Grief Intensifies as Olanrewaju's Body Remains Unreturned in Ghana – An International Appeal

The family of deceased Nigerian boxer Segun 'Success' Olanrewaju is gripped by sorrow and struggling to achieve closure as his body remains in Ghana several weeks following his untimely death. The PUNCH reports.

During an interview with our correspondent, Olanrewaju’s distressed mother disclosed that the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control had granted Ghanaian authorities a deadline of 21 days to repatriate her son’s remains, but this period has now passed.

"The NBB of C granted them a 21-day window, which has since elapsed. My son passed away, and it was approximately two weeks later when they traveled to Ghana to investigate the cause of his death; however, up until now, we have not received his remains," she stated, struggling to hold back her tears.

The bereaved mother shared how the extended delay has intensified her distress, stating, "It has been agonizing not being able to lay him to rest; my tears have flowed continuously as I await seeing his remains. Just now, when you contacted me, I was weeping, and people around me were still attempting to comfort me. I am yet to compose myself."

She mentioned that Olanrewaju’s spouse and offspring have relocated to her dad’s residence, which is near the deceased pugilist’s familial home, and they often visit for information regarding the retrieval of his remains.

A close acquaintance, who acted as a paternal role model for the late Taiwo Azeez, voiced worry over the unexpected postponement of the return of Olanrewaju’s body.

"I visited his mother to inquire about when he would return home, and I was informed that we needed to wait for a few more days. However, that period should have elapsed by now," he explained.

I identify as a Muslim, whereas they are Christian. Typically, we do not retain bodies for an extended period. Knowing that they would not have waited this long either, their prolonged absence concerning him raises worries among all of us.

He additionally highlighted that the circumstances have been especially challenging for the family since Olanrewaju was their sole son.

"The pain persists as their loss remains unchanged due to the absence of a proper burial," he noted.

Upon being reached out to, NBBofC Secretary General Aboderin stated that the board was diligently addressing the issue alongside their colleagues from Ghana.

"We reached out to the Ghana Boxing Authority this morning (Monday), seeking their response regarding why they haven't submitted the report. They have surpassed the deadline set by the NBBofC for conducting the autopsy and post-mortem examinations," Aboderin explained.

The PUNCH Earlier reports indicated that Olanrewaju, who previously held titles as both a National and West African lightweight champion, fell unconscious during his match against Ghanaian boxer Jon Mbanugu at Fight Night 15 of the Ghana Professional Boxing League on March 29. He was later declared deceased at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.

After the incident, Ghana's Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, established a seven-member investigative committee led by retired Major Amarkai Amarteifio to look into issues related to the boxer's death.

The panel had the responsibility to ascertain the conditions that led to the demise of the Nigerian pugilist and to verify if the organizers of the boxing league adhered to proper protocols which might have avoided this calamity.

A post-mortem examination conducted on the 40-year-old boxer indicated that his death was due to sudden cardiac arrest occurring during the bout.

The NBBofC had earlier expressed significant reservations regarding the conditions leading to Olanrewaju’s demise, characterizing them as negligence attributed to the Ghana Boxing Authority. Among their observations were various discrepancies such as problems with weight differences and claims that no pre-fight medical check occurred at the weigh-in session.

Olanrewaju embarked on a significant boxing journey after starting his professional career in 2019. Throughout this period, he participated in 24 matches, securing 13 victories (with 12 knockouts), suffering nine defeats, and recording two draws.

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