By Leshi Adebayo
David Gbodi Odaibo, a Nigerian tech expert, residing in Hoover, Alabama, United States, has died in his sleep following a cardiac arrhythmia/heart attack.
A week before his passing, the 42-year-old had won a $125 million US government contract for an algorithm he designed for automatic detection of threats at airports.
In a LinkedIn post, his brother and CEO of Retina-AI Health Incorporation, Stephen Odaibo, confirmed the incident, describing him as “kind, gentle, brilliant, and humble.”
He revealed that the death has left them devastated, adding that his brother was fully vaccinated and tested negative for COVID-19.
Stephen wrote, “He had a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering and was a Kaggle Grandmaster, the highest attainable skill level in practical Machine Learning. He introduced me to Al.
“The algorithm he wrote for automatically detecting threats at Airports just won a $125 Million contract from Department of Homeland security about 1 wk ago. His code beat out companies backed by Billions of dollars. So, in the future when you safely fly the skies, please remember my brother David.
“Our hearts are broken. My poor parents, his wife, and two young children. His 4 siblings. We are devastated.
“David and I were tremendously aligned in our interests and would often talk for hours. Our connection was rare and precious. We ended phone conversations with “love you”.
“Hug your loved ones and tell them you love them.
“Though there may be sorrow in the night, joy comes in the morning. I’m comforted that David is with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
See photos of the post below:
Leshi Adebayo
