Olamide Adeyooye: Missing Illinois State University Senior



"Olamide Adeyooye is a senior at ISU, she is 21 years old, 110 pounds, and about 5'3?. She is of Nigerian descent and has shoulder length, natural black hair and dark eyes. she went missing on Oct. 12th at about 9pm. She drives a dark green 1996 Toyota Corolla with license plate LBG 927."



Surprisingly, this is getting national media attention even though the girl is not a blue-eyed blonde white girl. And even though her parents have heavy Nigerian accents. And from what I can tell, she's been dating a white punk rocker for about 3 years. Could it have finally dawned on the corporate media that it's still important? It's certainly not a slow news day, what with the World Series and Hurricane Wilma and Tom Delay and the mother throwing her kids into the bay.

Link to Andy Wildrick (Boyfriend) message on antimusic.com:

Girlfriend Missing
The following is an urgent, personal, non-music related message from Andy of The Junior Varsity. Message From AndyHello: This is Andy Wildrick from The Junior Varsity. As of recently, my girlfriend of 3 years, Olamide Adeyooye, has been reported missing by the police. The last known place she was at was Family Video on Kottage Avenue in NORMAL, ILLINOIS on Thursday October 12th at about 9:00pm. Both her and her car are missing. Her cell phone was left at her apartment and her TV was on so she wasn’t planning on being gone for long. As you can imagine, this is one of the hardest things I’ve ever encountered in my life. She is 5′1″ tall and weighs about 100lbs. She is Nigerian. A picture of her can be found here. If you have any information please email me ASAP at andywildrick@gmail.com I will get the email on my blackberry immediately. Thanks
Email Post

Comments

Anonymous said…
Olamide Adeyooye was one of my first students when she was in seventh grade. I am devastated by the news of her disappearance. She is bright, hard-working, charming, thoughful, friendly and her smile has always lit up the room. I pray for her safe return to her family and friends. I am constantly thinking of her and am keeping an eye out for her and her car. Sincerely, Ms. Hughes
4:11 PM
Anonymous said…
Why the hell can't people get over the "race" issue. It's not 1960. She's missing, I hardly noticed that she was black until aggressive people like you have to bring it up. DOES IT MATTER? NO. She is missing, there are people that strongly care about her. Who cares if she is dating a white 'punk rocker'? This is dramatic enough without unnecessary "cards" dealt into it. My friends and I knew her personally, she is beautiful and sees past color. Why can't you?
Ignorance fuels ignorance.
1:25 AM
Anonymous said…
First I would like to say that I am truly sorry to hear about this young girl's unfortunate disapperance. I will def. keep her in my prayers. As to the comment about the race issue and it not being 1960, I understand where you're coming from. However I do understand where the person who mentioned race in the first place is coming from. It doesn't matter that it's not 1960, race is still a big issue in America, it shouldnt be but it is. In an article in I believe Essence a couple of months ago they were talking about several young african american women who had been missing for quite some time. None of them had gotten national media coverage. They were saying that the trend seemed to be that if you werent born a blond hair blue eyed individual national media was not going to do a story on you because of the lack of interest. So I do understand both sides and my prayers go out to this young woman's family.
10:40 AM
Anonymous said…
Mississippi Body Identified As Missing ISU Student
Woman Missing Since Oct. 13

POSTED: 3:36 pm CDT October 26, 2005
UPDATED: 3:52 pm CDT October 26, 2005

CHICAGO -- Authorities said Wednesday that the body found in a burned-out chicken house in Mississippi is that of missing Illinois State University senior Olamide Adeyooye.



Olamide Adeyooye



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Images: Family Seeks Answers
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A police source told The Associated Press that dental records were used to identify the badly burned body.

A native of Nigeria who moved to suburban Chicago when she was eight, Adeyooye was last seen October 13 at a video store near her off-campus apartment in Normal.

Her body was found Friday in central Mississippi as workers cleaned up the chicken house where firefighters had put out a blaze four days earlier.

Illinois investigators suspected the body could be that of Adeyooye because physical descriptions matched and the fire occurred just four days after she disappeared.
1:56 PM
Anonymous said…
I do agree, race is still an issue and it is ridiculous. At the same time, it's not necessary to bring up at this time. Thank you.
3:10 PM
MexicanYenta said…
"aggressive people like you have to bring it up."
Okay, you are either missing the point or are a complete idiot. Race most definitely does matter to a lot of people - this is the first time the media has ever bothered to publicize the disappearance of a black woman. I don't know what kind of fluffy dream world you live in, but you need to take a look at the real world - a world which still belongs to middle-class white men - men who don't believe that blacks, or any minority, or women of any race, or anyone who is a threat to their masculinity (like punk rockers) deserve equal treatment, EVER. This case is notable for being the first time they've ever publicized a non-white disappearance, and I was pointing that out for people like you who have apparently missed that fact. And the sad thing is, they probably only publicized this one because she's very pretty.
5:58 AM
Anonymous said…
First of all, name-calling is no way to hold an intellectual debate such as this. I'm not trying to make you change your mind, I do understand what you are saying and agree with it to a fault. My whole point, which no one seems to get is that, this was a friend of someone, a daughter, a sister, a girlfriend. That is what society and the media does to us, skews our eyesight and hardens our hearts into believing things like this "just happen and it's a part of life". Yes they do, but why does there have to be extra baggage? I feel the focus should be on finding the person that did this to her instead of her color. And I'm sorry but I will STRONGLY disagree with you: "this is the first time the media has ever bothered to publicize the disappearance of a black woman"-very untrue and a boldly dramatic statement. As well as: "they probably only publicize this one because she's very pretty."-FALSE. Ola is gorgeous and easy to fall in love with. Her story was so quickly posted on websites, radio, television, and in flyers because of the perserverance of her family and friends. They worked around the clock and made so much noise (not discounting the efforts of other families who have been through the same tragedy). It's impossible to expose every missing person as much as Ola was, but I know it's a fact that that was mainly due to the avail of her peers, BLACK OR WHITE. Let's look at the positive side of it. At the end of the day, I really don't care about any of this, it doesn't matter in the whole spectrum of things. There will always be "opinions". I'm grateful that she was found as quickly as she was due to the hard work of many people. RIP OLA.
1:30 PM
MexicanYenta said…
I didn't name-call, I offered you a choice. However, the world would be a better place if people had the courage to stand up and say "George Bush is an IDIOT!"

Although people who knew her would think this discussion innappropriate at this time, I posted this for the world at large. And the world at large needs to be aware of the racism that's still inherent in our country. I pointed out the fact of her race so that other black, Asian, Hispanic or other race of people that go missing will also get national air time, etc. I am saddened by the way this turned out, but it is at least a positive thing that the media is starting to pay attention to non-white missing persons.

I would also like to point out that you were extremely disrespectful to the families/friends of other people who have gone missing by suggesting that they did not do as much to publicize their case. Check the records - how often do you see national coverage of a missing person who isn't attractive? Have you EVER seen any? Do you really thing that those people's families don't do EVERYTHING they can to publicize it?
I suggest you go to the FBI's missing persons page:

http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/kidnap/kidmiss.htm

Interesting how the only one I recall hearing about is Brooke Carol Wilberger, the young blue-eyed, blonde cheerleader-looking one.
2:04 PM
Anonymous said…
I see both of your points, and I have to say that I was surprised when this got national coverage because of the fact that she's black. The number of non-white women who go missing is often underestimated due to a lack of coverage, and I do think that those women also had friends and family who were just as devastated so it's not accurate to act as if Olamide was different in that she had friends and family making an effort. I didn't even know Olamide, but I was devastated by the news, esp since this happened to one of my fellow Nigerian sisters. My sympathy goes out to her family and friends, and I want the person who did this to be brought to justice, but I would be lying if I didn't also admit that I am glad that a black woman who was the victim of such a heinous crime was finally acknowledged nationally.
8:58 AM
Anonymous said…
How cruel this world is? Wallace or no Wallace; there are many of Wallace out there that need correction either kept in jail or properly monitored. Thank God we have sex/ill offender web site to look them up for people to be aware of their presence likely in our neighbourhood. They too somehow need help from the government and most importantly divine touch.

We pray that the good Lord heal our land; America and comfort the family of Olamide Adeyooye. God save America and our native nations!

bissyP
2:28 PM
Anonymous said…
WOW! Maybe I just need to re-write this again, you must have missed it: "(not discounting the efforts of other families who have been through the same tragedy)". I acknowledged the efforts of the families/friends. I am saying, her friends especially used a different outlet to publicize that made her story spread like wildfire. THAT IS ALL. I am done defending myself and trying to make you understand the views I am putting forth that you refuse to adhere to and debate. Goodbye, god bless. Thank you for care/concern/empathy for Ola.
8:53 PM
Anonymous said…
I am soooo sorry to hear about what happened to Olamide. I graduated highschool with her and she was a good person. She was one of those types of people who had no enemies at all. She was bright, intelligent, beautiful, and she will always be remembered. We love you Olamide, rest in peace.
7:20 PM
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