A 62-year-old Nigerian-British citizen, Prince Adeoba Adeniji-Adele, has been found dead in his apartment in London, United Kingdom, after colleagues reportedly requested a welfare check when they could not reach him.
Adeniji-Adele, a former Lagos State Government public servant, relocated to the UK in 2024 following his retirement from the civil service, where he worked as an information officer in various government agencies.
Shortly after arriving in the UK, he reportedly secured employment as a support officer with Bushey Meadows Supported Living.
However, his lifeless body was discovered last Monday at his apartment, Flat 6, 2A, Bruce Road, Barnet, London, after his colleagues raised concerns over his absence from work and inability to contact him.
British authorities have reportedly commenced an investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding his death.
Adeniji-Adele had previously lived in the UK before relocating to Nigeria in 2012, where he worked as an information officer at the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender.
He was subsequently transferred to Gbagada General Hospital, where he continued working until his retirement.
Following his return to the UK in 2024, friends said he secured British passports for his children and was making arrangements to reunite with his wife and children before his death.
In an emotional tribute shared on Facebook, his widow, Kehinde, described him as a devoted husband who consistently prioritised the welfare and happiness of his family.
She wrote:
“Ademi, Okomi, Ololufe mi, I am writing this with a deep pain my heart. Thank you for being that husband that will give his last fight to make sure all goes well in the family, even though I misunderstood you then, now I understand better.”
Recounting their final conversation, Kehinde disclosed that she last spoke with her husband on Sunday, a day before his death.
According to her, they chatted for some time before Adeniji-Adele told her he was exhausted and wanted to sleep.
She said she promised to call him the following day but became concerned when he failed to answer her calls on Monday.
Kehinde explained that she initially assumed her husband was still sleeping or had decided to take a nap.
However, she said the situation took a tragic turn when she called him again at about 3:15 p.m. and someone answered his phone.
She recalled hearing a scream before a white man took over the conversation and began asking questions about her identity and relationship with the deceased.
After confirming that she was his wife, the man reportedly informed her that her husband had died.
She said the man explained that Adeniji-Adele had failed to report to work, prompting his colleagues to request a welfare check at his residence.
Recounting the painful moment, she said:
“He said he wanted to sleep. I said he shouldn’t worry that I would call him the following day. But when I called him the following day, which was Monday, he didn’t pick up. So, I assumed he hadn’t woken up or maybe he just wanted to take a nap.
“Around 3.15pm, I called him and someone picked but I heard a scream. Then, a white man answered the phone and asked me questions.
“The man asked for my husband’s name and I said it. He asked who I was, and I said I’m his wife. He asked me to call my number and I did. He then said I was truly his wife.
“He then announced the death of my husband to me on the phone. He explained what happened and how he was not seen in the office, before a welfare check was sent to his residence,” she said.
