The tragic death of Adetunji ‘TeeJay’ Opayele, the Co-founder and Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of Nigerian retail automation startup Bumpa, has sparked a petition for justice that has garnered over 20,000 signatures on Change.org. The petition, addressed to the Lagos State Government, was launched by the ‘Teejay Legacy’ campaign following Opayele’s untimely passing on March 5, 2025, due to a fatal car accident.
Techpoint Africa reported that Opayele was involved in the accident on March 4, 2025, at approximately 10:20 p.m. as he was riding his power bike along Ozumba Mbadiwe, Victoria Island, Lagos, after leaving the gym. The petition alleges that the collision was caused by Biola Adams-Odutayo, who failed to yield the right of way to Opayele when merging onto the expressway, resulting in the tragic accident.
Adams-Odutayo, who was reportedly returning from dinner with a friend, was driving her vehicle while instructing her driver to follow behind her friend’s car. Despite Opayele wearing full safety gear, he was knocked off his bike and left unconscious on the road. Eyewitnesses who rushed to the scene pleaded with Adams-Odutayo to assist, but she allegedly refused, citing concerns about getting blood on her car. Shockingly, it was revealed that Adams-Odutayo, a healthcare professional and Head of Health at an insurance firm, remained on a phone call for over 30 minutes instead of providing aid to the victim.
Opayele was eventually taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead in the early hours of March 5, after facing initial refusals for treatment from some hospitals. The petition claims that Adams-Odutayo later entered the same hospital, requesting a drip and claiming to be in shock, before attempting to flee the scene.
Despite the circumstances surrounding the accident, the petition asserts that Adams-Odutayo and her family have used their influence to evade full accountability. Authorities charged her with reckless driving, a lesser offense than manslaughter, and she was granted bail shortly after spending one night in detention.
The petitioners are demanding that Adams-Odutayo be charged with manslaughter instead of reckless driving and are urging officials, including the Governor of Osun State, to intervene in the case.
Kelvin Umechukwu, Co-founder of Bumpa, has joined the calls for justice, stating, “Though his presence will be missed, we commit to keeping TeeJay’s legacy alive.” The petition continues to gain support, with many advocating for justice in memory of the late Adetunji ‘TeeJay’ Opayele.
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