by Isi Esene
Oluwagbeminija Rhodes, a middle-aged commercial bus driver drowned in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Monday while trying to save his son.
The deceased was said to have taken his vehicle for washing on the banks of the Ogun River in Lafenwa in the company of his eight-year-old son, Gbeminiyi.
He reportedly tried to save the young boy who lost his footing while playing on the banks of the river and started drowning. Rhodes, however, didn’t succeed in his attempt as he was taken away by the strong water currents while his son was rescued and quickly taken to a medical facility where he later regained consciousness.
His body was found about 3 kilometers away from the scene of the tragic incident by fishermen who were commissioned to search for his body.
According to Adedolapo Adekunle, the chairman of the MAPOLY Shuttle Bus Association, Rhodes body could not be immediately recovered because “the river was full.”
“We heard about the incident on Sunday and we consulted the fishermen and other experts immediately but they told us that the river was full and that they had to wait for the body to float the third day or make attempt if there was sufficient sun on Monday,” Adekunle said.
“Luckily yesterday (Monday), it was sunny and his body was later recovered at Oniyanrin. We later paid for some rituals before his body was released.”
Rhodes, who was the pioneer chairman of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic Shuttle Bus Association, has since been buried.
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