Nigeria

1974 – April 29, 2015

 

Oyatanze was raised by his grandmother in war torn South-Eastern Nigeria. As a young man he set up a clothing business that involved buying clothing in Indonesia and reselling it in Nigeria. When the business began to fail Oyatanze attempted to make some extra money as a drug smuggler.

 

In 2001 he was arrested after attempting to smuggle 2.5kg of heroin from Pakistan into Jakarta, in his stomach. Oyatanze was sentenced to the death penalty.

 

While in prison he became know as Indonesia’s death row gospel singer, writing and recording over 70 songs and multiple albums, many of which spoke to his new found faith.

 

During the early hours of April 29, 2015, Oyatanze was executed along with seven other drug criminals on the prison island of Nusakambangan.