Dr. Olaleye: What A Waste, Big Waste

By Comfort Obi

So, one year after this tragic incident happened, Nigeria, finally, lost one of its very few Oncologists. It lost Dr Olufemi Olaleye in a most scandalous manner. In a most shameful incident.

Dr Olaleye did not die, has not died. But he is a living dead. For what’s there left for him to live for. He lost his job. He lost his family. He lost his reputation. He lost his integrity. He lost himself. And worse, he lost God. Otherwise, how could a man so brilliant, so talented, paint himself with tar, and drown himself in a gutter? Was he cursed?

You, perhaps, have heard of, or read the tragedy that is Dr Olaleye. But for the purpose of this write-up, a brief recap.

Dr Olaleye is the Medical Director of Optimal Cancer Foundation, Ikeja, Lagos. There are very few Cancer Hospitals and Centres and Foundations in Nigeria. So you can imagine how painful the loss of one of them is, especially, when you realise the number of people, and especially, women, down with this cursed disease. He was doing well with his Foundation, taking care of Cancer patients, and even engaged in charity work for the underprivileged, those who couldn’t afford the abominable cost of Cancer treatment.

He, atimes embarked on such charity outreaches with celebrities, including the very devastated accomplished actress, Kate Henshaw.

He had a happy family, or so most people thought. His family photograph which has surfaced online since after his shame gives the impression of a happy, contented family. He sat there in a beautiful pose with his beautiful wife and daughter. Not a few families would turn green with envy just looking at the photograph.

But the pose turned out a fake, as fake as Dr Olaleye. Beneath the beautiful smiles is a storm. The plastered smiles on the faces of his wife and daughter, perhaps, were genuine. However, given the benefit of hindsight, Olaleye’s smile and pose as a good family man were fake. Just a confirmation of the saying to never judge a book by its cover. Beneath his smiles were devilish thoughts. Wicked thoughts. Smiles from a man soaked in sin. Smiles of a man who has no respect for family. Smiles of a man who has no respect for his wife. Smiles of a man, who, perhaps, from day one, had no respect for his marriage vows. Smiles of a man who has no respect for his children. Smiles of a man who has no reslect for his home. Smiles of a man who has no respect for his profession. Smiles of a man, who without a thought, let everybody down, his patients, himself.

The road to the unraveling of Dr Olaleye’s double life began when his wife’s niece, a minor, came to live in their home with them. As soon as he set his eyes on the minor, he lost himself. He lost control. He was filled with evil thoughts. He yearned for her, a minor. He forgot the blood relationship between his wife and the minor. He must have her, or heaven would fall, literally. Nothing could stop him. Not the cameras in the house.

Aside from waiting for when the minor would be alone in the house, he knew how to dodge the cameras. He knew where was safe. He gradually, bit by bit, introduced the minor into his dirty lifestyle.

He first introduced her to adult films. And then, eased her to the other weird acts.

The minor was helpless. She gave in. To fear. Out of fear. He had threatened to kill her if she told anybody, as well as kill the person she would tell.

So, this man, who swore to an oath to protect lives, could, also, be a killer if pushed. His cup was soon to run over. Not able to endure any more, the minor confided in the family’s driver. And hell was let loose when his wife heard.

She reported to the Police. Those who blame her for going to the Police are not in her shoes. They hardly know what she had endured, perhaps, for years. They hardly understand the shame she has been put through. It, obviously, may not have been her husband’s first time. She may have endured, all the while because, he may have been sowing his wild oats outside. But to strip her of all self esteem by pouncing on her niece, a minor, and, in their home, was the limit.

By so doing he stripped his wife of all her dignity and self respect, her self worth.

Dr Olaleye is lucky his wife went to the Police to report. Some other women could have done worse. His wife was calm. She got to the root of the outrageous act, and plotted her sweet revenge. She prepared for him a farewell gift which took the whole of one year to put together.

On Tuesday, October 24, 2023, at the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, Ikeja, Lagos, the Honourable Justice Rahman Oshodi, handed Olaleye his deserved gift.

Confronted with a two-count charge, both grounded on the defilement of a minor, Olaleye stood no chance. Not even his doctor-colleague who examined the minor gave him a chance. Everything was piled against him. His sins were spread on the table before him.

An obviously disappointed Justice Oshodi gave him the full measure on both counts. Not satisfied with one life sentence in jail, His Lordship gave him two life sentences – in case he comes back to life after the first life sentence. It was a seal on a wasted life.

I would have given an arm to watch Dr Olaleye as Justice Oshodi condemned him to eternal hell. Did he cry? Did he slump? Was he shaken? Hardly. He knew he was dead, already, literally, of shame. He was down already, and had no need to fear a fall. He has passed being embarrassed, or feeling shame. He was just there. Like a wood.

Actress Henshaw said he had no remorse, and showed none all through his trial. She said he could repeat the same shameful act if given an inch of an opportunity. She described him as being “shoulder-up” for the period the trial lasted. A man full of ego, he probably believed he could be saved.

So, was Dr Olaleye cursed? Did anybody swear for him? How did he allow himself to fall from an Olympian height to the bottom of a gutter? How could he have fallen to the temptation of defiling a minor, his wife’s niece, kept under his care when there are dozens of free women who could have satisfied his libido? Or was it a disease? Why did he not consult his colleagues in that field to help him cure his affliction?

Incidentally, the defilement of minors is fast becoming a norm. It is no longer an exception by a few depraved men. They are not safe anywhere. In schools (by their teachers). In Worship places (by their Pastors/Imams, choir masters, Sunday School teachers, etc). In their homes (by their relations, even by their fathers). What can be done?

A couple of days ago, a Rivers State High Court Judge, the Honourable Justice Suzzette Wike, immediate past First Lady of Rivers State, proffered a solution. Castrate anybody who defiles a minor, she said. Well, why not?

But back to Olaleye. It’s shame he ended the way he ended. I weep for this complete waste. Such a waste.