Nearly two months after the tragic death of 32-year-old tech entrepreneur Adetunji Opayele, fondly called Teejay, his family has launched a fresh push for justice, filing explosive petitions that reveal disturbing new details about the circumstances surrounding his death. The young founder, whose fatal accident on Ozumba Mbadiwe Road initially made headlines, is now at the centre of a growing legal battle as his family alleges negligence, cover-ups, and attempts to manipulate the judicial process.
According to the petitions as seen by this reporter, Teejay had just finished a workout at the I-Fitness Gym in Lekki Phase 1 and was heading home when the collision occurred. Eyewitness accounts and video evidence were also cited in the legal documents obtained by Technext. Ms. Biola Adams-Odutayo, a high-ranking executive at a health insurance firm, was driving A Ford Edge Jeep when she suddenly swerved out of Cactus Restaurant, cutting recklessly across three lanes of traffic.
What happened next has become a focal point of outrage. Instead of rushing to help, Ms. Adams-Odutayo allegedly remained in her car, making phone calls while Teejay lay critically injured on the road.
“She expressed no form of empathy, concern, or care towards the victim but was engrossed in an air of pride, arrogance, and vain power of connection,” the petition states.
Bystanders pleaded with her and a friend who had been driving behind her to assist, but they reportedly refused, leaving good Samaritans to transport Teejay in a commercial minibus, known locally as a “korope”, to nearby hospitals.
The petitions revealed that Teejay was denied treatment at two hospitals before finally being admitted to a third, where he was pronounced dead. Shockingly, the petitions also claim that Ms Adams-Odutayo attempted to flee the hospital upon hearing the news, only to be stopped at the gate.
Even more troubling are allegations that she and her associates have since tried to influence the case.
“Friends and family of Ms Biola have been heard bragging that they will use their connections to ensure the case is dismissed,” the legal filing reveals.
This has only deepened the grief of Teejay’s loved ones, who describe him as a brilliant, kind-hearted innovator with dreams of revolutionising Nigeria’s tech space.
New petitions, legal loopholes and public outrage
Currently, Ms. Adams-Odutayo faces only minor traffic charges, reckless driving under Lagos State’s Road Traffic Law, which carries a maximum penalty of a N50,000 fine. Legal experts say this is grossly inadequate given the circumstances. The family’s lawyers are now pushing for manslaughter charges, citing Section 222 of the Lagos Criminal Law, which applies when death results from “gross negligence or reckless disregard for human life.”
Public anger has been further stoked by claims that authorities failed to conduct basic procedures, such as an alcohol test, despite the fact that the accident occurred after Ms. Adams-Odutayo left a high-end restaurant known for serving cocktails and shisha.
The petitions, addressed to the Inspector General of Police, the Lagos State Attorney General, and human rights bodies, demand an immediate re-investigation, the rearrest of the accused, and upgraded charges. They also call for scrutiny of the police handling of the case, citing fears of undue influence.
For Teejay’s family and supporters, this is about more than one tragic accident. It’s a test of whether Nigeria’s justice system can hold power to account.
“If injustice is allowed to continue, it will not only dishonour the memory of the deceased but also undermine the trust and faith that society places in its institutions,” the petition warns.
As the case unfolds, many are watching closely, hoping that this time, justice will prevail—not just for Teejay but for every Nigerian who has ever feared that the law does not protect them equally.
A rising star gone too soon
Before his untimely death, Teejay was the co-founder of Bumpa, an e-commerce platform empowering small businesses, and the brains behind Host Cabal. Colleagues remember him as a visionary who mentored young tech enthusiasts and had plans to launch a robotics engineering company later this year. His engagement to his fiancée added to the sense of a future brutally cut short.
“His tragic passing has not only deprived his family of a precious son but also robbed Nigeria and Africa of a great mind who had much to offer,” the petition reads.
The loss has resonated deeply within Nigeria’s tech community, where many see his death as emblematic of a broader culture of impunity for the wealthy and connected.
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