A devastating tragedy occurred on Wednesday at a funfair in Ibadan, Oyo State, where 32 children were feared killed in a stampede. The incident happened at the Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan, during a children’s funfair organized by the WINGS Foundation, reportedly in conjunction with the Ooni’s ex-wife, Prophetess Naomi Shikemi, and an Ibadan-based broadcaster, Oriyomi Hamzat.
Eyewitnesses described the chaotic scene, saying the stampede occurred when participants rushed to gain access to the venue of the event. “Oriyomi Hamzat said he wanted 5,000 participants, but because we were not organized, that was why the situation got to this,” an eyewitness said in a video. “We were not even up to 5,000 participants.”
Another participant claimed to have lost a child during the incident. “Rather than attend to us very well, they wanted to fight us. We just lost one child who has been taken to the University College Hospital,” the participant said.
The video showed rowdy scenes as some children were rushed out of the venue while a woman wailed about the loss of her child following the stampede.
Reacting to the incident, the management of Agidigbo FM, owned by Oriyomi Hamzat, sympathized with the victims in a statement signed by its Director of Programmes, Olayinka Abdulwahab. Abdulwahab stressed that the radio station was a media partner to the event and not the organizer of the funfair.
Abdulwahab stated, “This is to inform the general public that the management of Agidigbo FM, Ibadan received the news of the tragedy that heralded the children’s funfair at Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan, organized by the WINGS Foundation, with great shock and wholeheartedly commiserate with the families involved.
“Amidst the tragedy, the news making the rounds is that Agidigbo FM is the organizer of the children’s funfair. However, the management wishes to state that Agidigbo FM is not the organizer of the event but one of the media outfits used to promote the event.”
Upon receiving the notice that a mammoth crowd had assembled before 5am at the venue, Agidigbo FM, the people’s voice, used all media strategies to sensitize the populace with jingles and public service announcements from that time, that people should stop going to the venue of the funfair.
“This is not the time to spread misinformation. The management of Agidigbo FM implores the general public to continue to pray for the speedy recovery of those in various hospitals and sympathizes with the family of those who lost their lives.”
The Oyo State Police Command has commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. The spokesperson for the command, Adewale Osifeso, confirmed the incident, saying, “Investigation is in progress. Updates will be provided accordingly, please.”
Multiple sources revealed that some of the children, including their parents, had kept vigil at the venue of the event. An uncontrollable crowd caused gridlock on the Basorun-Idi Ape Road.
An Administrative Officer of Patnas Hospital, Basorun, where some of the victims were admitted, Olufeyemi Tolulope, said, “The affected children were brought in some minutes past 8am. Six children were brought into the hospital out of which five died while the other one is recuperating.
“We were told that the deceased fainted at the venue of the event. We were able to rescue one while the remaining five died. The surviving child has been discharged and released to her parents.
“One of the parents of the deceased, who was sighted at the hospital premises wailing, said, ‘I did not bargain for what happened to me. We slept together at home yesterday (Tuesday) not knowing that it would be the last time. My daughter is not dead. Please, doctor, wake her up.'”
Other parents, who did not want their names in print, called on the government to prevail on the management of the various hospitals for the release of the corpses of their children.
The victims were admitted at Patnas Hospital, Basorun; Western Hospital, Basorun; Ring Road State Hospital; Molly Specialist Hospital; and University College Hospital.
One of our correspondents was turned back at Molly Hospital, Idi-Ape, and Western Hospital, Basorun, by the security guards, who insisted that no victim was on admission at the two hospitals. However, some of the parents were sighted at UCH lamenting the death of their children.
