Akolade Arowolo: I Loved My Wife, I Couldn't Have Killed Her

Akolade Arowolo: I Loved My Wife, I Couldn't Have Killed Her

Akinwale Akintunde

Akolade Arowolo, who allegedly murdered his banker wife, Titilayo, Wednesday told an Ikeja High Court that he loved his late wife so much and could not have killed her.

Arowolo said this while giving testimony in his defence as the sixth defence witness in the case instituted against him by the Lagos State Government before Justice Lateefa Okunnu.

He told the court that he did all he could to save his wife's life. “I did not kill my wife, I never thought of it, I would never have done that as I am not that kind of person.
“I loved my wife so much to want to see her hurt. And that's why I did all I could to ensure we stayed together. I loved my wife and my daughter, Olamide so much.

“As a result of what happened on that day, I could equally have died from the injuries I sustained and the risk I took jumping from a four-storey building trying to save her from death. I still have a lot of medical challenges as a result of the injuries I sustained,” he said.

While narrating the events on the day his wife died, Akolade said it was his wife that attacked him with a knife while he was trying to give her the phone to take her sister’s (Folake) call.

He said he was caught unawares and tried all he could to avoid the stabs and take the knife from her but she only continued to lash out at him. “I was trying to regain my balance and was shouting, ‘Omo, what's wrong with you.’ But rather than answer me, she was shouting, ‘I will kill you and kill myself.’

“While I was trying to calm her, she came at my navel and I had no choice than to try to disarm her. The knife had cut my right palm into almost two and I had other cuts. I was bleeding all over and we were struggling for the knife until we fell down on the bed, the struggle continued and in the process, I sustained other lacerations and the knife dropped from her hand.

“I then asked, Omo what is all this? And she said she's sorry. I told her to be calm while I go and get help but the door was locked and the key was not there. I kept asking Omo, where's the key and she was pointing at some places and I was scattering everywhere to locate the key.

“I didn't see the key. What came to my mind was to break down the door, I ran to the kitchen, took a long spoon, hammer and knife but when I couldn't get it open, in annoyance I threw them on the floor and jumped from the verandah,” he said.

Akolade added that his mechanic brought his car at that point and he quickly got into the car to go to the nearest police station to get help but that he didn't get to the station before he saw some policemen and while talking to them, a car hit him and he lost consciousness.

He added that a good samaritan took him from the place on a commercial motorcycle but he couldn't remember what happened as he woke up the next day at the dumpsite of a public school.

Speaking on his wife's actions, Akolade stated that she was either drunk, mentally sick or hypnotised. “Her actions and behaviour were not consistent with the wife I left at home wearing my boxers and a see-through top.

“That morning, she promised me that she had decided to be the best of wives. She said she would no longer hit me or leave the house again. That no matter our differences, she won't leave again, that I should ensure that she doesn’t, as that was the only way I could help her control her anger.

“That's why when I saw her dressed that day, I told her I won't allow you to go because I just made a promise to you this morning. That's when she pushed me with my chain and slapped me,” he said.

He insisted that it was his love for his wife that made him stay in the marriage.
Justice Okunnu adjourned the matter till September 17 for adoption of written addresses.