CHILDREN CHRISTMAS PARTY HOSTED BY OONI’S EX-WIFE CLAIMS LIVES
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CHILDREN CHRISTMAS PARTY HOSTED BY OONI’S EX-WIFE CLAIMS LIVES
An unspecified number of children died on Wednesday morning at the Islamic High School in Basorun, Ibadan, Oyo State, after a stampede during a children’s Christmas party hosted by Queen Naomi Silekunola Ogunwusi, an ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife.
Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo, confirmed multiple lives were lost in an afternoon statement.
“Earlier today, an incident occurred in Islamic High School Basorun, the venue of an event organised for families. Sadly, a stampede at the venue has led to multiple loss of lives and injuries. This is a very sad day for us here in Oyo State,” Makinde wrote on X.
“We sympathise with the parents whose joy has suddenly been turned to mourning due to these deaths. We have taken steps to ensure no further deaths are recorded at this venue by deploying security agents to restore order at the venue. We also deployed medical personnel and ambulances to the venue. The event has been stopped, and attendees have been escorted out of the venue. We are taking all realistic measures to ensure that the venue is secured.
“While investigations are ongoing, the primary organisers of the event that led to this stampede have been taken into custody. I want to reassure our people that anyone directly or remotely involved in this disaster will be held accountable.”
X users who commented about the incident blamed the deaths of the children on parents who, they said, took their wards to an overcrowded party for gifts. In a now-deleted post by an X user, she said that many children lost their lives due to gifts.
The user said, “They organised a Christmas party for children, and they said they would be going home with freebies. Our people went there since yesterday to sleep over, and they are stepping on each other till so many people lost their lives.”
A Facebook user who was advising Ibadan residents not to take their children to the event said that four kids had died and were being taken to the University College Hospital in Ibadan.
“Over 5,000 people in the venue. Some were trampled. Some slept there overnight. Poverty is killing this country,” she posted.
Although many social media users have accused Agidigbo FM, an Ibadan-based radio station, of involvement in this unfortunate event, the radio station was not the host of the children’s programme.
A staff member at Agidigbo FM told FIJ that Queen Naomi organised the event which targeted 5,000 children while the radio station only announced it.
“She came to Agidigbo to announce that the event would be held at Islamic High School, Basorun. She came for a jingle placement. What we noticed was the stampede. Now the event has been cancelled,” the staff said on Wednesday.
“Meanwhile, as I am speaking to you, Agidigbo is having its party right now, while Queen Naomi’s party did not take place.”
In a post by Agidigbo FM on Tuesday on Facebook, the station explained that Queen Naomi was set to host the party under the aegis of WINGS Foundation.
Agidigbo FM’s Facebook post
Sympathising with the parents who lost their kids, Governor Makinde said that the primary organisers of the event that led to this stampede had been taken into custody.
FIJ was yet to confirm if the queen was among those in custody or if she was being interrogated at press time.
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