Buddies, household have fun lifetime of murder sufferer and scholarship in his title

Shut buddies and kinfolk of a Toronto man fatally shot earlier this 12 months gathered at a restaurant on Tuesday to have fun his life and a scholarship in his title.

Ikechidiadi (Ike) Kaja, 49, a father and a monetary analyst, was shot exterior his residence in Forest Hill within the space of Avenue Street and Eglinton Avenue West within the night of Jan. 23, 2022. He died three days later in hospital. He was town’s tenth murder sufferer of the 12 months.

Kaja would have turned 50 on Oct. 14. He was the oldest brother of 4 sisters and left behind a five-year-old son, Lex. His family and friends members celebrated what would have been his fiftieth birthday at his favorite restaurant close to Casa Loma.

Vanessa Kaja-Nwakoby, certainly one of his sisters, stated it is tough to have fun his birthday with out him. She stated his fiftieth birthday was going to be a giant deal and his sisters had been planning for it this time final 12 months with “nice anticipation.” She stated he was the primary of 5 youngsters, the one boy. 

‘This was an actual human being right here’

She stated she would really like folks to know that “this was an actual human being right here” and he’s nonetheless cherished.

“He was all the time gracious, all the time type, all the time great. He is the sort of man that will provide the shirt off his personal again. He was the form of man that was there for all his buddies. He was all the time current,” she stated.

Kaja-Nwakoby stated police have informed the household that they’ve leads however are nonetheless investigating.

“It is irritating generally as a result of clearly whoever did that is someplace on the market nonetheless. However we’re hopeful that they will be capable of get the folks.”

Katia Millar, a pal, stated a bunch of people that name themselves “Buddies of Ike” don’t desire him to be forgotten and so they need justice for him. 

“As a substitute of getting a celebration with balloons and cake with him, he is in a grave,” she stated.

“We wish to honour his life and have fun his legacy. He didn’t need to be shot, his life taken away from his family members, his buddies, his son. It is a very tragic story and we’re all nonetheless heartbroken, actually.”

Millar described Kaja as a “brilliant gentle” who was sensible, well-travelled, curious, worldly, well-spoken and never a risk-taker.

“Simply an superior man,” she stated. “He cherished life. He cherished dancing. He cherished music. He cherished getting out.”

The College of Toronto’s Rotman Faculty of Administration is administering the Ike Justin Kaja Memorial Scholarship. Kaja graduated from the college in 2008 with a masters of enterprise administration. Greater than $50,000 has been raised for the scholarship.

Based on his buddies, Kaja grew up in Nigeria and lived in Maryland earlier than coming to Toronto in 2006 to study concerning the inventory market.

Det.-Sgt. Keri Fernandes, spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service, stated on Tuesday that the investigation is ongoing. No suspect data has been launched.

“That is an energetic police investigation. The general public has been assistive with video and witness statements. There have been no arrests made up to now,” Fernandes stated.

A gofundme web page has been created with proceeds going towards causes and communities that honour his legacy and to assist his household pay authorized prices.