… alleges conspiracy

By Precious Owolabi

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The family of Ariyo Amos Omotoso, a Nigerian man based in Ontario, Canada, has raised serious concerns about his well-being and whereabouts, following an alleged accident on August 28, 2023.

His mother, Mrs. Esther Omotoso, has expressed deep distress over her inability to communicate with her firstborn son, alleging that his estranged wife, Mrs. Bolanle Gbemisola, deliberately blocked all means of contact.

Mr. Ariyo’s parents narrated their worries over their son’s alleged disappearance to Weekend Hope in an interview at their Ado-Ekiti residence during the week.

Prior to his disappearance, Ariyo reportedly had ongoing disputes with his wife and her family, which had escalated even before he left Nigeria and later taken to their church pastor in Canada. Thereafter, Bolanle Gbemisola was said to have involved one Taiwo Olayiwola, in their dispute.

According to her, despite repeated attempts to reach Bolanle, she has reportedly refused to pick up her calls.

In a desperate bid to reconcile and gain access to her son’s family, Mrs. Omotoso and her family members repeatedly called Bolanle’s mother, but she did not answer.  The family members had also travelled multiple times to Bolanle’s father’s village in Osogbo and to Ibadan, where her mother lives.

For the past one and a half years, the Omotoso family claims they have been denied any form of communication with Ariyo, raising concerns about his well-being. “I just want to confirm if my son is still alive,” Mrs. Omotoso lamented.

Concerned about the situation, the family has called on Otunba Tunde Alade to take urgent action, believing Ariyo is caught in a well-orchestrated conspiracy involving Bolanle, Mrs. Balogun, and Mr. Taiwo Olayiwola.

Meanwhile, Mr. Omotoso, Ariyo’s father, has fallen gravely ill. Speaking from his sicked, he wept bitterly, pleading to see or at least hear from his son and grandchildren.

 His uncle, Elder Omotoso Sunday, has publicly questioned the circumstances surrounding Ariyo’s alleged accident, citing inconsistencies in Bolanle’s communication.

Elder Omotoso first learnt about the accident from younger relatives in Nigeria, who had been informed by Bolanle that Ariyo was under intensive care.

 “ I called her to ask why she hadn’t informed the family about Ariyo’s accident? She assured the family that he would be able to speak with them by December 2023.

However, despite multiple attempts to reach him, no direct communication has been established.

The situation became more suspicious when a man identified as Olayiwola Taiwo, an old schoolmate of Ariyo based in London, U.K., but working in Canada, began answering calls made to Bolanle’s phone.

Olayiwola insisted that the family should be grateful to Bolanle for her efforts, which Elder Omotoso found puzzling, questioning why an unrelated man was handling calls meant for Ariyo’s wife.

Repeated requests to speak with Ariyo’s children were denied, with Bolanle often making excuses about being at work. When Elder Omotoso reached out to Bolanle’s siblings, Abiodun and Niyi Olabiyi, seeking clarification, he was met with resistance. Abiodun pleaded not to get him involved in his siblings affairs.

In a surprising twist, Bolanle’s mother, when contacted in early 2024, claimed she was hearing about Ariyo’s accident for the first time. Despite multiple promises from Bolanle to facilitate communication with Ariyo or his medical team, she allegedly refused to comply.

Eventually, she stopped picking up calls and even blocked numbers associated with Ariyo’s family, especially those from their hometown, Efon Alaye, in Ekiti State.

Concerned about Ariyo’s whereabouts, the family involved Agidigbo FM in Ibadan, where a popular radio journalist, Oriyomi Hamzat, reached out to Bolanle. Under pressure, she sent a photograph purportedly of Ariyo, but the image was unclear, making verification difficult.

Ariyo’s cousin, Gbenga Omotoso, revealed that Ariyo’s younger brother and best man received calls on their phones on the day of the alleged accident, but were unable to answer.

When they returned the calls, there was no response for three days, which was unusual for Ariyo. This raised further concerns within the family.

In a letter written by Ariyo before his disappearance, he had expressed concerns about his safety, stating that he did not understand why Bolanle and her family were after his life.

Gbenga also questioned the authenticity of the alleged accident that supposedly left Ariyo in a coma. He claimed that evidence presented to Agidigbo FM suggested that the accident was staged, as the car involved had only minor damage, insufficient to cause a long-term coma.

Following months of silence, the family intensified efforts to locate Ariyo. Gbenga revealed that Ariyo had previously mentioned in his letter that a woman named Mrs. Balogun frequently took Bolanle out at night under suspicious circumstances.

In December 2023, tensions escalated when Bolanle’s brother reportedly instructed her not to entertain any calls from Ariyo’s family. Gbenga’s father confronted them, questioning why they were preventing communication with someone who had been missing for months.

The family sought public awareness by enlisting the help of poet-singer “Ologundudu,” who composed a warning song about the situation. Additionally, investigative journalist Oriyomi Hamzat was approached, but he was allegedly threatened to drop the case.

In February 2024, the family revisited Agidigbo FM, where Bolanle’s mother again claimed ignorance about Ariyo’s condition. Despite initially agreeing to resolve the matter privately, no progress was made.

Travelling to Osogbo, Osun State, the family attempted to engage Bolanle’s relatives, but were met with resistance.

Gbenga further disclosed that during their last visit to Agidigbo FM, the family received threats from an unidentified investigative journalist warning them against pursuing the case.

Ariyo’s parents have since pleaded with another journalist, Mr. Alade,  who is an associate of Ariyo, to help locate Bolanle’s residence and verify her husband’s condition. They insist that if Ariyo is truly incapacitated, his family should not be denied access to him, nor should his children be kept away.

Despite the family’s persistence, Bolanle has reportedly blocked all communication channels with Ariyo’s relatives. She maintains that she has provided all necessary evidence online.

However, in a cryptic post on Agidigbo FM’s platform, she wrote, “To whom it may concern, Ariyo is incapacitated and needs help,” while allegedly using the platform for personal gain.

Ariyo’s family remains desperate for answers and has called on authorities to intervene. They demand that Bolanle provide concrete proof of Ariyo’s condition and whereabouts.

As the search for truth continues, the Omotoso family holds on to hope, seeking justice for their missing son, brother and father.