Found Deceased UK - Gboyega Odubanjo, 27, award winning Poet, last seen 4am at Shambala Festival, Kelmarsh, Northamptonshire, 26 August 2023

[StillDiggin]

* This post has been updated with Gboyega's full clothing description along with a further picture of him *

Police officers are appealing for help to find missing man Gboyega, aged 27.

Gboyega was last seen in the Kelmarsh area of Northamptonshire at around 4am on Saturday 26th August 2023, having been at the Shambala festival.

He is 5ft 6in, with short black dreadlocks and a full-face beard. He wears glasses and was last seen wearing a beige/cream bucket hat, a red and white striped gilet with black clothing underneath, black trousers and dark coloured shoes.

Gboyega is from the Bromley area of London.

If you see Gboyega, please call Northamptonshire Police on 999. Information and previous sightings can also be reported by calling 101, quoting reference number MPD1/2619/23.

Gboyega if you see this appeal, please contact us or your loved ones - we need to make sure you are safe and OK.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0bhqvmREk3923KAi6PepRd2om5jvMgrwXyUFGkUA9EGBhHqdtRi76iPdt1DC11RC3l&id=100064921772808

 

[StillDiggin]

Odubanjo, 27, was last seen at about 4am on 26 August. He was attending Shambala festival in the Kelmarsh area of Northamptonshire, where he was due to perform later that day.
Originally from Dagenham, Odubanjo is a rising talent in the UK poetry scene. His pamphlet, Aunty Uncle Poems, was a winner of the PoetryBusiness New Poets prize in 2020. He was also the recipient of an Eric Gregory award from the Society of Authors and a Michael Marks pamphlet award.
Raymond Antrobus, friend, who last saw Odubanjo on Thursday 24 August, said that he was in “a good mood and excited for the festival”. He described Odubanjo’s disappearance as “unusual and upsetting”.

Gboyega Odubanjo: police appeal for help over missing poet

Award-winning poet last seen in early hours of Saturday morning in Kelmarsh, Northamptonshire

www.theguardian.com

 

[StillDiggin]

From the article above
His forthcoming collection, Adam, explores structural inequality when it comes to searching for missing Black people in the UK. The collection is inspired by the unsolved murder of “Adam”, an unidentified male child whose body was found in the River Thames in 2001.

Adam" was the name police gave to an unidentified male child whose torso was discovered in the River Thames in London, United Kingdom, on 21 September 2001. Investigators believe the child was likely from southwestern Nigeria, and that several days before his murder, he was trafficked to the United Kingdom for a muti ritual sacrifice.[1] To date, nobody has been charged with Adam's murder, and his true identity remains unknown.[2]

Adam (murder victim) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Normal Norm]

Northamptonshire Police have also issued an image of a man they would like to trace as a matter of urgency, believing that he may have sustained a significant injury after a trail of blood was found between Billing Road and Wellingborough Road, Northampton.

Could this be Gboyega? Extremely worrying if it is.

Northamptonshire Police Facebook page

 

[LemonMint]

Family concerned for safety of missing London poet Gboyega Odubanjo

‘We pray for Gboyega’s safe return and for the strength to endure this challenging time’

www.standard.co.uk

 

[imstilla.grandma]

In their appeal, they said: 'He has a warm and infectious personality, a contagious smile and a heart full of kindness.'

'We are reaching out to the community, friends and all compassionate individuals who may have any information that could lead to his safe return. No piece of information is too small, and your help could be the key to bringing him back to us.

'Thank you for taking the time to read our appeal. We pray for Gboyega's safe return and for the strength to endure this challenging time,' they added.

In 2020, Mr Odubanjo won the Poetry Business New Poets prize - for his pamphlet Aunty Uncle Poems - and an Eric Gregory award from the Society of Authors.

Organisers of Shambala Festival (pictured) which hosts performances by poets, musicians, comedians and speakers, asked anyone with information about Mr Odubanjo to contact the police

He is currently studying for his PhD in creative writing at the University of Hertfordshire. He is an editor for Bad Betty Press and the poetry magazine Bath Magg.

Police hunt for missing poet who was last seen at Shambala Festival

Police are hunting for missing poet Gboyega Odubanjo, 27, who was last seen at Shambala Festival in Northamptonshire over the weekend - where he was due to perform.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[heatherc]

Northamptonshire Police have also issued an image of a man they would like to trace as a matter of urgency, believing that he may have sustained a significant injury after a trail of blood was found between Billing Road and Wellingborough Road, Northampton.

View attachment 443745

Could this be Gboyega? Extremely worrying if it is.

Northamptonshire Police Facebook page

On Gboyega Odubanjo's post the police have commented to say that the person in this photo has been identified and spoken to.

 

[Lubilu]

Praying with all my heart for you, Yega.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

* This post has been updated with Gboyega's full clothing description along with a further picture of him *

Police officers are appealing for help to find missing man Gboyega, aged 27.

Gboyega was last seen in the Kelmarsh area of Northamptonshire at around 4am on Saturday 26th August 2023, having been at the Shambala festival.

He is 5ft 6in, with short black dreadlocks and a full-face beard. He wears glasses and was last seen wearing a beige/cream bucket hat, a red and white striped gilet with black clothing underneath, black trousers and dark coloured shoes.

Gboyega is from the Bromley area of London.

If you see Gboyega, please call Northamptonshire Police on 999. Information and previous sightings can also be reported by calling 101, quoting reference number MPD1/2619/23.

Gboyega if you see this appeal, please contact us or your loved ones - we need to make sure you are safe and OK.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02ApCHSN8tKyfShXGSKRneDtgEFeywma4dJpPVXTGh4a79PKEcJ4SffbFNiYFH6XWpl&id=100064921772808

 

[JurassicParker]

This festival seems to cover a lot of different things. Is alcohol sold at this event? Are drugs something that's normal? I honestly cant tell. It seems to be a straight edge event but then there are some aspects that look like both would be possible.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Concerned friends and family are appealing for help to find an award-winning poet who failed to turn up to perform at a festival.

Gboyega Odubanjo, 27, was booked to perform at the Shambala Festival on Saturday afternoon but did not appear for his set, and was reported missing by friends.

Police said he was last seen in the Kelmarsh area of Northamptonshire at around 4am on that day.

In a statement, his family said: “Gboyega is a loving and caring son who means the world to our family.

“He is currently studying for his PhD in Creative Writing at the University of Hertfordshire; He has a warm and infectious personality, a contagious smile, and a heart full of kindness.

“We believe that Gboyega’s disappearance is entirely out of character for him, and we are genuinely worried for his safety and wellbeing.
Gboyega Odubanjo has been missing since Saturday, when he was wearing the clothes on the left. Credit: Northamptonshire Police
Don't set up your own search parties for missing poet, plead police

“We are reaching out to the community, friends, and all compassionate individuals who may have any information that could lead to his safe return.

“No piece of information is too small, and your help could be the key to bringing him back to us.”

https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2023-08-30/award-winning-poet-missing-after-festival

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

[...]

Police said that Mr Odubanjo, from Dagenham, is 5ft 6in, wears glasses, has short black dreadlocks and a full-face beard.

He was last seen at about 4am on Saturday and was described as wearing a red and white striped gilet with black clothing underneath. Mr Odubanjo also had a cream-coloured bucket hat, black trousers and dark coloured shoes.

In a statement, relatives appealed with “heavy hearts and profound concern to help us find our beloved son” who “means the world to our family”.

[...]

Family concerned for safety of missing London poet Gboyega Odubanjo

‘We pray for Gboyega’s safe return and for the strength to endure this challenging time’

www.standard.co.uk

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Gboyega Odubanjo was born and raised in East London.He is the author of two poetry pamphlets, While I Yet Live (Bad Betty Press, 2019) and Aunty Uncle Poems (The Poetry Business, 2021).

Gboyega is a Barbican Young Poet and Roundhouse Poetry Collective Alumni, and a previous Roundhouse Resident Artist. In 2021, he was a recipient of the Eric Gregory Award.

He is an editor of the online poetry magazine bath magg and Co-Chair of Magma Poetry, for whom he has co-edited Magma 77 and is a co-editor of Magma 82.

Online Poetry Workshop with Gboyega Odubanjo – The Poetry Society

poetrysociety.org.uk

 

[Cardgame]

Redirect Notice

This is so sad. What can have happened to him? There isn't much information in these articles about the circumstances of his disappearance, but most people don't go to festivals alone. Was it friends who saw him last or is the security photo the last sighting?

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Redirect Notice

This is so sad. What can have happened to him? There isn't much information in these articles about the circumstances of his disappearance, but most people don't go to festivals alone. Was it friends who saw him last or is the security photo the last sighting?

He may have gone alone as he was due to perform there on the Sunday, so not a punter. I wonder if he was maybe having some mental health crisis... ssomething obviously was wrong to keep him from his poetry reading.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Link to findgboyegaodubanjo also contains press and media pack

#FindGboyegaOdubanjo | Twitter | Linktree

Help us find Gboyega Odubanjo—beloved friend, brother, son, and poet

linktr.ee

 

[StillDiggin]

Gboyega Odubanjo: Family of poet missing after Shambala Festival 'desperate' for help

Friends and family of the 27-year-old say his disappearance is out of character.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[StillDiggin]

Really sad update. Full condolences to family & friends and a huge loss to the poetry world.
A body has sadly been found during the search for a 27-year-old man reported missing in Kelmarsh.

Police officers made the discovery shortly before 9am on Thursday, August 31, in the course of a specialised search of the area.

The man had been reported missing on Sunday, August 27, having last been seen at Shambala festival early the previous morning.

While formal identification has yet to take place, the man’s family has been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.

There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

Detective Chief Inspector Johnny Campbell said: “Our thoughts are with the man’s family at this very difficult time, and we would ask the media and members of the public to not contact them and respect their privacy.

“We would like to thank all those involved in the search efforts, including the volunteer members of Northamptonshire Search and Rescue and the specialist search-trained officers from other forces who supported our efforts.

“We would also like to thank all those who have supported our investigation by speaking to officers or getting in touch with information.

“Officers from Northamptonshire Police will now prepare a file for the coroner.”

The missing persons enquiry was led by detectives from the Force’s CID. Search efforts involved the use of police search dogs, specially-trained police search advisor officers, neighbourhood and response police officers, a police dive team, and volunteer members of Northamptonshire Search and Rescue, including their trained search dogs.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02Db4bBN97VjS8cmwVTgsZ6sNsM1efHPEtyoHx8CPnHX2HYX8qwygLKLrfX1uHtnTrl&id=100064921772808

 

[pokerowan]

I understand it may be withheld, but I hope we get some more details about this. Surely he didn't run off and do something drastic before his set?? Awful to think about.

 

[dalsglen]

The festival seems to be located next to a body of water.