By Okeke Eunice
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State is requesting a pardon for a young man who was sentenced to death by hanging in 2010 for allegedly stealing a chicken and eggs.
In a statement posted on X on Tuesday, Adeleke directed the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to look into the case and initiate the process of granting the young man clemency.
He stated, “I have received a report about a young man who was allegedly sentenced to death by hanging in Osun State for stealing a chicken.”
As a result, I have instructed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Osun State to conduct a thorough investigation into the case and begin the process of granting clemency to the young man.
“Osun is a place of justice and fairness, committed to safeguarding the value of life. I assure the public that this issue is receiving my full attention with the urgency it deserves.”
The case attracted significant attention after the victim’s parents, in an interview with Nigerian actress Biola Adebayo, claimed that Olowookere had been wrongfully arrested by Osun police for a crime he did not commit.
Olanrewaju and Folashade Olowookere, the parents, explained that their son, who was 17 when arrested and has spent over 14 years in prison since his conviction, does not eat chicken as his mother raises broilers.
“We later discovered that some students from Segun’s school were in the vehicle, and they said they were arrested for stealing a chicken and eggs,” the mother explained.
“To be honest, Segun doesn’t eat chicken because I raise broilers. He didn’t flee, insisting he had no knowledge of the chicken theft.
“They came back around 9 pm that night, and he was eventually arrested. It was when I visited the station that I learned who owned the chicken and eggs. He was like a brother to me.”