​The day the legendary Apala musician Ayinla Omowura died remains forever etched in the memory of Abeokuta. This gripping account was shared on the Kasnaty Sugar Show by Jamiu Ajasa, popularly known by his stage names “Jamiu Ajasa Minister” and his “Fuji President”, Omowura was his band director.

​Ajasa (pictured) shared an incredibly close bond with Omowura. Whenever he wasn’t performing, he would visit the Apala icon’s home, where Omowura’s wife would warmly host him with food and drinks.
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​On that fateful day, Ajasa was playing table tennis at Idi Oparun in the Agoka area of Abeokuta. At the time, a bitter dispute was brewing between Ayinla Omowura and his manager, Fatai Bayewu (whom Jamiu Ajasa simply called Boda Fatai). Bayewu was a regular at a beer parlour located close to the table tennis spot.

​Ayinla, who had a performance scheduled for later that day, drove into the area looking for Baba Lookmon Oriade Adisa, the man he famously eulogised in his song:

​”Oriade Adisa, won sanwo Udoji f’egbe wa”

​Finding Oriade away from home, Ayinla was about to leave when he spotted Bayewu in his car. Visibly agitated, the music star stepped out of the vehicle. Although onlookers eagerly chanted his famous moniker,

“Haji Costly,” a distracted Ayinla merely waved them off and marched straight toward Bayewu.

Within moments, onlookers saw Ayinla collapse to the ground. He was rushed to Akin Olugbade Hospital in a commercial taxi.
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​At Akin Olugbade Hospital, medical staff scrambled to treat him. Fearing that an angry mob might burn the facility down if the worst were true, the attending doctor emerged from the theatre with a tactical lie: he told the anxious crowd that Ayinla was alive but urgently needed a specific medication only available at the General Hospital.

​Under this pretence, Ayinla was transferred to the General Hospital, where he was attended to by Dr Majekodunmi.
​By this time, a massive crowd of “area boys” and commercial drivers had besieged the hospital gates, desperate for updates. To keep the peace, Dr Majekodunmi also deceived the crowd, claiming that Ayinla had regained consciousness but desperately needed quiet rest.

​When hospital security proved unable to disperse the growing, restless crowd, the police and military were called in to secure the perimeter. Once the hospital was secure, Dr Majekodunmi went straight to the local radio station to officially announce Ayinla Omowura’s passing.

​Upon hearing the devastating news, the grieving crowd broke into a sombre, rebuking song:

​”Oro nla le da, eyin te pa Ayinla te o je o dàgbà, oro nla le da”

​Interestingly, Jamiu Ajasa disputes the popular belief that Bayewu killed Ayinla by smashing a jug over his head. Instead, Ajasa suggests a more spiritual alternative: he believes Ayinla may have inadvertently caused his own death when he beat his chest while wearing a potent spiritual ring during the heated confrontation.

​Following the confirmation of his death, grief-fueled riots broke out across Abeokuta, resulting in a few houses being set ablaze.

​Please Note: This is not a personal historical claim, but rather the direct on-air narrative of Jamiu Ajasa Minister and his Fuji President, who, late Ayinla Omowura, served as his band director.