Like a candle snuffed out before it has burned its full light, leaving behind shadows where warmth should have been, late Nigerian boxer Segun ‘Success’ Olanrewaju leaves behind questions without answers following his shocking death in the ring in Ghana, PETER AKINBO writes
On Wednesday, March 26, Segun ‘Success’ Olanrewaju packed his kits and bid his family farewell as he left Nigeria for Ghana in an attempt to make money and start his intended commercial bus business but un known to him, that would be his final farewell, that it was a journey of no return and he would never see his beloved family again.
The 40-year-old former national and West African light-heavyweight champion collapsed during his bout against Ghanaian boxer Jon Mbanugu at Fight Night 15 of the Ghana Professional Boxing League at the Bukom Boxing Arena, Accra on Saturday.
Olanrewaju was leading on points before the tragedy in round three of the scheduled eight-round light-heavyweight contest against Mbanugu.
The Nigerian pugilist had landed two weak punches on his opponent before Mbanugu responded with a right hand to the Nigerian’s face. After a brief impasse between both men, the Nigerian boxer staggered backwards, fell against the ropes and collapsed, shocking spectators at the venue.
He then slumped on his side as the referee began the mandatory count. Moments later, he turned face down, with his throat resting on one of the ropes. His team rushed into the ring, placed him on the canvas, removed his gum shield, and attempted to resuscitate him as he appeared to be gasping for breath. The on-site emergency medical team quickly transported him to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Nigeria Boxing Board of Control Secretary-General, Remi Aboderin, had earlier said that the boxing body permitted Olanrewaju to fight on Friday but the bout was cancelled after he was adjudged overweight. According to Aboderin, the late pugilist then decided to fight the next day as he was desperate to offset his debts.
“Segun got our approval to fight in Ghana, a fight that was proposed to take place on a Friday. Unfortunately, they did weigh-in on Thursday and he was found to be overweight and they told him the person he was to fight was not his weight,” Aboderin said.
“Saturday morning, they were on their way back to Lagos, they had even left Accra and were at the Aflao border when Segun said to the coach that followed him, that’s Diran Alamu, that it was not going to be easy returning home; he left Nigeria with no money and he had debts to pay and needed money. So, he wanted to call the Ghanaians and see if another fight was coming up and told them he was now ready to collect the additional $500 as discussed.
“So, they called the matchmaker who informed him that there was a fight on Saturday night and that they could put the fight for that Saturday, but we didn’t give him the approval for that, and this is where the GBA erred. So, he turned back and went back to Ghana because he needed the money,” the NBBofC secretary added.
However, following a visit by our correspondent to his home in Ota, Ogun State, the family of the late Nigerian boxer vehemently refuted claims that the former national and West African light-heavyweight champion was indebted, revealing instead that he was on the verge of starting a transportation business before his tragic death in Ghana last Saturday.
His mother, sister, and wife spoke tearfully at their family home in Ota, disputing reports that financial desperation drove him to a fatal fight.
The claims of indebtedness were strongly refuted by the family, with tangible evidence of the bus he had purchased to start a transportation business upon his return from Ghana.
His wife, Adebusola Olanrewaju, explained with a trembling voice, “He said when he got back from Ghana, he would go and get the plate number and start using it for commercial transportation.”
Adebusola, struggling to hold back the tears throughout the interview, shared the love story between her and ‘Success’, as he was fondly called.
“I have been with Success now for almost five years and we have been married for almost two years. My first child is almost two years old and the second is nine months,” she disclosed.
Adebusola broke down as she described her late husband.
“He was a very good man, he was humble and straightforward. He was a strong man. When he was alive, he moved from one place to another trying to get people to help him with his career, but no one helped him. When the disgrace became too much, I told him that he should not go to them again. But he’s dead now, people are posting him. What is the essence of the post? When he was alive, when he collected his first belt, I followed him. No one posted him but he’s dead now and they’re posting him.”
She recounted their final conversations before the fatal bout to our correspondent.
“When he was going to Ghana, he told us. When he arrived, he said he had gotten there but they said he would have to lose to his opponent. He said he could not do that because he was there to boost his career. He had been to Russia before, and he tried his best. Although he did not win, everybody saw that he tried his best,” she said.
“Now he went to Ghana. He told us that they said he would have to lose. But he said he came there for his career; that he can’t lose to them. He was already coming back home, he told us everything, until they called him back, and he said they’d settled it. I called him; I spoke to him, Saturday after 11pm. I woke up at midnight, expecting I would see his message, but I did not see it.”
Fighting back tears, she narrated how she received the devastating news.
“The next morning, I messaged him. I heard that he was dead.”
At this point, she broke down completely, wailing with her voice barely audible.
“Please, help me, I have two children. I don’t know where to start from. I don’t know what I want to tell my children. I don’t think there is any man that can be nice like him. If I don’t have time for anything, he takes care of his children. I don’t know how to take care of them. I don’t have money to take care of them. Please help me,” she pleaded amidst sobs.
His mother, Mrs Olanrewaju, speaking in Yoruba, painted a picture of a devoted son who had been the family’s pillar since losing his father.
“Since 1993 when their father died, I have been taking care of them. When his wife delivered his two kids, I was the one who helped her throughout and during labour,” she said.
“Now, he went to Ghana and they took him from me, they didn’t let him see the reward of his labour.”
Recounting how she received the news of her son’s death, she said, “I was in the shop, I had gotten dressed and wanted to pick money for offering, then I saw his wife and their two kids with her mother coming and then they told me.”
Mrs Olanrewaju vehemently denied claims that her son was indebted saying, “My son was not owing any debts, if he had any needs, we the family were more than capable of helping him. My son was not a debtor.”
One of his sisters, Rachael, described Olanrewaju as the only male figure in their lives since their father’s demise.
“He was a very strong and hardworking man, very friendly. If someone is sad, and he was around, he would do something to make that person laugh,” she told our correspondent.
“He was the only man we had in our family ever since our dad died in 1993. He shouldn’t have gone now, it is a big shock to us.”
She recalled how she learnt about the tragedy, “I was going to church that day, on Sunday. I was at the junction (Honda bus stop) coming here (mum’s house), I had not told anyone I was coming around but it was while at the junction that I heard the news that my brother was dead.
“When I got here, I saw everybody crying, I met my family and many people here. I never expected this to happen. It is a great loss,” she said before cutting short the interview, unable to hold back her tears.
Taiwo Azeez, who served as a father figure to the late boxer, also refuted claims of indebtedness.
Speaking in Yoruba, he said, “I’ve seen some reports that he owed debts, he did not owe anyone any money. Anyone that says he owes them money should bring the receipts, he just bought this bus.”
One of his close friends, Kayode Fakeye, corroborated Olanrewaju’s wife and Azeez’s story as he immediately pointed to a parked bus outside the compound.
“If there was any issue of debts, he would have told us. That is his bus parked outside. He just purchased it and was even worried about parking it here, but I convinced him to leave it here,” Fakeye revealed.
On the repatriation of Olanrewaju’s body, NBBofC Chairman, Dr Rafiu Ladipo, said, “He is late now but they have to do an autopsy, after that, the Ghana Boxing Authority will get in touch with us, due to their public holidays, the autopsy is going to take place on Wednesday (yesterday).
“After the autopsy, we (NBBofC) will go into discussions with the GBA about how his body will be transported back to Nigeria.”
Olanrewaju had an extensive boxing career since making his debut in 2019, competing in 24 professional fights, securing 13 wins, with 12 coming by knockouts. He suffered nine losses and recorded two draws in his career.
As our correspondent left the grieving Olanrewaju household, the lasting image was that of a young widow cradling her two infant children, a devastated mother who had lost her only son, and sisters who had lost their only brother – all united in grief and in their demand for justice and the truth about what happened in that boxing ring in Ghana.
For a family already preparing to celebrate the launch of a new business with their beloved ‘Success,’ they now prepare instead for his funeral.