By Damilola Akinduro

A UK-based Nigerian and beauty queen representing Ondo State in the ongoing Miss World Nigeria 2025 pageant, Olayinka Olasehinde, has cried out over what she describes as a heart-wrenching betrayal by a legal practitioner, following the vandalism of her late father’s grave in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Olasehinde, who lost her father in 2020 while completing her undergraduate studies abroad, said she was unable to attend his funeral owing to COVID-19 restrictions.

Grieving from afar, she held onto the hope of returning someday to pay her last respects.

She said: “That day eventually came in 2023, when she returned to Nigeria to honour her father’s memory by renovating his final resting place. But her plans were shattered when she discovered that the grave had been deliberately vandalised.

“I was devastated. Seeing the damage done to his resting place broke me emotionally and mentally. It felt like I was reliving his death,” she told Weekend Hope.

Determined to seek justice, she said she was introduced to a legal practitioner, one Deji Ayeni, who allegedly promised to handle the matter, filing petitions, arresting suspects and charging them to court all at a cost of N250,000.

“I paid him the full amount immediately because I was desperate to get justice for my father. But since then, nothing has been done,” she said.

Olasehinde claimed that the lawyer gave different excuses, including a claim that he had transferred N150,000 to the police, yet no evidence of such a transaction or police action was provided.

“To date, those responsible for desecrating my father’s grave are walking freely in the society, and the lawyer has refused to refund my money,” she lamented.

According to her, further findings revealed that the cost of the legal services the lawyer claimed to have rendered was significantly inflated, raising concerns of possible exploitation.

“I feel used. He took advantage of my grief. I just wanted peace of mind and justice for my father.”

The beauty queen said the ordeal has left her emotionally drained and distracted, especially as she is currently representing Ondo State on the national stage.

“I came back to Nigeria, hoping to honour my father and represent my state with pride. But instead, I’m burdened with emotional trauma and legal deceit. It’s affecting my ability to focus on the pageant. I’m even considering stepping down,” she said.

She added that relocating her father’s remains to a more secure cemetery has proved difficult, owing to her unfamiliarity with burial processes in Nigeria.

Her words: “This was never about the money. It was about justice, about doing what’s right. But now, I might never get that closure.”

Olasehinde is calling on the Nigerian Bar Association, relevant authorities, and human rights organisations to intervene in the matter to ensure accountability and prevent others from being victims.