A decade after losing her only son to a fatal stabbing, Los Angeles businesswoman Karimot Jolaoso continues to honour his memory through resilience, service, and an enduring commitment to her community.
Family, friends, and members of the African community gathered in Los Angeles to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of Jamal Oladapo, a promising final-year student of the Los Angeles Film School whose life was tragically cut short after he was fatally stabbed in July 2016.
The remembrance was held at Sola’s African Market, 9642 South Western Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90047, where Oladapo’s mother, Karimot Jolaoso, has spent the last decade preserving the memory of her only child while continuing the business that became a symbol of their shared dreams.
For Jolaoso, the anniversary was not only a moment of reflection but also a testament to remarkable resilience. A Nigerian-born entrepreneur who overcame childhood polio before relocating to the United States as an international student, she studied accounting and later trained as a nurse. Determined to spend more time with her son, she eventually left the nursing profession and purchased a small African grocery store, renaming it Sola’s African Market after her middle name.
Over the years, the market has grown into a cultural hub, serving Africans, Caribbeans, Latinos, Asians, and Americans with authentic African food products, including garri, fufu flour, palm oil, cassava leaves, and other traditional staples.
Oladapo had been pursuing his passion for filmmaking and entertainment at the Los Angeles Film School, with aspirations of building a successful career in the creative industry. His untimely death devastated his family and left a void that, according to his mother, can never be filled.
Despite the unimaginable loss, Jolaoso has remained steadfast. Friends and long-time customers say she transformed her grief into purpose, keeping the market open as a living tribute to her son and ensuring his memory lives on through every customer she welcomes and every life she touches.
Now using a walker following unrelated physical injuries, Jolaoso continues to personally serve customers with the same warmth and determination that have made her store a cherished part of the local community.
Speaking during the remembrance, she invited family members, friends, neighbours, and members of the wider community to celebrate Jamal’s life by sharing memories, offering words of encouragement, and performing acts of kindness in his honour.
Ten years after the tragedy, Jamal Oladapo’s legacy continues to shine through his mother’s unwavering strength, reminding many that while grief may never disappear, love and cherished memories can endure for generations.
Family, friends and members of the community in attendance:
Ayo Sogbuyi is a seasoned journalist with over 30 years of experience, he is a passionate advocate for press freedom and ethical reporting. Throughout his career, he has covered significant global events and championed the role of journalism in holding power to account.