In a deeply unfortunate incident, Professor Richard Adeoriokin, a distinguished United States academician and politician, lost his life in Ejigbo, Osun State, after being accidentally shot by a local security guard during a public function.

The incident unfolded around 8:30 p.m. last Saturday, following a gathering on Inisha Road attended by Professor Adeoriokin, his political associates, and Oyeyode Oyesosin, the son of the Ogiyan of Ejigbo. Post the event at the king’s residence, Oyeyode Oyesosin invited friends, including the late Professor, for a brief meeting at his house.

As the gathering prepared to disperse, Oyeyode Oyesosin instructed the security guard to fire celebratory gunshots into the air as a farewell gesture. Tragically, an unintended downward aim resulted in a bullet striking Professor Adeoriokin in the leg.

Despite immediate efforts to save him, the professor succumbed to his injuries at the Baptist Hospital in Ejigbo. Afeez Lawal, the professor’s personal assistant and an eyewitness, revealed that the deceased was a lecturer at Prairie View A&M University in Houston, Texas, United States, and a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Professor Adeoriokin had earlier attended a ceremony where the state Governor, Ademola Adeleke, was conferred with a chieftaincy title on the same day. His remains have been placed in the Osun State University Teaching Hospital morgue.

Governor Adeleke has promptly ordered a thorough investigation into the tragic incident, directing the state Police Command to issue guidelines on the use of local guns to enhance citizen safety, particularly at public functions. In response, the All Progressives Congress (APC), through its state Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, conveyed condolences and urged the police authorities to conduct a meticulous investigation into the matter.