Mosaku Saheed, a film director and the parent of 18-year-old Aliyah—one of the WAEC candidates who was tragically hit and killed by a truck driver recently in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State—speaks with BANKOLE TAIWO about his heartbreaking ordeal.
Where are you from?
I hail from Imosan Ijebu, which is located within the Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State. I’m widely recognized as Adigun Olori Odo, signifying Adigun, the young leader.
Could you share details about the tragic event that led to the loss of your daughter?
Last Friday, May 23, 2025, something occurred. My daughter, Aliyah, who is an 18-year-old student at Seico Secondary School in Ikangba, Ijebu Ode, departed for school early in the day to carry on with her participation in the West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination.
She was expected to complete the paper they had worked on that same day by noon, and since it was Friday, as a Muslim, I planned to take some time off at home before attending the Jumu’ah prayer by 1 p.m.
As I slept, I dreamed that I was getting ready for the Friday prayer and had a plastic teapot in hand, typically used for fetching water to perform ablutions. Consequently, I awoke with my thoughts firmly set on the upcoming Friday prayer.
I looked at the clock and noticed it was after 1 p.m.; Aliyah’s young ones had returned home from school, but she wasn’t back yet. This made me somewhat anxious since usually, by then, she should have been home from school.
If she managed to get a motorcycle ride home right after finishing the exam at 12 p.m., she would arrive by 12:15 p.m. She was an exceptionally dutiful daughter, always avoiding idle wandering or loitering.
So, I took my bath and went for the Jumat service, but I left my phone at home. However, some minutes later, one of my children brought my phone to me in the mosque because it kept on ringing.
My kid mentioned that the caller asked me to return their call, so I told them I would do so after our Jumu’ah prayer ended.
Shortly thereafter, another superior from my theater world contacted me multiple times. However, I kept ending the calls, assuming he wanted to discuss an acting position or similar opportunities with me.
What happened thereafter?
Minutes later, one of my late daughter’s teachers also began to call me repeatedly. At that moment, I could not ignore the calls anymore, so I went outside and picked it. He then told me that Aliyah had had an accident and had been rushed to the General Hospital, Ijebu Ode.
He mentioned it wasn’t serious, yet he insisted I join him at the hospital. My hands were shaking as I wondered—if the incident wasn’t severe—why they had to go all the way to General Hospital instead of using nearby clinics for her treatment.
I couldn’t notify her mother due to her medical condition, but I did share with a couple of individuals that I had learned about an incident involving Aliyah. Consequently, I headed over to the General Hospital. Upon arrival, I found out that actually two students were part of the situation.
Therefore, when the doctor inquired whether I had come with someone, I responded negatively. He then suggested that I go and examine one of the accident victims at the morgue, where I discovered it was none other than my dear daughter.
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How did you react when you saw yourself?
daughter’s body at the morgue?
I felt devastated and crushed since she represented my last chance for happiness. Despite being grown-up, I wept uncontrollably upon seeing her lifeless body at the morgue due to her exceptional character as a daughter. At only eighteen, she displayed remarkable levels of maturity and accountability. Her absence left me with immense longing; she had been such a bright young person full of potential.
What were the circumstances surrounding the accident?
As far as we understood, once the students completed their exams that day, they didn’t spot any commercial motorcycles available to transport them back home promptly. Consequently, they opted to walk for some distance with the hope of finding a ride to head home later.
The incident occurred as they approached the intersection where they believed they could readily obtain these commercial motorcycles.
A law enforcement officer stated that the event shouldn’t be categorized as an accident but rather as manslaughter since it was reported that both Aliyah and another student who lost their lives were fleeing desperately upon seeing the approaching truck. Despite this, the driver continued toward these defenseless kids and ended up killing them.
They said the children would have run further but having got to where they met a church fence, they thought they were safe.
As females, perhaps they were overcome with terror, which led to their injuries. My daughter passed away immediately, whereas the other girl succumbed to her wounds at the hospital later.
What type of daughter did Aliyah turn out to be?
Aliyah was a child whom everyone adored; she was truly a blessing to me. She was incredibly dependable, responsible, highly driven, and exceedingly generous—sometimes even too much so. Her JAMB results were already available, and all she needed now was to ace her WASSCE exams and secure her spot at the university before the year concluded.
Was the driver who struck your daughter with a truck taken into custody?
Indeed, he has also faced charges in court.
What is your age, and what do you do for work?
I am 43 years old, working as both a barber and a film director.
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