The wives of an Ogun State-based traditionalist who reportedly died after setting himself ablaze have spoken publicly about the incident, saying they were informed that their husband took the drastic step after allegedly being betrayed by another woman.
Their account was shared in a viral video published by PUNCH News, in which the women described the circumstances surrounding the traditionalist’s death and the information they said was relayed to them by neighbours following the tragedy.
According to the wives, they were deeply shocked by the news of their husband’s death, insisting that he had never shown any signs that he was contemplating suicide. They described him as a kind-hearted man and said they had no prior indication that he was facing emotional distress severe enough to lead to such an outcome.
The women explained that they were not present when the incident occurred and only became aware of it after receiving a telephone call informing them that their husband had died.
“They just called me that I should come that our husband has died and I should call my co-wife. We didn’t hear anything prior to that time they called us he was dead,” one of the wives said.
They said the information available to them came from neighbours and other people familiar with the situation, rather than from firsthand knowledge.
According to the wives, they were told that the traditionalist had been living with another woman at the time of the incident. They alleged that he had experienced problems in that relationship and was said to have been betrayed by the woman, although they acknowledged that this account was based on what they had been told by others.
The women further stated that neighbours informed them that an argument had reportedly occurred before the incident and that the traditionalist subsequently set himself ablaze.
“The only thing we heard was that he fought with the wife he was living with. The wife was in the hospital at the time he set himself ablaze, so she too could not explain what really happened,” one of the wives stated.
According to their account, the woman with whom the deceased had been living was reportedly hospitalized when the incident took place, meaning she was not in a position to immediately explain the sequence of events leading to his death.
The wives emphasized that they themselves were not living with the deceased at the time of the incident and therefore could not independently confirm what transpired. They maintained that their understanding of the events was based entirely on information they received after his death.
They also said that anyone seeking a complete account of the circumstances surrounding the incident should direct their questions to the woman with whom the traditionalist had reportedly been staying before his death.
While recounting the events, the women reiterated that they had no knowledge of any dispute before receiving news of the tragedy. They said the phone call informing them of their husband’s death came without any prior warning or indication that something was wrong.
The wives described the loss as painful but said they had accepted the reality of the situation and were now trying to move forward with their lives.
“We have accepted our fate and moved on with life. There is nothing we can do about it,” one of them said.
The incident has attracted widespread attention within the community and on social media, with many expressing sadness over the traditionalist’s reported death and offering condolences to his family.
It has also prompted calls from members of the public for a thorough investigation to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident and establish what occurred before the traditionalist reportedly set himself on fire.
As of the time of the report, authorities had not issued an official statement on the incident.
The accounts provided by the wives represent what they said they were told by neighbours after the tragedy and have not been independently verified. The precise circumstances leading to the traditionalist’s death therefore remain unclear pending any official findings or statements from law enforcement authorities.
The case has renewed public discussion about the importance of establishing verified facts before drawing conclusions in incidents involving sudden or unexplained deaths. Investigators are expected to determine the sequence of events and whether any additional evidence can clarify what led to the reported incident.
For now, the wives maintain that they had no direct knowledge of what happened and can only recount the information they received after being informed of their husband’s death. They say they remain focused on coping with the loss while awaiting any official clarification regarding the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
