A twist of fate saved Anthony Joshua’s life just moments before a devastating car crash claimed the lives of two of his closest friends in Nigeria.
The heavyweight boxing champion had initially taken the front passenger seat of his SUV upon departure, but was asked by his driver to move to the back seat shortly into the journey. The request came because Joshua’s large frame was blocking the driver’s view of the wing mirror, according to court testimony.
That simple seat change proved lifesaving. Friend Latif Ayodele then moved from the back to take Joshua’s place in the front, where he and fellow passenger Sina Ghami would later lose their lives in the crash on one of Nigeria’s most dangerous roads.
The revelations emerged during a court hearing for driver Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 47, who appeared at Sagamu High Court wearing a black Muslim kaftan. Kayode, who has worked for Joshua for more than three years, pleaded not guilty to all charges against him, which include dangerous driving causing death, reckless and negligent driving, driving without care and attention, and operating a vehicle without a valid driver’s license.
The driver maintains his innocence, claiming the vehicle’s brakes failed moments before impact with a truck parked by the roadside. The group had been traveling from Lagos to Sagamu, where Joshua was scheduled to visit family, just hours after arriving in Nigeria for what was meant to be a holiday.
Kayode’s lawyer, Olalekan Abiodun, explained the sequence of events to reporters outside the courthouse. “My client has pleaded not guilty and what happened was an accident. I haven’t had a full chance to speak with him yet but I know he is saying the brakes did not work,” Abiodun said.
“I also understand that the journey started in Lagos and that initially Anthony had got into the front seat but the driver asked him to swap seats. He did this because Anthony is a big fellow and he couldn’t see the wing mirror properly so he asked him to move and he sat behind the driver. From what I understand, Latif was in front and then changed seats with Anthony,” he continued.
The driver was granted bail set at 5 million Naira, approximately £2,580, with valuables admissible under the Nigerian legal system. He was transported to Sagamu Correctional Centre for paperwork processing following the hearing. His case has been adjourned until January 20th for trial.
Outside the courthouse, Kayode’s family defended him emotionally. His wife was reportedly too distraught to speak, but his 19-year-old son, Ifeoluwa Adeniyi, spoke on behalf of the family.
“The family is very upset by what’s happened and we are sorry for the deaths of the two people,” Ifeoluwa said. “Dad is not a fast driver, he was following the speed limit and then the brakes failed, he said he was pushing the pedal but nothing was happening. He tries to swerve and avoid the truck parked by the side of the road but hit it. He’s been driving for Anthony for three years, he’s a good driver.”
Ifeoluwa confirmed the seat arrangement that likely saved Joshua’s life. “I know that when the journey started in Lagos Anthony was sitting in the front by the driver but my dad asked him to sit behind because he was blocking his view,” he explained. “He was taking Anthony to see his family in Sagamu and had picked them up from the airport and they were only a few minutes from arriving. It’s not his fault, if the truck wasn’t parked there illegally this wouldn’t have happened.”
The crash hospitalized the multi-millionaire boxer and has left the boxing community in mourning for Ghami and Ayodele, both described as close friends of Joshua. The bodies of the two men have since been flown out of Nigeria.
The case has drawn significant attention given Joshua’s international profile and the tragic circumstances surrounding the incident.
