebrities in Ibadan. He was rich, handsome and stylish. Sunny Shooting was, as a matter of fact, musicians' delight.

He was a heavy spender and a philanthropist of note, who played big in real estate. His death had remained shocking to many because he was already planning his 64th birthday party. He was planning to celebrate his birthday on the 11th of April. According to a family source, Sunny Shooting never showed any sign of sickness prior to his death. In fact, he was said to have visited his ailing but now also late friend, Arthur Egwim, also known in the social circle as 'Innocent Nzeribe', at the University College Hospital (UCH) on Monday and died the next morning of Tuesday 28 March.

He was said to have even planning to contract King Wasiu Ayinde, K1 De Ultimate to perform for his birthday party. It was meant to be a mega birthday party, which he also planned to celebrate with a brand new car. Sunny Shooting, in his lifetime, was described as a man of the people. He was well loved and respected among his friends. He rocked the social scene like a colossus. His burial programme comes up between Thursday 13 and Friday 14 April, 2023. Sunny Shooting is an Ibadan man from the popular Gbenla Compound of the ancient city. 

While Tina Ogundoyin and Sunday Adeagbo were both popular in the social scene, Alhaji Rasheed Adesokan was more of a religion leader in Islam. He was a philanthropist. He was known to be a great sponsor of various Islamic programmes in the Media, both print and broadcast, as well as publication of many islamic books, pamphlets and Yusuf Alli-English translated copies of Holy Qur’an for free distribution across the country. He has been involved in sponsoring Islamic programmes as far back as 80s. In recognition of his immense contributions to the propagation of Islam, UCH Muslim Community described him as one of the biggest individual donor to the construction of the UCH Mosque. Little wonder then that his body was prayed upon at the UCH Central Mosque, before he was he interred at Eternal Homes, Motunde, Afijio Local Government Area of Oyo State. 

Adesokan was the Baale of Bodija and at the same time, the Director General of Centre for Islamic Information and Youth Development in Ibadan. He was also the Balogun Mumini of Yorubaland, and chairman of the Muslim Community of Oyo State (MUSCOYS).

Alhaji Rasheed Adeniyi Mofolorunso Akangbe Adesokan was a retired captain of the Nigerian Army.

He was a close ally of late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, AbdulAzeez Arisekola Alao.