Double Trouble For Baba Suwe; Wife’s Body May Be Exhumed As Foul Play Is Suspected

There appears to be no respite for popular Yoruba home video comedian, Babatunde Omidina, alias Baba Suwe, over the controversial death of his wife, Monsurat Omidina (Moladun Kenkelewu) as a group of women, under the aegis of Women Arise, have called on Mr. Supo Sasore, Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to conduct a coroner's inquest into her death.

In a petition signed by the President of the group, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin and submitted to the commissioner this morning, Women Arise called for a coroner's inquest into the death given the fact that controversies had trailed the death of the popular actress.

For a coroner to conduct an inquest, this means the body of Moladun Kenkelewu would have to be exhumed for examination.

In the petition Okei-Odumakin stated:

“While her daughter, Omolara Kareem and younger sister, Mujidat were reported by nollywoodgists of September 2, 2009 to have claimed that her death was due to the aggravation of her hypertensive condition as a result of quarrels with her husband, the publisher of Wall Street Journal, Mr. Wole Arisekola directly accused the deceased's husband, Mr. Babatunde Omidina, a.k.a. Baba Suwe, to have beaten her to death.

“We have spoken with Mr. Arisekola who claimed to have seen the corpse of the deceased with blood oozing from her nose and mouth and injuries on her neck. He stands by his story and is ready to testify as such. His account as published on line goes thus:

“I was there personally. The practice in Europe is for a crime reporter to register his presence at the nearest police station before going to the scene of crime. So, I proceeded to Ikorodu Central Police Station to sign in and get first hand information. Gossh, the DPO was busy with a lady friend outside and not ready to go out because their vehicle is out of petrol. Out of disappointment and frustration, I went to Baba Suwe's house where late Monsurat's daughter narrated how her stepfather, Mr. Omidina and her mother fought all night. Monsurat was in high spirits a day earlier. I took time to see her corpse on her bed. I noticed a swollen neck, and she was in a pool of blood with blood coming from her nose and mouth. I suspected foul play. I went back to the police station that they must come to the scene. The DPO bluntly refused and told me that I have no right to complain. Only her family members have the right. Moladun's brother and sisters protested and were later pacified with the normal Nigerian slogan, leave everything to Allah. Conclusion: Her death is suspicious.”

“We believe a coroner's inquest would either help to clear the deceased husband from murder allegation or bring him to face the law, if indeed he committed the crime. But our interest in this remains that women must be protected against any form of spousal abuse and dealing with established case would serve as deterrence to other men.”

Reacting to the claim that he beat his wife to death, Baba Suwe denied the allegation outrightly, adding that he would not object to a coroner's inquest into his wife's death.

“She is my wife and I don't think there's any sanity in me beating her to death. If anybody wants to exhume her body, please let them come and do so. I am still in shock by all the things I am hearing from faceless people,” he said this morning.

Baba Suwe, who promised to cooperate with the coroner, explained that he was not moved by their negative claims against him because he has her death certificate with him