Otunba Kunle Akinyele, a hotelier in Lagos, passed away after collapsing at his wife’s 60th birthday Thanksgiving ceremony on Saturday.
Digital creative Ayoade Ojeniyi posted about the occurrence on Facebook, stating that the guy had made a move for assistance, presumably requesting water or an inhaler, before passing out.
Akinyele was shown in a video that went with the post looking extremely upset and making gestures before sagging.
At Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Iyanu, Odemuyiwa District Headquarters, Egbeda, Lagos State, a Thanksgiving service was performed in honour of his wife, Deaconess Catherine Adejoke Akinyele.
The event invitation said that there will be a reception at the Noble Castle Events Centre in Igando right away.
One of the event vendors said on Facebook that they were at the location around 10 a.m. for the party, which was supposed to start at 2 p.m.
After attending the Thanksgiving ceremony at church, the celebrant, her spouse, their kids, and guests were supposed to head to the reception.
However, the preparations were derailed when word leaked out that Akinyele had passed out while testifying in church.
It was reported that attempts to resuscitate him failed.
“Variety of foods were set, decoration, cocktail, emu oguro, and many more,” the vendor wrote, adding that the live band had already arrived with about 25 speakers.
The vendor, still in shock, said the Master of Ceremony had spoken with Akinyele around 1:23 pm, but the news of his death broke less than an hour later.
The event was cancelled, and guests were seen leaving the venue in disbelief.
“This is how people die?” the vendor lamented in the post.
“I can’t possibly ask for my balance for the job,” the vendor added.
As of the time of this report, the cause of death had not been officially confirmed.
The Intercept gathered that Akinyele is the owner of Ologbo Nla Hotel in Isheri, Idimu, Lagos State.
The video sparked emotional reactions from social media users, with some highlighting the toll of stress and health neglect among men.
“So sad! From the look of things, the man was overtime stressed up, and an accumulation of it took him out.
“Men should cut down on their workload! Life no supposed be marathon o!” a Facebook user, Taylor Sam, commented.
Another commenter, Murtala Olalere Aderinto, wrote, “That was his last duty to his beloved wife and entire family… Death comes like a thief in the night.”
“It comes like a thief in the night, and snatched our precious life just like that,” Cicero Sasore-Whyte wrote. “Where? When? And how? No one can really say.”
“So sad! May his soul rest in peace. Hallelujah! He breathed his last while praising his creator,” another user, Sayo Akintola, added.
Several others used the opportunity to sound warnings about men’s health and the toll of stress.
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“This is extremely rampant in society now,” Atteh Isaac Taiwo commented. “Men, kindly take care of yourself health-wise to avert this kind of scenario.”
Other reactions included prayers and brief expressions of shock
“Life is fleeting,” Goldfish Rahmatulai wrote.
“May our happy day not turn to be sad day,” IamAdeosun Tajudeen said.
“Lord have mercy,” Ayodeji Haastrup added.
While the exact cause of death has not been confirmed, the incident has stirred reflection on the fragility of life.
