The family comprising a mother and her three children left Lantang in Plateau State to Ilesa Ibariba in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State when they missed their way and found themselves in Ilesa community of Osun State.
A direction written on a piece of paper given to the unlettered mother stated that her husband, whom they had set out to visit, resides in the house of one Baba Wunmi in Elemosho area of Okelowo Street in Kwara State.
Coincidentally, Okelowo Street and Elemosho quarters are also in Ilesa community of Osun State.
When the family reached Okelowo area of Ilesa, the mother asked people on how she would get to Elemosho Street; her husband’s place in Kwara.
She was inadvertently taken to the compound of Elemosho, who is head of the area in Ilesa.
The Elemosho, Chief Felix Amure, subsequently directed them to the house of Baba Wunmi, where the piece of paper said the husband lives.
Unknown to the family, the Baba Wunmi in Ilesha had a brother that died 15 years ago.
The residents of the area assumed that the woman and her children belonged to the man, who died 15 years ago.
When the family got to the house of Baba Wunmi, which is opposite the Elemosho’s house, a crowd had gathered and rumours made the round that the four Hausa-speaking visitors were the family of Baba Wunmi’s late younger brother, who died 15 years ago.
In a matter of minutes, a large crowd had gathered in front of Baba Wunmi’s residence, congratulating him on the return of his dead brother’s family.
Baba Wunmi, however, told PUNCH METRO that he was not convinced that the strangers were members of his late brother’s family.
He said when people insisted that his brother reincarnated and had a new family, he gave the story benefit of the doubt because he believed in reincarnation. However, he said his late brother, who was buried in Ilesa, would have left evidence to show that he had a family in Plateau State.
But a cross-section of Ilesa residents expressed the view that the Hausa-speaking family was raised by the deceased’s brother.
Even the local radio stations had gone on air with the story of reincarnation.
The 82-year-old mother of the deceased, Mrs. Florence Makinde, said one of the two sons brought by the mother resembled his late son, adding that she was ready to accept the family. The third child is a female.
However, the police at Ijamo Police Station, ‘B’ Division, Ilesa, said the reincarnation theory was a hoax.
The Divisional Police Officer, Mr. A . O. Jegede, in an interview with our correspondent, on Saturday, said he had received a signal from police headquarters about the case of a missing family.
He said, “There was no case of reincarnation in Ilesa. They were just missing persons. They were going to see the head of their family in Ilesa Ibariba in Kwara State and they were mistakenly brought to Ilesa in Osun State.
“We have sent them back to Plateau State and the husband has called to acknowledge receiving them.”
The Divisional Crime Officer, Mr. Sidi Umaru, who is from Nasarawa State, said he gave the mother N3,500 and ensured that they were driven to the park the next day where they boarded a bus to Plateau State.
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