Residents of Adebiopon village in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State were thrown into shock on Wednesday after a 50-year-old traditional priest, Muritala Shodiya, allegedly set himself ablaze.
Sources within the community told our correspondence on Thursday that the incident occurred on Wednesday evening when the deceased reportedly poured petrol on himself inside an uncompleted building before igniting the fire.
Residents were said to have quickly intervened by extinguishing the flames before rushing him to the General Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, where he later died on Thursday morning.
Shodiya, popularly known in the community as “Ifa,” was widely recognised for his involvement in fortune-telling and Ifa worship.
He was said to have practised for years in the Ijaye area before relocating to Adebiopon Village.
A community source, who spoke anonymously because of the sensitive nature of the incident, alleged that the traditional priest had recently shown signs of emotional distress following marital challenges.
“We learnt that he set himself on fire. He had not been himself since his wife left him for another man. He had been showing signs of depression,” the source said.
Another resident, identified simply as Kazeem, said villagers made frantic efforts to rescue the victim after noticing him engulfed in flames.
“We rushed to the scene to save his life. We put out the fire and took him to the hospital, but I just heard this morning that he has died,” Kazeem said.
He added that although rumours initially circulated that some individuals might have been responsible for the incident, preliminary accounts suggested that the deceased acted alone.
“Although some people claimed that other people set him on fire, he actually set himself ablaze. He crawled out of the bush while he was on fire.
“He formerly lived in Ijaye-Adebakin, Abeokuta, before moving to Adebiopon Village in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area,” he added.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, Babaseyi Oluseyi, said an investigation had commenced into the circumstances surrounding the case.
“On July 1, 2026, a 50-year-old man, Muritala Shodiya, allegedly set himself ablaze after pouring petrol on himself in an uncompleted building at Adebiopon Village,” Oluseyi stated.
“He was rescued and taken to the General Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, for treatment. Police officers visited the scene, documented the incident, and commenced an investigation,” he added.
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