AN octogenarian has committed suicide in Ondo, Ondo State by hanging himself on a ladder with a rope in his house located in Oka area, off the Ondo/Ore Highway. This incident is coming few days after a septuagenarian died following the consumption of a local herbal mixture in a village located in Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.It was reliably gathered from an impeccable source, who lives in the area, that the news of the death of the 82-year-old man was brought to the notice of other inhabitants on the street by his wife who also lives in the same house with him. The woman was said to have discovered the dangling body of the octogenarian very early in the morning when she could not see him in his room where he slept the previous night.
Although, the immediate cause of the incident has continued to generate controversy among residents of the area who described the deceased as one of the first to build a house in the locality, a suicide note said to have been written in Yoruba language and left behind by the octogenarian on the floor close to the ladder on which he tied the rope with which he hung himself has heightened the speculations that he may have died as a result of protracted illness for which he has been battling with but which has defied all curative efforts made by him and members of his family. The source further stated that subsequent upon the discovery of the lifeless body of the octogenarian, the report of the incident was lodged at the Enuowa Divisional Police Station in Ondo town while efforts were made towards contacting some spiritualists and traditional worshippers who always handle such situation which he described as strange.
He further stated that the performance of the traditional rites would precede the removal of the body for burial in line with the traditions and culture of the people of Ondo town. When our correspondent visited the house, it was deserted. However, one of the residents of the area who spoke under condition of anonymity said the body has been removed for burial by some traditional workers who came to the house after performing all necessary traditional rites.
Confirming the report of the incident and the purported suicide note said to have been written by the deceased before his demise, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Enuowa Divisional Police Station, Mr. David Ehighale, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), stated that the information has been conveyed to the appropriate quarters at the state police command headquarters in Akure while investigation towards unraveling the cause of the incident continues.
