Nigerian judge slumps, dies after returning from pilgrimage

A wave of sorrow has struck Lagos State following the sudden death of Magistrate Olasanmi Ogunkanmi, 58, who passed away on the night of January 1, 2025, shortly after returning from a three-week holy pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Israel.

Ogunkanmi, a respected pastor and magistrate at the Ikeja Magistrate Court, had traveled with the first batch of Lagos pilgrims to Jerusalem, marking his final pilgrimage. However, after returning to Lagos, tragedy struck as he slumped and died that evening, with some reports indicating that he peacefully fell asleep and never woke up again.

Described by colleagues as a “gentle, humble, and amiable fellow,” Ogunkanmi was admired for his commitment to both his religious duties and professional responsibilities. “He was filled with excitement and satisfaction upon returning on January 1, 2025, only for God to call him home unexpectedly,” a staff member from Ikeja Magistrate Court shared with Vanguard.

While the cause of death remains unclear, two different accounts have surfaced. One source mentioned that Ogunkanmi suddenly slumped and passed away at his residence, while another said that he peacefully slept through the night, never to awaken.

In a heartfelt gesture, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), visited the grieving widow of late Magistrate Ogunkanmi on January 17, 2025, at their Ikorodu home in Lagos. Offering his condolences, Adegbite expressed sympathy for the sudden and shocking demise of the magistrate, encouraging his widow to have faith in God during this challenging time.

He said, “It was not an accident that late Magistrate Ogunkanmi passed away the night after completing his pilgrimage to Jerusalem. His death is providential. Your husband lived a fulfilled life, and it is not the length of one’s life but the quality of it that matters.”

Adegbite assured the widow of the commission’s full support in organizing a befitting burial for the late magistrate, who was also a Pilgrimage Ambassador of Nigeria. Earlier, Adegbite had visited Ogunkanmi’s family residence in Kado, Abuja, to offer condolences to his family members.

The remains of Magistrate Ogunkanmi will be laid to rest on February 7, 2025, in Lagos, following a Service of Songs on February 6, 2025. The NCPC leader expressed hope that God’s comfort would guide the family through this difficult period of mourning.