For popular artiste, Davido, it is yet another death of a close aide. The fifth in a space of nearly four years and the second death in his camp this year. This understandably has set tongues wagging: what is this thing with Davido and death of close aides?
The accolades and obvious success Davido is currently reveling in, has not masked the serious concerns fans, admirers and enemies are beginning to raise about the number of deaths he has been associated with in so short a time.
Though no reasonable answers are forthcoming, understandably, Nigerians are nonetheless “speaking in tongues” and some are even asking: who is next?
For those who are keeping a tab, they easily point out that between 2017 and now, five people, otherwise very close to the singer have lost their lives in curious circumstances. It is as if death has become a part of the singer’s story.
Among the many reactions currently in the public space, about the recent death of Fortune Ateumunname, yet another aide of Davido, this time his personal photographer, a certain social media user, @iconic.chine wrote: “Davido and his crew need to go to MFM for deliverance. Maybe a coincidence but the tragedy around him is just too much”.
Another @Unlimitedeniola points at the seemingly excessively lavish lifestyle of the A-list singer, which some claim involves use of alcohol and hard drugs, as a possible cause of the deaths in his camp.
He wrote on Twitter:”Rule out diabolical reason when talking about number of deaths around Davido. Members of his team should stop using drugs. The death of Obama DMW should just give this reason for them to stay away from drugs”.
June 30th-Obama died
TheNewsGuru recalls that back in June 2021, Habeeb Uthman, aka Obama DMW, a Davido loyalist passed on. The boisterous associate died on Wednesday, June 30, 2021. He was said to have complained of breathing difficulty and had driven himself to the Evercare Hospital in Lekki, Lagos. However, despite frantic efforts to salvage his life, he gave up the ghost.
A devastated Davido on July 7th 2021, took to Instragram to express how he felt about Obama’s demise. He wrote in parts: “This is by far the hardest thing I’ve had to write. Hurt, broken, sad, and lost. For the first time in my life, I am EXTREMELY confused. The pain is one I cannot explain. 44 was more than an elder brother to me, he was a protector. Someone that literally just always made me smile no matter the issue, problems I had”.
Davido lost Teejay
Davido became a shadow of himself when he lost his former bodyguard on December 8, 2020. Tijani Olamilekan, aka Teejay, died after what was described as a brief illness.
Lamenting over the demise of Teejay who had been with him since his days of small beginnings, Davido wrote, “Please tell me I am dreaming. My TJ gone? What would I do without you, uncle TJ. (For) 11 years, you did all for me. Put me before you at all times… You were such a big person with a baby heart. Everyone loved you. I want to wake up late for a show so you’d come and carry me again. I don’t even know what I’m typing. RIP uncle Tijani.”
Davido get hit by the pangs of DJ Olu’s death
Olugbenga Abiodun, aka DJ Olu, a son to the incumbent Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, was a youngster with tall dreams. Olu discovered his love for disc jockeying and was already pursuing a career along that line. At the time of his demise, he was the official DJ for Davido.
On October 7, 2017, his corpse was found alongside that of a friend (Chime Amaechi) in a car parked in the garage of a Banana Island house. According to an official statement by the police at the time, illicit drugs were allegedly recovered from the car and he was said to have died of drug overdose.
TheNewsGuru recalls that Davido took to social media one year after his death to write, “A year since you’ve been gone. Love you and miss you so much. You took a part of me when you left! We always spoke about taking over the world together. I know you’re looking down, proud of what we have achieved so far. Your legacy lives forever! We celebrate you.”
October 2nd 2017-Tagbo died
Before DJ Olu’s sad death, another friend of Davido, Tagbo Umeike, died on October 2, 2017, after a night out with the crooner.
According to reports, Tagbo was said to have taken as much as 40 tots of tequila and was intoxicated that night, which was also his birthday. Hours before his tragic demise, Tagbo had been spotted in a nightclub with Davido, though the latter said that they both went their separate ways at the club.
As at that time, the then-Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, had stated that the deceased was abandoned at the hospital by Davido’s driver and friends.
Tagbo’s alleged girlfriend and actress, Caroline Hutchings (Danjuma), also alleged that Davido was complicit in the former’s death.
21st of September 2021-Davido lost personal photographer
The ‘Fem’ singer, lost his personal photographer, Fortune Ateumunname on Tuesday 21st of September 2021.TheNewsGuru gathered that the talented photographer drowned at an undisclosed location in Lagos on Tuesday.
The news of Fortune’s appalling death was broken by a Twitter user, @Dianacoco_.
While mourning the late photographer, he said, “Davido photographer Fortune is dead, Jesus Christ. I’m heartbroken, he’s my friend.
“I’m sooooo shocked right now, wtf. He shouldn’t have been Fortune God, he’s so hardworking, very ambitious he worked so hard to gain the spot he achieved like wtf. This one is paining me because he is someone I know so well, guy.”
These mysterious deaths associated with Davido are the headaches the flamboyant entertainer needs to deal with before it is too late. He needs to ask himself some salient questions, take a break from music and do the needful to curb these series of tragedies. No one knows the next person death would take from Davido’s camp.