The slain teacher, Michael Oyedokun, who was a victim of the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State…Photo Credit: its_boukeey
The family of Michael Olugbade Oyedokun, a teacher killed by gunmen who attacked schools in Oyo State in May, has announced plans to hold a commendation and farewell service for him despite the non-recovery of his remains.
Oyedokun, a Mathematics teacher and Vice-Principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle, in Oriire Local Government Area of the state, was abducted alongside other teachers and pupils during the attack on May 15, 2026.
The family announced the arrangement in a Wednesday notice shared on social media by its representative, Oluwabukola, saying the service would hold on October 30, more than five months after his abduction.
In a tribute to the deceased,the family member, identified as its_boukeey on Instagram, said the family had spent months hoping to recover his remains and give him a befitting burial.
“151 days since we lost you, Olugbade Michael Oyedokun. For days, we waited and hoped we would find you, bring you home, and give you the farewell you deserved. Sadly, we are yet to find your body,” the tribute read.
The family said it had made the painful decision to organise the service because it could no longer allow the absence of his remains to prevent it from honouring his life.
“Though we waited for the closure we desperately wanted, we cannot allow the absence of your body to mean the absence of a farewell,” it added.
The service is scheduled to begin at 11am at Eliz Event Centre, behind the Federal Road Safety Corps office in the High School area of Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
The family described Oyedokun as a husband, father, elder brother and beloved member of the family, saying his death had left a lasting void in the lives of his wife, two sons, siblings and other loved ones.
“Your life had meaning, and your memory deserves to be honoured,” the family said, adding that the service would provide an opportunity to celebrate his life despite the circumstances surrounding his death.
Oyedokun was among those abducted when gunmen attacked three schools in Oriire LGA on May 15. He was reportedly killed on the second day of captivity, while other abductees remained in captivity for several weeks before their eventual rescue.
His killing was particularly distressing for his family after a video of the attack circulated online. His elder half-brother, Samuel Oyedokun, had earlier spoken to PUNCH about the trauma of watching the footage and the pain of losing a close family member in such circumstances.
The family also expressed concern over the failure to recover his remains, which prevented it from giving him a conventional burial.
Following the rescue of the other abductees in July, the family renewed its appeal to the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to recover his body.
In an earlier appeal, the family said its joy over the return of the other victims was incomplete because Oyedokun would not be coming home.
“Our joy is incomplete because one chair at our table will remain empty forever,” a family member said in a statement following the rescue.
The family also appealed to President Bola Tinubu and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde to intervene and ensure that efforts to recover the remains were intensified, saying the prolonged uncertainty had compounded its grief.
In the latest tribute, the family said it would continue to remember Oyedokun for the life he lived and the people he left behind.
“Today, we choose to honour your life, remember your legacy, and commend you into the hands of the God who gave you to us,” it said.
Oyedokun, who was 57, was survived by his wife and two sons. He married in 2007 and had risen to the position of vice-principal, with only a few years left before retirement.
The family said the commendation and farewell service would be held in his honour, even as it continued to hope for the recovery of his remains.
The family house is at Olujin Compound, Caretaker, opposite Ijeru Baptist Primary School, Ogbomoso South Local Government Area.