Nigerian businessman reportedly commits suicide over allegations of rape

You might remember him as the owner of Twitter account, @Asiwaju_unlimited, the subject of multiple rape allegations which became topical discussion on Saturday, January 12, 2019.

While the certain circumstances to his death remain unconfirmed, Punch reports that Asiwaju’s lifeless body was found on the floor of an undisclosed hotel room around 12 am on Sunday, January 13, 2019.

He is suspected to have consumed the popular insecticide, Sniper – he had also posted a suicide note on Twitter a day prior, in the thick of accusations against him via a Tweet.

Sniper Insecticide is a very powerful poisonous substance. ece-auto-gen

Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Chike Oti, confirmed the suicide to Punch, claiming two bottles of Sniper was recovered from the incident scene.

He said, “We are investigating a possible case of suicide. We were alerted that a young man died in his hotel room and the Commissioner of Police was informed. He directed that the body should be evacuated and that a team of detectives comprising men from the forensic unit and men from the homicide section should investigate the matter.

“The body was inspected and there was no visible mark of violence on the corpse. Two bottles of Sniper, which we reasonably believed he must have drunk, was recovered from the hotel room. One of the bottles had been emptied while the other one was still unopened. The man checked into the hotel with the name, Prince Moses. Preliminary investigation revealed that the man was the owner of a business known as Asiwaju Royal Furniture.”

In the tweet, the father of one wrote, “Goodbye I’ll die soon. Am (I’m) gone.”

Rape allegations

On January 12, 2019, a Nigerian Twitter user and owner of the account, @thatgoddess___ accused Asiwaju of being a serial rapist, “Guys, his name his Michael Asiwaju. Some people refer to him as “Mike cash” His twitter handle was @Asiwaju_limited but he already deactivated. His IG is Asiwaju_royale. He owns a furniture business and he shuffles between Abuja and Lagos . Beware of this serial rapist.”

She claimed an unnamed friend of hers was allegedly raped by Asiwaju, in his car, sometime in May 2017. @thatgoddess___ also claimed Asiwaju had blocked that friend of hers, whom he raped.

Apparently, this led another lady to come forward to accuse Asiwaju of rape - @thatgoddess___ later posted DM conversation with another this new unnamed accuser in the above tweet. The lady also promised to send @thatgoddess___ evidence of her rape by narrating her ordeal – which @thatgoddess___ later posted.

The lady sent the following messages, “I don’t want anyone linking me to this. He raped me. His full name is Michael Asiwaju. He owns a furniture company. He’s also known as Mike Cash. He is mostly in Festac. He tried to lure me with money and gifts. He was asking me out and I refused. I was just fine being friends with him because he was a controlling person.

“He said I’m his girlfriend and I just laughed about it cos (because) I never agreed to be his girlfriend. He always wanted me to come see him but I always refused. Then, he accused me of sleeping around with men. I ignored him and then he apologised. So he called me and said I should come hang out with him and his friends at the beach.

“So I thought it was okay to go see him since it was an open place and his friends were gonna (going) be there. So when it was time to leave the beach, he was supposed to drop me off at Lekki Phase I; then I’d get Uber to take me to my house. He also had to drop one of his friends at his hotel. So we were all in the car and then his friend dropped midway.

“Mike said we had to go to his friend’s hotel to wait for him. I didn’t even understand what was going on but I didn’t mind cos (because) we were not alone. His cousin was there too.

“So we all drove down to the hotel and I decided to wait in the lobby instead of the room. His cousin drove out with his car and said he was coming back soon – one hour went by and he wasn’t back. Mike kept telling me to go chill in the room instead of the lobby.

“He kept assuring me that I’d be okay. So I went to the room; (the) biggest mistake of my life. I really trusted that nigga.

“I was alone for a while, then he came in and locked the door. I started to panic. He started touching me and all that. I told him I wasn’t in the mood. So he said I was his girlfriend and he would have sex with me whether I was in the mood or not. I started to fight him and he became aggressive.

“So he said he would go out and get guys to gangrape me. I just started crying, I was helpless.”

The unknown lady then narrated how he allegedly forced himself on her.

@thatgoddess___ then posted the WhatsApp conversation that lady allegedly had with Asiwaju after he allegedly raped her.

In thick of things, another lady also allegedly sent @thatgoddess___ a DM to accuse Asiwaju of rape, claiming he even gave her an STD. The day wasn’t over when @thatgoddess___ posted that Asiwaju had unblocked her friend that he allegedly raped in May, 2017; begging her and claiming his mother was sick and that he wanted to commit suicide.

Asiwaju’s response

On January 12, 2019, Asiwaju was the number one trending topic on Twitter NG.

While alleging that his former business partner, a lady named Blessing Osom was behind a “blackmail” plot to destroy his reputation and condemn him as a rapist, Asiwaju responded in a number of tweets, “I (am) here, I’ll need to say my own side of the story. I know my former business partner sponsored this blackmail to destroy me cos (because) she’s contesting on the platform of All Progressives Congress.

“You all claimed I raped you? We met on the social media, I took you to a club, I spent N500,000 popping Champagne cos (because) of you and we had sex when am (sic) high and you call it rape? In 2017, you didn’t report to the police. In 2018, you didn’t report to the police. In 2019, you decided to blackmail me.

“This (these) two people (sic) and Blessing should be held responsible if anything happens to me. You came to visit me cos (because) you know I have money. We went to a club; I bought drinks worth half a million naira; we had sex inside my car you claimed I raped you just to tarnish my image.

“We discussed sex before you came; all this happened in 2017. None of you reported me to the police. In 2019 cos (because I) am supporting PDP and my bestie is contesting under APC, she sponsored this thread to destroy me.”

Asiwaju stated further that the saga claimed his mother’s life after she read the post online. He also claimed that the blackmail had destroyed his family.

He wrote that, “This story made me lose my mum. Even when I called, I pleaded with these people to take down the post; that my mother just had (a) heart surgery. Imagine if I wanna pay back but I won’t cos I won’t be available.

“My advice for Nigeria girls; when you meet a guy, you like him cos he is rich; you talk sex before meeting him; don’t call it rape when he sleeps with you.

“What will you gain from this blackmail? Imagine if I decided to come after you and your family? But I won’t. Now that you have blackmailed and destroyed me, wetin u gain (What did you gain)? My mother is gone cos of this; I can be gone too cos right now I’m not myself anymore.

“If you all want me to expose you, I still have your fucking nudes on my phone. Did I force you to send me nudes? Do you really wanna (want to) get exposed?”

Incredibly, a seemingly angry Asiwaju then posted nude photos of two undisclosed women, and two very short, but explicit videos.

He continued, “Someone DM this (another nude picture) to me on Twitter; why do you people want us to expose ourselves? Plenty big gals (girls) on this platform send me nudes that they want me. When I sleep with them and stop talking to them, they blackmail me.

“I don’t care anymore. My mother is dead. I’ll expose all of you. Why will you destroy me when I told you my mother just had (a) heart surgery? Now she’s gone; everyone is crying cos of your stupidity. Are you happy now?

“You claimed I raped you. Bring police report. You feel blackmail will destroy me. Today might be the last time I tweet or breathe. Before you blackmail someone, think about their mental health. Are you happy now for destroying Asiwaju? Are you really happy Blessing?”

Asiwaju, a single father, tweeted that his son would not live a regrettable life as he had enough money for him to live on - when he (Asiwaju) dies.

“My mother is gone. What am I doing here? Let’s get dirty on social media; stop calling me again to stop posting. Asiwaju raped you; tell Nigerians what led us to sex. Don’t sugarcoat things to spoil my image.

“I met her on Twitter. She sucked my ass; she called me the richest guy she had ever met in her life and she’s among the people blackmailing me on Twitter. Imagine if I post her real face online. Goodbye I’ll die soon. (I) am gone,” he ended the tweets at 7.35pm.

On January 12, 2019, a police source allegedly told Punch that Asiwaju had indeed actually killed himself at a hotel in Festac. His time of arrival at the hotel remains unknown, but his time of death was speculatively placed at around 12 am on Sunday, January 13, 2019.

The source said, “He checked into the hotel with another name entirely. He wrote his name as Prince Moses. For now, no one knew why he used another name. It was later discovered that his face was the same as that of a young businessman prominent on Twitter. The suicide might not be unconnected with rape allegations against him in the social media.”

Punch Metro also writes that their reporter visited the hotel on Thursday, January 17, 2019 around 3pm. He met with a receptionist who identified himself simply as John.

Punch writes that, “This (Punch) reporter requested to speak to the manager, but John said she was busy and asked to know the purpose of the visit.

“After City Round told John about the suicide, he went back to inform the manager. About 20 minutes later, he returned to our correspondent and said the manager was still very busy."

Saturday PUNCH later tried reaching the manager to no avail.

Pulse will bring you updates on further developments.