I must start this piece by saying that my heart goes out to all the families who lost their children in the unfortunate incident that happened at the Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan, on Wednesday, 18th of December, 2024.
Only God Almighty could give peace to those who suffered the losses of their children in such terrible circumstances and I believe He will console the parents and families of the deceased.
May we not have a repeat of such tragic moments again.
I have been carefully examining the issues around the unfortunate incident that happened at the Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan on Wednesday, 18th December, 2024 as they keep unfolding.
I have equally examined reactions from the Oyo state Government, the Police, Agidigbo FM and ofcourse, public sentiments.
I will like to make some comments about the attitudes and the statements by key characters, beginning with the Oyo state Government.
The issue at hand is a very serious one and I hope those who love to jump to the defence of Government despite noticeable errors would apply common sense regarding this very sensitive issue when they do what they have been engaged to do.
On the fateful Wednesday, I tuned my Radio to a particular station to listen to a Sport program which usually run between 12 noon and 1 pm on week days.
However, on the particular day, I was surprised to hear the voice of Governor Makinde instead of the regular voice of the anchor of the Sport program.
It was at that point I discovered that there was a program about the free trade zone or something like that and I was just in time to catch a bit of Governor Makinde’s address.
I followed through the remainder of the Governor’s address and I recollect vividly well that when the Governor was rounding up his speech, that would be about some minutes to 1pm, he did say that he would be living the venue to catch up with the PDP South West zonal meeting where he wished to be present so that no one would “snatch the structures of the Party from him.”
Sometimes later in the day, I read that the Governor actually proceeded to the PDP South West zonal meeting where I think, he must have ensured that the structures of the PDP were secured.
However, before reading about the PDP story, I had read about the unfortunate incident at the Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan.
Very later in the evening, I saw Governor Makinde’s short address about the sad incident and at this point, I started agitating, asking myself if the Governor was aware of the unfortunate incident as at the time he was attending to other issues, most especially, as at the time he was attending to the PDP structure issues.
According to reports, the incident at Bashorun happened in the morning.
As the Chief Security Officer of the state, Governor Makinde certainly must have been aware of the incident almost immediately.
I have been asking myself up until now why the Governor could not suspend all his engagements for the day to be physically available to coordinate emergency activities.
I also wondered why he was not captured in any of the hospitals where those in critical conditions were said to have been taken to.
That is what a Governor will do in saner climes.
I wondered why the Governor could not at least have ordered that flags should fly at half- mast in honor of those little kids who lost their lives in very unfortunate circumstances.
There is nothing we do that will bring those lives that were already lost back to their loved ones but at least, we should have shown some concerns beyond the rhetorics.
I have also seen people who try to push the sentiments that the organizers of the event meant well.
Yes. They might, but that is no excuse for the quantum of calamity recorded. It is not and painfully so.
There is no doubt that those who planned the events overlooked a lot of things or, neglected to take cognisance of certain important factors.
In the first instance, I do not know how and why such an event, where five thousand school pupils were expected, could not hold at a more conducive and spacious environment like the Adamasingba Stadium or the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium.
Apart from the issue of space, crowd control and maintenance would have been better in such environment.
I can not comment about whether the number of security men provided was enough because I do not have details of that but the environment was definitely not suitable.
The other issue is the decision to throw the gate open for the five thousand expected pupils.
These days, people are extremely hungry and those who lead us should be ashamed of themselves for this.
Unfortunately, those who threw the Gate open for five thousand school pupils did overlook this sad reality and they inadvertently opened the gate for disaster.
There are ways to reach out to people without necessarily gathering them together in one place.
Religious organizations, are veritable avenues to do this kind of things.
I do not dispute the facts that the organizers had good intentions like I said before, but that is not enough for a society to look the other way when this kind of terrible things happen.
Incidents of stamped at venues where free food items are being distributed are very rampart these days and the organizers ought to have taken note of that when planning for the event.
I will now like to give my opinion about the CEO of Agidigbo FM, Oriyomi Hazmat.
I read that he is now in hospital as a result of the shock of seeing kids dying at the event.
I wish him speedy recovery.
However, he has so much to explain regarding this issue.
According to the Police, his Radio station was the official Media Partner of the WINGS Foundation, organizers of the event.
I saw a video of the arrival of Queen Silekunola Naomi at his Radio station on the eve of the program.
I also listened to the interview granted by the Queen.
I have also seen a voice note where Oriyomi Hazmat was sharing his experience on the day to an unidentified caller.
According to Oriyomi, he said he went home naked on the night of the incident and that except for the facts that the phones of some people were seized, his pictures would have been flying around on the internet.
He went further to say that he wept like a baby when he saw how people were falling on one another and that as he was rescuing those that fell, more people were rushing and stepping on those that were on the ground.
Like I said, I wish Oriyomi Hazmat speedy recovery but certain questions have been disturbing my thoughts.
The speed with which the management of the Agidigbo Radio station rushed to the Press to clarify the roles of their CEO vis-a-vis the WINGS Foundation looks somehow to me.
At the point they did, I think the safety of those in critical conditions should have been paramount and denouncing the Queen Silekunola Naomi with such speed also looked somehow.
After all, there are hundreds of Radio stations in Ibadan but the organizers chose only the Agidigbo FM.
That decision on its own looks somehow. The attitude of the management of Agidigbo FM, with that Press release made the organization looks like one who wanted to jump out of a boat that was destined for catastrophe.
I asked myself, why would Oriyomi Hazmat cared about those who were recording him when he was trying to rescue those children? how did he know that the phones of certain individuals were seized in the commotions and who gave the order for the seizure of the phones? What was being recorded about him that was considered unfit for public consumption?
Why would Oriyomi Hazmat go home naked? Was he attacked or what?
There was a report that when he saw what was happening, he fell down and here is one report where he himself claimed that he was involved in a rescue exercise.
Which are we to believe? When exactly did he have the shock that took him to the hospital bed?
This are issues I am sure Oriyomi Hazmat would be interested in if he is not involved in this matter.
What exactly were his level of involvement in this matter?
I am sure both himself and the police will avail the public all this information immediately Oriyomi is out of the hospital.
I will like to end this piece by calling on Governor Makinde to ensure that the investigations he promised concerning this matter is total, conclusive and transparent. There could be no sacred cows.
The investigation of this matter should not be like the ones he promised regarding the failed Light Up Oyo project, the yet to be resolved Bodija blast and most especially, the allegations of fraud in the award of exercise books contract to Oriyomi Hazmat.
Once again, I wish Oriyomi Hazmat speedy recovery and when he does recover, I will expect him to be vigorous about the justice of this matter just as he has been about many others.
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