Osoba Family Explains Tope Osoba’s Death, Appeals for Calm
The family of Tope Osoba has provided further details surrounding her death, describing the circumstances as tragic and unfortunate and appealing to the public to allow the family to mourn privately.
According to the family, Tope had been dealing with prolonged emotional distress, anxiety, depression and self-medication. They described her as an intelligent and resourceful woman who became emotionally vulnerable following the death of her biological mother and her own battle with cancer, from which she had temporarily recovered.
In May 2025, after withdrawing from her maternal family in Iperu, Tope reportedly reached out to her paternal aunt, Revd. Mother Kehinde Osoba Eritosin, seeking to reconnect with the Osoba family for parental care and support.
Following consultations with other family members, Revd. Mother Eritosin accepted Tope as an adopted daughter, introduced her to her children and added her to the family platform to enable closer monitoring, guidance and support.
The family said Tope subsequently confided in her aunt about personal and marital challenges.
On Friday, July 31, 2026, Tope reportedly contacted Revd. Mother Eritosin over her worsening health and difficulties with her fiancé, with whom she had lived for about two years.
Two days later, on Sunday, August 2, while receiving medical treatment for an undisclosed illness, Tope reportedly asked her aunt to speak with her fiancé and sent his contact details.
Concerned about her condition, Revd. Mother Eritosin invited the fiancé for an urgent meeting. He reportedly promised to visit her on Tuesday, August 5, the day Tope died.
The family also disclosed that about five weeks earlier, Revd. Mother Eritosin had bought an aso ebi for Tope ahead of a family event scheduled to take place on Victoria Island, Lagos. However, Tope was unable to collect the outfit from the dispatch rider.
On Tuesday, August 4, Revd. Mother Eritosin reportedly received a call from Tope’s friend and hairdresser, who said Tope had been awake throughout the night, behaving unusually and making disturbing comments about death.
She advised that Tope be brought to her church in Ikorodu for medical and spiritual attention.
At the time, however, Revd. Mother Eritosin was in Abule Egba attending the eight-day service of songs for the late Supreme Head of the C&S Unification Church, Baba Aladura Alogbo.
While at the event, she received a call from the Divisional Police Officer at Igbogbo Police Station, Ikorodu, informing her that Tope and those accompanying her had been taken into custody after causing a disturbance in traffic around Ita-Elewa, Ikorodu.
According to the family, Tope had reportedly left the vehicle and started screaming.
Revd. Mother Eritosin confirmed that Tope was her daughter and appealed to the police to release her to the church in Ikorodu, explaining that she was delayed in traffic while returning from Abule Egba.
The police subsequently released Tope to her friend and two maternal cousins who had travelled from Sagamu.
However, instead of waiting for Revd. Mother Eritosin at the church, Tope’s companions reportedly took her to a Celestial Church in Ikorodu for prayers, where she was given water and other drinks.
Her maternal cousins later decided, reportedly with Tope’s consent, to take her to their home in Sagamu.
During the journey to Sagamu, Tope reportedly developed unusual reactions after drinking cold water and became restless and uncomfortable inside the vehicle.
Her cousins rushed her to a private hospital in Sagamu, where doctors referred her to Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, because of the seriousness of her condition.
The family said those accompanying her reported that Tope died inside the vehicle upon arrival at the teaching hospital, before she could receive medical attention.
Revd. Mother Eritosin reportedly did not learn of Tope’s death until Wednesday, August 6, when her friend eventually returned her calls.
The family said it issued the clarification to address what it described as misinformation and speculation surrounding Tope’s death and to appeal to sympathisers and members of the public to remain calm.
“It would not honour Tope’s memory to sensationalize her death on social media. We are focused on giving her a befitting burial,” the family said.
The family expressed appreciation to Tope’s friends, colleagues, associates, fans and members of the public for their concern and support during the difficult period.
It added that details of a memorial service would be announced after consultations with relevant family members.
