Mrs. Toluige Olokoobi, the mother of Oreofeoluwa Lawal-Babalola, the little boy whose heartwarming plea went viral in 2020 with “mummy be calming down,” has reportedly taken her own life.
The Edo State Police Command has apprehended her husband in connection with the incident.
Olokoobi gained widespread recognition when a video of her son, Oreofeoluwa, tearfully urging her to “calm down” surfaced on social media platforms.
The video captured the hearts of many, including Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who used it as a message of composure during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The boy and his family subsequently met with Governor Sanwo-Olu, who commended Oreofeoluwa’s courage and composure.
However, in a distressing update, it has been reported that Mrs. Toluige Olokoobi took her own life in Benin, the capital of Edo State, for reasons yet to be disclosed.
A social media user, who claimed to be at the scene of the incident on Monday afternoon, shared that Olokoobi did not confide in anyone about her struggles before her tragic decision.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Edo State Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, stated in a chat with BBC Pidgin that Mrs. Olokoobi’s husband has been arrested and detained for questioning.
“The woman in the viral Mummy Calm down video has just committed suicide here in Benin,” Nwabuzor wrote.
“She refused to speak to anyone about her problems. She left three kids for her husband, including the popular Mummy Calm Down boy.”
According to Nwabuzor, the husband reported the matter to the police, stating that he discovered his wife hanging with a rope around her neck when he returned home from the market.
Despite being rushed to the hospital, Mrs. Olokoobi was confirmed dead and later taken to the mortuary.