Tragedy As Four Gospel Ministers Die In Ogun Auto Crash
- A fatal crash on the Ikorodu-Sagamu Expressway in Ogun state has claimed the lives of four popular gospel musicians in Nigeria
- The victims are Evangelist Ayodeji Kekerejesu, Evangelist Lyanu Joseph, Monjolajesu Oluwapamilerin, and Opeyemi Adesina
- According to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the gospel singers who lost their lives in the collision are from the same family
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Ogun state - Four Nigerian gospel ministers lost their lives in a fatal crash on the Ikorodu-Sagamu Expressway in Ogun state.
The victims include the popular evangelist Ayodeji David (Kekere Jesu), who is known for his dynamic street preaching and social media ministry.
Source: Facebook
It was gathered that Kekere Jesu and his crew members were travelling for a church program in a convoy of two vehicles when the tragedy occurred over the weekend.
As reported by Vanguard, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said that multiple vehicles collided, with speeding and poor visibility given as reasons for the incident.
The FRSC Ogun State Commander and public information Officer, Florence Okupe confirmed that Evangelist Ayodeji Kekerejesu, Evangelist Lyanu Joseph, Monjolajesu Oluwapamilerin, and Opeyemi Adesina were among those killed.
It was also reported that Kekerejesu's fiancee, his Personal Assistant (PA), his sister-in-law and around 20 more people had lost their lives.
Okupe said that the accident occurred after the vehicle conveying the gospel singers, who are all from the same family, crashed into another vehicle.
The tragic accident has left families, church members, and followers in mourning.
The founder of Christ Apostolic Church described the incident as an unimaginable tragedy, acknowledging God’s sovereignty in all things.
Expert flags gaps in Nigeria’s road crash response
A humanitarian and disaster management expert, Dr. Umar Shitu Maidigawa, has identified poor coordination among emergency agencies as a major challenge in managing road accidents in Nigeria.
“Coordinated response efforts during mass casualty incidents such as road crashes remain one of the most critical yet challenging areas of disaster management in Nigeria,” Maidigawa told Legit.ng.
The Assistant Chief Training Officer, National Emergency Management Agency, referenced the October 14, 2024 explosion in Majiya town, Jigawa state, which killed 209 people, and the 2018 Otedola Bridge fire in Lagos as tragic examples of disjointed emergency response.
“Despite the scale of the disaster, first responders were not immediately present... civilians had already begun scooping fuel from the gutters — a dangerous activity that contributed to the high casualty rate,” he said of the Jigawa incident.
“Although LASEMA, FRSC, and fire services responded relatively quickly [at Otedola], the absence of a unified incident command system led to operational confusion, poor triage management, and delayed evacuation,” he added.
Noting key issues, he said:
“Most emergency responses are fragmented. Agencies lack harmonised protocols, leading to duplication of efforts or critical lapses.”
He also cited the “absence of a national incident command system,” lack of emergency call centers, and “a critical shortage of ambulances, trained paramedics, and trauma stabilisation units, particularly in rural areas.”
“First responders are rarely trained in managing high-casualty events, and simulation exercises are almost nonexistent,” he noted, while also condemning public interference at crash sites.
To improve the system, Maidigawa advocated for a National Emergency Medical Service framework, better training, trauma centers along highways, and stronger public education.
“These systemic improvements will not only save lives but also restore public confidence in emergency response institutions,” he concluded.
Nigeria in mourning after road tragedies
Legit.ng earlier reported that another accident reportedly happened at the Otedola Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway this week.
On Monday, April 7, 2025, a private vehicle veered off the bridge in the early hours of the morning, although the driver was rescued safely.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASEMA) shared more details about the accident and what led to the driver losing control.
Two fatal crashes reported in Ogun state
Legit.ng also reported that two fatal road crashes in Ogun on April 5 claimed 25 lives, including an FRSC official, and left eight others injured.
The first accident occurred on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway between a truck, a tanker, and a commercial bus, reportedly due to speeding.
A second crash at Mosimi involved seven vehicles and was reportedly caused by brake failure, tragically killing a rescue worker and others.
7 dead in Lagos-Ibadan expressway accident
Legit.ng also reported that six men and one woman died in a multiple-vehicle crash on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on April 5.
Four people sustained injuries, with three males and one female receiving treatment at local hospitals as a result of the impact.
The crash was reportedly caused by a truck speeding excessively, before losing control and colliding with other vehicles.
Editorial assistant Ololade Olatimehin provided exclusive commentary from a humanitarian and disaster management expert for this report.
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Source: Legit.ng
Adekunle Dada (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Adekunle Dada is a trained journalist with over 8 years of working experience. He is also a Politics/Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He holds a B.Sc. in Mass Communication from Lagos State University, Ojo. Adekunle previously worked at PM News, The Sun, and Within Nigeria, where he expressed his journalistic skills with well-researched articles and features. In 2024, Adekunle obtained a certificate in advanced digital reporting from the Google News Initiative. He can be reached via adekunle.dada@corp.legit.ng.
Bruce Douglas (Head of Copyeditors) Bruce Douglas has 13 years of experience in community media, including coverage of sports, human interest, crime and politics.
