By Vanguardngr.com
Lagos politics has been thrown into mourning, fear, and intense speculation as a wave of mysterious deaths sweeps through the ranks of female leaders in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and local councils across the state.
Within just two months, five prominent women—councilors, vice chairmen, and even a council manager—have died suddenly, leaving Lagos APC members and council staff in shock and driving leaders to seek spiritual interventions to ward off what many now describe as a “spirit of death” haunting the grassroots.
The latest tragedy struck on Monday, September 29, 2025, when Mrs. Adebimpe Akinola, Council Manager of Coker Aguda LCDA and Chairman of the Forum of Council Managers, passed away after a brief illness. Her death, the fifth in a grim series, has intensified panic within political and administrative circles in Lagos.
The chain of deaths began less than two weeks after the July swearing-in of newly elected LGA and LCDA leaders by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who had charged them to deepen grassroots development and deliver the dividends of democracy.
August 13 – Oluwakemi Rufai, the only female councillor in Ibeju Lekki, died suddenly after a brief illness.
August 18 – Zainab Shotayo, Chief Whip and the only female councillor in Odiolowo-Ojuwoye LCDA, also died mysteriously.
September 20 – Princess Oluremi Ajose, Vice Chairman of Badagry West LCDA and daughter of Oba Oyekan Possi Ajose, died just two months after her inauguration.
September 21 – Barely 24 hours later, Basirat Mayabikan, Councillor for Ward F, Somolu LGA, died suddenly, shocking her colleagues who had seen her days earlier.
September 29 – Adebimpe Akinola, Council Manager of Coker Aguda LCDA, died, heightening fears across the 57 councils.
The back-to-back tragedies have sparked growing anxiety among council staff and party members, with whispers of “spiritual attacks” and “ancestral forces” making the rounds.
The APC Lagos State Publicity Secretary, Seye Oladejo, described the losses as “painful and shocking,” confirming that the party is already working on a plan of spiritual intervention after the mourning period.
“Prayer interventions are being considered to ward off this string of deaths. It is too heavy a blow for our party, our councils, and especially for women in leadership,” Oladejo said.
Council chairmen, staff, and political appointees across LGAs and LCDAs have also intensified fasting, prayer vigils, and consultations with both Christian and Islamic clerics in hopes of ending the tragic streak.
For many, the deaths have raised chilling questions: Why only women? Why so sudden and clustered within weeks of one another? And why all at the grassroots level of governance?
A senior council staff, speaking under anonymity, told Vanguard:
> “We are all scared. Nobody knows who will be next. These women were vibrant, healthy, and dedicated to service. Something strange is going on.”
Each death has left not just a political gap, but also deep emotional scars in the communities they served.
Hon. Rufai was hailed as a rising star in Ibeju Lekki.
Hon. Shotayo was celebrated as a young, trailblazing Chief Whip in Odiolowo-Ojuwoye.
Princess Ajose was a royal-born leader and loyal deputy in Badagry West.
Hon. Mayabikan was described as a “jolly good fellow” and grassroots mobilizer in Somolu.
Akinola, the last to die, was not only a manager but also a leader of her peers in administration.
Their sudden exit has left APC Lagos and council administrations reeling in grief, uncertainty, and fear.
While health complications and brief illnesses have been cited in some cases, the recurring pattern has led many to suspect darker forces at play. In a political climate where leadership at the grassroots often comes with intense power struggles, conspiracy theories have begun to emerge.
For now, Lagos APC leaders are rallying in prayer, while families and constituents mourn the women whose voices once carried the hopes of their communities.
As one council worker lamented:
> “Our prayer is simple—this must stop. We cannot afford to bury any more of our women leaders.”
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