A tragic incident involving the death of Adetunji ‘TeeJay’ Opayele, Co-founder and Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of Nigerian retail automation startup Bumpa, has sparked outrage, with over 7,000 people signing a petition on Change.org directed at the Lagos State Government.
Opayele, who died on March 5, 2025, following a car accident, is at the center of a petition initiated by “TeeJay Legacy,” which alleges that the accident and subsequent events were the result of negligence.
According to details in the petition, Opayele was riding his power bike on March 4, 2025, at about 10:20 p.m. along Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Victoria Island, Lagos, after a gym session, when he was hit by a vehicle driven by Biola Adams-Odutayo. The petition claims that Adams-Odutayo, driving a car with the license plate LND 418 JR, merged onto the expressway without regard for approaching traffic, colliding with Opayele.
Biola Adams-Odutayo, who was reportedly returning from dinner with her friend, allegedly failed to assist the unconscious Opayele, despite pleas from eyewitnesses at the scene. According to the petition, her friend told the bystanders, “She doesn’t want blood to stain her car.”
Despite wearing full safety gear, Opayele was left unconscious on the road. The petition alleges that Adams-Odutayo, a healthcare professional and Head of Health at a reputable insurance brokerage firm, remained on a phone call for over 30 minutes rather than offering assistance.
Bystanders eventually rushed Opayele to the hospital, but he was pronounced dead in the early hours of March 5. Adams-Odutayo, allegedly showing no remorse, later walked into the same hospital, requested a drip for shock, and then attempted to leave.
The petition accuses Adams-Odutayo and her family of leveraging their influence to avoid severe consequences. Instead of facing manslaughter charges, she was reportedly charged with reckless driving, spent only one night in detention, and was released on bail set at ₦1 million.
The petition calls for justice and demands that Adams-Odutayo be charged with manslaughter. It also appeals to elected officials, including the Governor of Osun State, to intervene in the case.
In response to Opayele’s death, Bumpa Co-founder Kelvin Umechukwu pledged to uphold TeeJay’s legacy, stating, “Though his presence will be missed, we commit to keeping Teejay’s legacy alive.”