Five years after, Dagrin’s accident-ridden car abandoned in LASU over 20k debt

ByKayodeBadmus

Dagrin, driving the then newly-acquired car, was involved in fatal accident along Agege Motor Road which later claimed his life. Photo: Filed

Five years after his untimely death, the car crashed by Oladapo Olaitan Olaonipekun popularly known as Dagrin in the ill-fated accident that led to his death, has been abandoned at the Lagos State University, Ojo Campus.
NET investigations revealed that the car was abandoned due to a misunderstanding between the Lagos State University Students’ Union and show promoters who brought the crashed car to the institution.

Late Dagrin’s is not just abandoned in LASU; it is overgrown with weeds. Photo: Kayode Badmus/NET

A member of the Students’ Union who spoke to NET revealed that the car was brought to the school as a side attraction for screening of the late rapper’s biopic, Ghetto Dreamz produced by Ope Banwo‘s Stingomania Records in 2011.
The movie was produced to celebrate the life and times of the hip-hop artist.
Speaking to NET, a former Social Director of the Students Union, Ahmed Jimoh, who was in office during the period, Ope Banwo abandoned the car because he could not pay the money agreed with the students body. Upon asking how much the money is, Jimoh gave the figure as N20k, an amount he said was earlier agreed upon before the movie was shown on campus.
‘There was a negotiation between the student union through my office that a sum of N20,000 would be paid to the union’S purse before the film could be shown, they initially gave me a cheque which bounced. After then, I tried communicating with Barr. Banwo’s people but they didn’t give me an audience until my tenure elapsed,’ Jimoh told NET.
‘Since then the car has been abandoned inside the school even as I speak with you,’ he added.

The now abandoned car was showcased at several places for the movie screening including the premiere at Silverbird Galleria. Photo: Kayode Badmus/NET

The abandoned car, NET discovered, has been overtaken by weeds, and renders a painful sight of what should be an important relic preserved perhaps in a museum or as a monument in memory of the late star.
Dagrin died following a collision with a stationed vehicle in front of Alakara Police Station in Mushin with his new Nissan Maxima, on April 14, 2010.
The then rave of the moment, known variously as Akogun, CEO or Baeack ‘O’ grin, finally gave up the ghost on April 22, 2010.
His brand of music was largely influenced by the streets and hip-hop delivered through his indigenous Yoruba language and has continued to inspire many others after him. Among rappers who have emerged since the death of Dagrin is YBNL boss, Olamide.
Ope Banwo, who said he lost N20m on the biopic for the late rapper, could not be reached to comment on the story but we will bring you updates on the story.