Tributes lionise OPC leader, Soloko
By Abolaji Adebayo
The picture of a lion always on the prowl after unlawful elements in the community is what is emerging from the deluge of tributes and dirges showered on the late leader of the Oodua Peoples Congress in Ejigbo LCDA, Mr. Gbenga Agunbiade, much better known by his alias, Soloko.
The Nigeria Police in Ejigbo Police Divisional Headquarters and the entire community are extolling the virtues of Soloko who gave up the ghost on Tuesday November 3, 2020 following injuries from attack by hoodlums during the ENDSARS protest attack on the Ejigbo Police Divisional Headquarters.
Born on December 1, 1973, Soloko would have been 47 years old in the next 22 days.
Police sources described him as a strong supporter of their operations in Ejigbo who gave information on criminals and led officers of the law to the dens of criminals.
Sometimes, he would single-handedly track down criminals terrorising the community and hand them over to the police.
“He was a ‘Lion’ to the criminals in Ejigbo. They take to their heels when they notice his presence in their hangouts,” a source said.
His death was traced to his role in preventing the hoodlums from razing down Ejigbo Police Station during the EndSARS protest crisis on October 21, this year.
According to reports, the gang had invaded the station with the plan to burn but Soloko and his team ran to its defence, explaining that if the station was burnt, the fire that would occur would burn the whole town because the station is located around the fuel pipelines.
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During the faceoff between the hoodlums and the Police/Soloko led OPC group, two of the cult members were gunned down.
A close relative to the deceased told ECHONEWS that the hoodlum retaliated by attacking Soloko the following day.
He said they accosted Soloko on his way at Ile-Iwe, Ejigbo, dragged him down while his motorcycle was on motion hitting his chest against the ground in the process, beat him to the point of killing him while his motorcycle was burned to ashes.
According to the relative, Soloko went for treatment in a hospital and was later discharged.
The next day, Soloko ran to the school attended by his children when he was tipped off of a plan to attack them.
That same night, it was gathered that the hoodlums surrounded his house and OPC tarmac with petrol in an attempt to burn him up but his OPC colleagues got wind of their plan and mobilised to rescue Soloko.
However, his house and Tarmac were irredeemably destroyed.
The following day, around 6pm, he was said to have started gasping for breath due to complications of his violent encounter with hoodlums. He was rushed to the hospital where the doctor pronounced him dead.
According to another police officer who prefers to be anonymous: “Soloko died because of his support to the police. He was never a villain, he was never biased, never, I say never betrayed the police unlike others of his standing. He loved us to his own detriment. his very young children have been left fatherless, his wife husbandless, his family, childless. I can’t stop weeping for him…many of our achievements in Ejigbo, he helped us achieve them either covertly or openly. We commiserate with his family over the loss of a friend indeed.”
In her tribute, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund, CSP Olabisi Okuwobi praised Soloko for his support when she was the Divisional Police Officer for Ejigbo LCDA. her words: “Very pathetic…he deserves State honours, even in death. Rest on Soloko, the ever dependable OPC member. We would miss you greatly,”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Ejigbo LCDA, Hon. Monsuru Bello Obe, who, ECHONEWS gathered, picked the burial expenses, also gave financial support to his widow and children.
