What began as a joyful celebration turned tragic on Saturday as a Lagos-based hotelier and retired customs officer, Otunba Kunle Akinyele, collapsed and died during his wife’s 60th birthday thanksgiving service.

The incident occurred at Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Iyanu, Odemuyiwa District Headquarters in the Egbeda area of Lagos State. The thanksgiving was in honour of his wife, Deaconess Catherine Adejoke Akinyele.

Until his death, Akinyele served as a Deputy Comptroller with the Nigeria Customs Service and was a well-known hotelier.

Eyewitnesses at the scene reported that Akinyele appeared distressed and signaled for help—possibly requesting water or an inhaler—before suddenly slumping. In a video circulating online, he was seen visibly agitated and gesturing moments before he collapsed.

Efforts to revive him proved unsuccessful, and he was later confirmed dead.

According to the event invitation, the church thanksgiving was to be followed by a grand reception at the Noble Castle Events Centre in Igando, scheduled to begin by 2 p.m. Vendors and event planners had reportedly arrived as early as 10 a.m. to set up for the party.

However, the day took a devastating turn when news of Akinyele’s collapse during his testimony reached guests awaiting the celebration.

As of the time of filing this report, the exact cause of death remains unconfirmed by medical authorities.

The sudden death has cast a shadow over what was intended to be a joyful milestone for the Akinyele family.