The Agoro
family recently got together with a few of their friends,
members of the Ottawa Police Service and local dignitaries
to celebrate the legacy of their son and brother Oladapo
Agoro, who was stabbed to death while trying to break up
a fight in a downtown dance club in June 2012.
Agoro
was just 19 at the time and had just bought a new suit for
his graduation dance at Lester B. Person Catholic High School.
A talented
soccer player, he was considered by many of his friends
and the Lester B. Pearson staff as a peer counsellor and
a peacemaker.
It was
that desire to keep the peace that spurred him to try and
break up a fight between a friend and a young man at a Rideau
Street dance club on June 8, 2002.
Another
man, seeing that his friend was outnumbered, entered the
scene with a knife and stabbed Agoro four times, causing
his death.
Agoro's
murderer was sentenced to 12 years in prison after being
found guilty not once, but twice, after being granted a
retrial in 2008.
Following
his tragic death in 2002, Dapo's family organized the very
first Dapo Fun Day in Blackburn Park.
A year
later they formed the Dapo Agoro Foundation for Peace which
promotes non-violent conflict resolution and gives out a
bursary ever year to the student at Lester B. Pearson who
best exemplifies the traits espoused by Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr., which Dapo tried to live up to each and every
day during his short life.
A little
bit of rain failed dampen the spirits of this year's participants.
When the skies opened up they simply moved the festivities
inside the Blackburn Community Hall and when the sun popped
out again the party was moved back outside where everyone
enjoyed barbecued hot dogs and hamburgers while listening
to music provided by a live DJ.
The opening
ceremonies were attended by Orléans MPP Marie-France Lalonde
and Innes Ward Coun. Laura Dudas
The Dapo
Fun Day is held every year on the third Saturday in August
in the Blackburn Park on Glen Park Drive.
For more
information about the Dapo Agoro Foundation for Peace visit
www.dapoagorofoundation.org.
(This
story was made possible thanks to the generous support of
our local business partners.)
THE OTTAWA SCHOOL OF THEATRE presents an all ages production of Treasure Island in the Richcraft Theatre at the Shenkman Arts Centre. Showtimes Thursday, April 18 and Friday, April 19 at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 20 and Sunday, April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tickets $20 for adults. Students and youth 25 and under $10. To purchase visit 
TAPROOM 260 presents Michael Ben-Shalom live from 8-11 p.m. at 260 Centrum Blvd. For more information visit 
TAPROOM 260 presents The Underground live from 8-11 p.m. at 260 Centrum Blvd. For more information visit 
CLASSIC PIANO RECITAL – Orléans pianist Emily Hou will be performing works by Chopin, Mozart, Rachmaninov and Liszt at Kanata United Church as part os the Beaverbrook Community Concert Series. The recital will start promptly at 3 p.m. Kanata United Church is located at 33 Leacock Dr. in Kanata. For more information visit 
THE ORLÉANS BREWING CO. Trivia Night from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Call (613) 834-9005 to reserve your spot. The Orléans Brewing Co. is located at 4380 Innes Rd. near the Innes Road McDonalds.
