It is two months since Ireland-based Nigerian businessman, Taiwo Jamani, the CEO of Data Link Company, died in Ireland, UK, after he was allegedly attacked by a fellow Nigerian over his alleged relationship with a single mother of three. A twist has emerged in the saga with accusing fingers pointing at Jamani’s close friend, Blessing Adeyemi. But Adeyemi insists he is innocent and told GBENGA ADERANTI why he is being fingered.
While many people around the world entered the New Year with wild jubilation, the reverse was the case for Ireland-based Nigerian businessman and CEO of Lati Solutions Promotions, Blessing Adeyemi. He is battling the allegation that he had a hand in the murder of his close friend and CEO of Ireland-based Data Link Company, Mr. Taiwo Jamani.
Taiwo Jamani died on November 12, 2013 in a Beaumount hospital, Ireland, UK, after he had gone into coma for one month. There are insinuations in certain quarters that but for the phone call that Adeyemi made, Jamani, who was said to have been hit with a base ball bat by his 37-year-old alleged attacker, Jooda Akanbi (a.k.a Sharon), on October 10, on Main Street in Dublin town at about 12.20 pm after an argument broke out between them, would not have been noticed.
Adeyemi and the late Jamani were said to have known right from the time they were in Holland in the 1990s.
Adeyemi said: “Some of my enemies here are saying that I know something about Taiwo’s death. They want to break me down. Taiwo is my friend. I was with him during the trying period when he was in the hospital. So, why would someone accuse me of knowing something about Taiwo’s death?
“I think a kite is being flown by Jamani’s enemies. I think some of them are not comfortable with my closeness to Taiwo. It boils down to envy.”
Jooda Akanbi, who is being accused of having a hand in Jamani’s death, is currently in jail and will appear in court on January 10.
Before his death, Jamani was said to be loved by many, and that provoked jealousy in the hearts of many and this could be the reason why some still hate him.
The new rumour is that on the faithful day that Taiwo was attacked, he was heading for a bank before Adeyemi called Akanbi to meet Taiwo where the incident happened. But Adeyemi described the insinuation as preposterous.
“I think they linked me because the incident happened in Swords town where I live. And on the day of the incident, I was not aware that Taiwo was in Sword. He didn’t even call me that he was coming to Sword.”
Adeyemi warned those who are trying to implicate him to have a change of heart because they would head nowhere.
He said: “This is Europe; you cannot pay for what you did not do. Police will do their investigations.”
Adeyemi denied ever having any relationship with Akanbi. He said he only met Joda Akanbi once and it was in company with the late Taiwo.
Though worried by the rumour, Adeyemi is still believed to be in good terms with the late Taiwo’s family. Adeyemi said that Taiwo’s twin brother, Kehinde, was still calling him regularly for discussion.
“Kenny has just called to advise me to be very careful of some people in the Nigerian community in Ireland,“ he said, reminding those who accused him of complicity in Jamani’s death that he was always with Taiwo even when the latter was on his sick bed. Adeyemi said: ”When he was hit with a base ball bat, all my aim was that he would recover from the injury and as a friend, I should stand by him to recover well. Why would one guy just wake up and think he wants to stain me?
“I don’t want anybody to thank me for being there for my close friend when he had a problem, but they should please let Taiwo’s soul rest.”
The Nigerian community in Ireland was said to have been intimated with the case, but the people who started the whole thing were said to have denied it when they were confronted.
“You know that our people there will definitely deny,” Adeyemi said.
Unknown to many, the late Taiwo was planning to relocate from Ireland before his death. That much was revealed by Adeyemi.
He said: “The last discussion we had was that he didn’t want to stay in Dublin again. He would like to move to Holland but would be visiting Dublin. He also wanted to finish his hotel project in Ibadan this year (2013). He never hid anything from me as a friend.”
Adeyemi said he first met Taiwo in Holland 17 years ago through a family friend, Murphy Ojuolape. “Since then, he just picked interest in me. He advised me to come down to Holland. Before then he had supported me financially to get residence permit in Spain but it didn’t work out.
“Taiwo (Jamani) is not a guy we should just forget like that. We are trying to work things out. His memory is still fresh in my mind. I miss him every day.”
Jamani, owner of Data Link Company, Dublin, was allegedly attacked by 37-year-old Jooda Akanbi (a.k.a Sharon) on October 10, on Main Street in Dublin town at about 12.20 pm after an argument had broken out between them.
An eyewitness, who told the police that the two men began with a shouting match, said: “I think one was waiting for the other, because the boot of his car was open and there were two bats in it, even before the fight began. Then, the man with the bat held it high over his head and brought it down hard on the other man’s head, and he just slumped to the ground. It was shocking. It’s not something you expect to see.”
Adeyemi said his sorrow was compounded when 45-year-old Jamani later died at about 4 am on November 12, in a Beaumount hospital, after going into coma for a month. Obviously devastated, Adeyemi, who knew the genesis of the crisis, described as untrue the insinuation in some quarters that Jamani was killed because he was dating a single mother of three named Biola.
He recalled that when the issue of Jamani’s alleged romance with the mother of three came up, he intervened in the matter along with other friends. But he said he never imagined that it could degenerate into loss of life.
He said: “Jooda had accused Jamani of sleeping with his girlfriend, Biola, a single mother of three. But when I asked Taiwo (Jamani) if it was true, he told me that it was a lie. But the boy had been threatening to kill Jamani.