A “Jesus boy to his toenails” as a relative had described him, Feso Osunlalu loved telling Bible stories through dancing until that fateful evening on April 26 when he was killed by gunmen who had raided his school six days earlier.
At the time of the incident, Feso was in his 300 level studying international relations at Greenfield University, Kaduna. He and 21 others were taken as hostages. On April 23, three of the students were found dead. Three days later, Feso and another student were also found dead. The gunmen threatened to kill the remaining students if N100 million and ten motorcycles were not provided as ransom for their freedom. They had initially demanded N800 million.
While one student has been released following alleged payment of ransom, the fate of 16 others still in captivity hangs in the balance.
Meanwhile, Feso’s death came as a big blow to the Osunlalu family which in June last year lost its patriarch and had yet to get over it.
“We (the family) are just trying to be strong,” his sister Gbemisola Osunlalu said in a chat with Qed.ng on Friday, May 7.
Gbemisola said although her father “died with pain,” the family had accepted it as the will of God.
She also confirmed that her brother’s body had arrived Abuja from Kaduna.
Feso was the only male child in the family. His other sister Oloruntobi Osinlalu almost dropped out of Empire VIP House on Wheels reality TV show when she got word that Feso had been murdered by his abductors.
Encouraged by the family to stay and win the show for her late brother, Oloruntobi now has a new reason to push for the top spot as the show ends on May 16.
“She wanted to leave (the show) when she heard of (her brother’s death) but we actually told her to stay because my brother was looking forward to the show,” said Gbemisola.
“My brother was more of a spiritual person. He told her she would be selected and she was. So we told her that if she quits the show, it would not bring the dead back. We told her to win it for him.”
On the state of her mother, she said: “My mum is devastated. It (the death of her son) is telling on her. But we are just trying to make her strong by telling her it is God’s will because if it wasn’t he wouldn’t allow him (Feso) to go.”
Gbemisola declined commenting on the government’s position in the whole incident. “They didn’t come to our aid when we needed them,” she simply said.
She wrote a tribute to her brother which was posted to Facebook on May 5.
“April 26th 2021. I had all hope you would come back…I kept my faith strong all through. I refused to cry all through when the news came that you were kidnapped…Feso death took you away from us…The memories hurt..Rip is not what I want …My heart grief heavily. It’s just barely a year we lost Dad,” her post read.
“Your fear for God is nothing to compare to..you talk of God in a special way that makes serving God so beautiful. God loves you most Feso. I find it hard to comprehend all but who am I’m to question God..With tears in my eye ‘Forever remain in our hearts.’”
A relative Lara Wise followed up with a compelling tribute on May 6 also posted to Facebook.
“The life and times of Feso Osunlalu, my big Aunty’s son whose promising life was gruesomely cut short by bandits. He was one of the kidnapped students of Greenfield University, Kaduna.
“His dad passed on June last year leaving big Aunty with three kids. Feso was their only son. Feso was a Jesus boy to his toenails. This is for want of how to put it. We know where he is. He is heaven’s gain!” she wrote.
