Entertainment

Otedola Bridge tanker fire: Dotun Oladipo, Publisher, The Eagle Online, Narrates his escape with wife, child, and car, but lost his mechanic

Published

1 year ago

March 17, 2025

OhiBaba

441 Views

▪︎Collage of Dotun Oladipo, Publisher, The Eagle Online, (left), and Rotimi Olaleye, the mechanic.

I write this from the point of ‘Pain’ and ‘Gratitude’.

Pain because of the death of a hardworking and honest man, Rotimi Olaleye, who was both a great father, as attested to by his children who he has been taking care of single-handedly since his wife died about five years ago, and an honest and diligent auto mechanic, as confirmed by his clients, including yours truly.

We met less than a week before his death, but he left an unforgettable impression on me, even in death. Gratitude?

I was less than 10 seconds away from where Mr. Olaleye was when the fire that took his life occurred with my wife and first child.

Let me start from the beginning. I met Mr. Olaleye on March 8, 2025, following a need to change my mechanic.

I was introduced to him by the best car air conditioning technician I had ever met, Mr. Akinola Ayeni. We drove the car together on that day.

He spotted some issues, including the fact that the former handler was as careless as not putting the knots that should be holding the connecting ABS wire to the wheel of the driver’s side, by just driving the car.

That was quickly fixed. And he told me, very honestly, that other things had to wait until Monday. That he needed to finish some other jobs. I left happily.

On Monday, I took the car to him. He appeared meticulous. Aside from the fact, that I told him that on completing the work on the Highlander, which my wife uses, I was going to send my car for servicing, he was not in a hurry to declare the vehicle fit. people behind me.

One woman came out of her car and started banging ours: “Move, move.”

She did it a second time and I wound down the back glass, addressing her and my wife who had also become agitated: “We have a man down there. Let’s see if there is still something we can do before we go too far.”

And then his line stopped ringing. My head immediately told me to call Mr. Ayeni. As soon as he picked it up, he asked me: “Have you collected your car? Rotimi has parked by the gate and is waiting for you.”

He did not even hear me saying there was trouble at the workshop until I shouted at the top of my voice.

Mr. Ayeni, who was at Agidingbi, immediately turned back. He, alongside others, discovered the remains of Mr. Olaleye, lying face down. His apprentices who were with him said as the truck crashed, he told them to flee that he needed to “save his customer’s car”.

Meanwhile, his own car was just behind mine. He succeeded in turning the car around to face the workshop. But that was as far as he made it. I cried that night. Something I have not done in several years. I wept bitterly.

In the short period I knew Mr. Olaleye, I learned a lot of lessons.

He left an impact I would never forget. But it was a pity he didn’t pick up my last call, which was to tell him to abandon the car and flee to safety.

His meticulousness on the job was second to none from what I saw in the three days of being with him. He also knew his job. Adieu Mr. Olaleye.

■ SylvaNews

Related Topics:Featured Otedola Bridge tanker fire victims

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Entertainment

Davido to release new single ‘I Know Who I Be’ June 26

Before the latest announcement, Davido’s last solo release was Be There Still, which dropped in March 2025.

Published

1 hour ago

June 23, 2026

OCHEFA

10 Views

Nigerian singer Davido has announced the release of a new song titled ‘I Know Who I Be’, marking his return with fresh music after a period of limited solo releases.

The track, which features Jazzwrld and GL_Ceejay, is scheduled to be released on June 26.

Davido, whose real name is David Adeleke, is one of Africa’s most celebrated music stars.

He rose to fame in 2012 with the hit song Dami Duro and later founded DMW, a record label that has produced several successful artistes.

The singer made the announcement on his X page on Monday, telling fans that “the journey to the throne begins” as he unveiled plans for the forthcoming release.

He further disclosed that “my next single I Know Who I Be releases June 26th,” while sharing promotional photographs for the project.

The announcement has generated excitement among fans, particularly because the singer had revealed in May that he would be taking a temporary break from making music.

Before the latest announcement, Davido’s last solo release was Be There Still, which dropped in March 2025. He most recently appeared as a featured artiste on TxC’s track Nakupenda.

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Entertainment

Michelle hosts Tems at new Obama presidential centre

Michelle Obama also told the participants that the Centre was created as a space for young people to explore their talents and find their voices, adding that she and former President Barack Obama envisioned it as a long-term creative hub.

Published

9 hours ago

June 23, 2026

OCHEFA

21 Views

Image : Tems with former United States President, First Lady, Barack and Michelle Obama. Photo credit: Tems

Grammy-winning Afrobeats star Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has met with former United States First Lady Michelle Obama at the newly opened Media Suite of the Obama Presidential Centre in Chicago, where both figures engaged young aspiring artists in a conversation on confidence, creativity and self-expression.

The meeting, which was shared in a video posted by Michelle Obama on X on Monday, formed part of activities at the Obama Presidential Centre’s creative hub in Jackson Park.

The Centre, which opened just days earlier during its June 18–21, 2026 launch events, includes a Media Suite designed to give young people access to tools for music production, podcasting and other creative training.

In her post accompanying the video, Michelle Obama wrote: “Tems and I met with some aspiring artists at the Obama Presidential Centre’s new Media Suite! Barack and I hope this Media Suite will become a place where young people can find their voice, learn about music, and make beautiful art.

”Inside the session, Tems expressed appreciation for the opportunity to engage with the participants, while also highlighting the importance of authenticity in building confidence as an artist.

“I got a chance to meet these beautiful, talented girls, and I’m so grateful to the Obama Centre and to Michelle Obama for inviting me,” she said.

In a response to a student’s question about stage confidence, Michelle Obama emphasised consistency and practice, noting that self-assurance is developed over time through experience.

Tems, in her own contribution, encouraged the young artists to embrace individuality and creative honesty. She said:“You have to do things that bring more of you out, like that, make you more authentic. That helps with confidence…. I really believe in what these guys are doing here, which is also why I started the Leading Vibe initiative, who supports young women in music in every way

Entertainment

Nigerian-British Singer Talay Riley Dies in London Stabbing, Others Mourn

Published

2 weeks ago

June 8, 2026

Charles Flames

128 Views

Grammy-winning Nigerian-British singer and songwriter Talay Riley, whose real name was Mark Yinka Orabiyi, has been stabbed to death at the age of 35 in East London, sparking an active murder investigation by the Metropolitan Police.

Emergency services responded to reports of a stabbing around 9 a.m. on Friday, June 5, 2026, at a property on Pankhurst Avenue in Silvertown. Riley was found with multiple stab wounds in the garden of the property and was pronounced dead at the scene despite paramedics’ efforts.

A second man was also injured in the incident and hospitalised with non-life-threatening injuries. Police arrested three individuals nearby on suspicion of murder; two have since been released, while a 27-year-old man remains on bail pending further inquiries.

Born in Nigeria and based in the UK, Talay Riley was renowned as a hit songwriter who collaborated with global stars including Dua Lipa, Usher, Chris Brown, Britney Spears, Nick Jonas, and Khalid. He also worked closely with Craig David on the 2018 album The Time Is Now.

Tributes have poured in from the music industry. British rapper Stormzy commented, “I’m sorry, bro.” Craig David wrote: “Sending so much love to you and the family. His beautiful energy will continue to be felt and shown from the other side.”

In a family statement, relatives described Riley as a “beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend whose kindness, talent, and spirit touched many lives.” They added: “We will always cherish his kindness, beautiful spirit, and remarkable talent.”

Homicide detectives from the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Command are leading the investigation and have appealed for witnesses or anyone with information about the incident to come forward.