Remembering Dagrin, after 6 years

In commemoration of the 6th anniversary of Dagrin’s death, the unfortunate incident that happened at 6pm on Thursday, April 22, 2010 at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital, LUTH.

This report is a detailed account of how the famous rapper died at the age of 26.

Dagrin died at 6:00pm on Thursday, April 22, 2010, exactly eight days after he was involved in a ghastly motor accident in front of Alakara Police Station, off Agege Motor Road, Mushin, Lagos. He survived a serious head injury as a result of the crash. He was initially admitted at Tai Solarin Hospital, Mushin before being transferred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, (LUTH) Idi Araba, where doctors made serious efforts to save his life.

The late rapper was admitted at the Intensive Care Unit and operated upon, and later moved to the private wing of the hospital. Eight days of nationwide panic, the media didn’t have to play anything up; the pictures from the accident (exclusively obtained by NET), were enough to send shivers down our spine, the photos from the hospital; of a lifeless looking Dagrin, a sharp contrast from the animated artiste, stamped sadness on many faces.

What no one will tell you about Dagrin’s life, death and burial

• He was brought into the cemetery for burial in a black Ebony Escalade Cadillac ESV 2007 model.
• Candle light procession in honour of the late rapper started from his former home at Emmanuel Dada Street, off Bello Road, to Ojez, National Stadium, Surulere at about 6pm on Thursday, April 29, 2010.
• His body was left for twenty four hours before embalment. The late rapper was buried at the Ebony Millennium Private Vault, Atan cemetery.
• He had 129 pictures in his four photo albums on Facebook.
• The late rapper was buried, wearing white hand gloves, white belt and a white T-shirt; black waist coat, black bandana around his neck, a black trouser and a black fez cap.
• The slabs on his tomb were four in number. His body was brought into the cemetery at 9.00am on Friday, April 30, 2010.
• He was finally interned at about 10.45 am on Friday, April 30, 2010.
• The late rapper’s car ran into a stationary lorry in front of Alakara Police station, Mushin on Wednesday, April 14, 2010.
• He was 26 years old. His ill-fated Nissan Maxima was a 2008 model.
• His father lives at 43, Kola Oretuga Street, off Meiran Road, Iyana Meiran bus stop, Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA. He was the fourth child in a family of nine.
• Dagrin was signed to his own label, ‘Missofunyin Entertainment’ but managed by Edlyne Records.
• He attended Meiran Community Primary School, Roseille Nursery and Primary School, Meiran Community High School and Egbado College.
• The bandana on the late rapper’s neck for burial was the same as the one on his Manager,Tunde Peters, Zeez, YQ and his close friends.
• His father’s nickname is Nelly.
• He has a music store, ‘House of Nelly Sounds’, located at Meiran bus stop, where he used to stay before moving to Surulere.
• His father’s speech at the candle light ceremony was the rap he did to the song he was featured in by YQ, titled: ‘Efimile’.
• His casket was coloured brown, with a touch of gold.
• He died eight days after the accident. Doctors at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital, LUTH said he survived nine attacks before he finally gave up the ghost during the 10th.
• He died at 6.00 pm on Thursday, April 22, 2010, eight days after his car crashed, and was buried eight days after his death.
• Desperate fans almost tore down the Ebony gate at Atan, when they were initially prevented from getting in; and refused to leave after his burial.
• The burial was originally designed to have only 150 people in attendance, but thousands stormed the cemetery to pay their last respect.
• The late rapper was born Olaitan Olaonipekun, to Mr. and Mrs. Olaniyi Abolaji Olaonipekun
• He got the nickname, ‘Barack O’Grin’ from the remix song he did with General Pype‘Champion.’
• Touts were seen at the burial, smoking Indian hemp and selling Dagrin T-shirts.
• Julius Agwu and Omo Baba anchored his Candle Light ceremony, held at Ojez, National Stadium, Surulere on Thursday, April 29, 2010.
• His ill-fated car carried the number plate, DAGRIN 03.
• He planned to buy two other cars, to be numbered Dagrin 02 and Dagrin 01.
• The accident that claimed his life happened 2.00am on April 14.
• He was initially admitted at Tai Solarin Private Hospital, Mushin, Baba Olosa bus stop.
• He had three videos to his credit, titled: Kilowale –ft PK, Rap rules and Ponponpon.
• He had two albums to his credit, titled: Still on the matter and Chief Executive Omoita.
• Dagrin’s mother, Mrs. Olaonipekun was the second of his father’s three wives.
• He was a Yoruba lyricist; just like the older but less popular, Lord of Ajasa. The last time he logged on to Twitter was on Thursday, April 8, 2010.
• He died of severe head injury.
• The slab where the late rapper’s body was kept at the mortuary is tagged: Number 8.
• The late rapper had three nominations at the coming Hip Hop World Awards. His parents were expectedly both absent at his burial.
• His Twitter ID was Dagrinfimile. Two months before his death, Dagrin moved into Block 10, Flat 3, at the Sunshine Estate, Oko Oba in Lagos.
• Sources at Ebony Casket says his casket cost N150,000. His Facebook name was Dagrin fimilejo.
• His email address was sendmimore@yahoo.com. Striking doctors at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LUTH resumed work the same day he was buried.
• Websites like www.thenetng.com and questionmarkmag.com jammed because of huge traffic, following news of the rapper’s death.
• The late rapper had 4,930 friends on Facebook.
• There were underground speculations that Dagrin had a baby outside wedlock which he refused to accept responsibility of before he became a rap star.
• Artiste manager, Sunday Are and comedian, Tee A were part of logistics support team.
• At the time of his entombment, there was still a vacant tomb, opened beside his vault. Apart from mortuary expenses, the total bill incurred during his stay at LUTH was about N800,000.