Ibadan,the capital of Oyo state is a city intertwined with the history of South West nay Nigeria.
The name Ibadan itself was derived from the Yoruba word Eba Odan..Under Odan three.
It was the tree that sheltered war weary Generals from the various Yoruba cities who came together to found the city after getting tired of the intercine wars that was the lot of various Yoruba towns in the 17th century.
Thus, it is not far to say that the riotous nature and indeed political sophistication of the city,known for its firsts,is as a result of its Foundation by warlords who turned Yorubaland into a theatre of Wars fighting for conquest,territories and supremacy.
Though its volatile nature and composition has had Influence in Nigerias history,yet its lists of first in terms of infrastructural development and political evolution of the Nigerian state cannot be wished away.
There is no doubt that it’s character and composition had defined its importance in Nigerias socio-political evolution and development.
Before the incident of last week which resulted in the untimely and sad death of at least 35 Children who represents the future of the state and Nigeria, the Ogunpa Flood disaster which occured in 1980 also reaped the biggest casualty of deaths from the womb of a city as a result of Failure of Leadership.
For Ibadan,the failure of planning as represented by the Ogunpa Flood which swept away many families and properties occured four decades before last weeks incidence.
Last weeks killing through carelessness is only comparable to the avoidable bomb explosion which ripped through the city last year as a result of serious environmental defects and compromise of safety by yet to be penalised citizens and foreigners alike.
While its political sophistry earned it the name Wild,Wild West during the first and second republic, the reccuring incidence of neglect which has claimed innocent lives in the last two years in the country has opened the serious state failure in many respect.
The re-ocurence in several parts of the country has called to question whether the state ever meted out consequences for precipitate actions which often lead to avoidable disasters.
The horrible events of last week which occured separately in Ibadan,Abuja and Enugu almost in quick succession has redefined the season of love in the country.
This is why Wednesday December 18th tragedy which snuffed life out of over 35 innocent children desperate to collect Christmas gift is a wrong way to alleviate or help the poor.
For Ibadan, a city which has produced endless list of firsts in Infrastructural development to now turn to graveyard of innocent and hapless Children is a sad commentary.
Sad, because since last year when a bomb explosion rocked the ancient city and left many maimed,Injured and properties destroyed, the city has not been mentioned for right things.
It is rather unfortunate that a programme organised by Women in Need of Guidance and Support,WINGS – a NGO funded by Evangelist Naomi Silekunola,former Princess of Ooni Of Ife,Enitan Ogunwusi,Ojaja II,has turned into a graveyard for Children desperate to get food relief but ended up being consumed.
Police and authorities in Oyo state must unravel circumstances that made the innocent and helpless die like Chicken meant to celebrate the season of love.
Why must 35 families end up in grief during a season of love.?
More questions ,no answer.
Few days after the Ibadan deaths, scores of angry and hungry citizens were also sent to their early graves courtesy of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama,Abuja, Saturday morning.
In the melee that ensued in the church arrangements,over 10 hungry citizens both young and old,also lost their lives.
Isn’t it strange and unreasonable that a programme that was intended to give love to the needy also ended up taking their lives.
Yes,Christ died for us to have life more abundant but today,thousands of Years After his passage,we organised distribution of food items to ‘claim’ the lives of those Who are supposed to celebrate on the occasion of his death on the cross.
A Season of love turned to season of sorrow and grief due to lack of adequate planning and security measures.
Why must Abuja the nations capital turned into a mass grave like Ibadan just few days interval?
Why must we relocated mass deaths few days to each other in three different locations same country, same season?
Isn’t it also strange that the season of avoidable death also crept into Okija- a town in Anambra state famous for its ritual Killings in the recent past but which has of late been reeling under the yoke of wanton killing by outlawed terrorist group,IPOB .
Must the organisers in Okija also yield itself to careless planning by a supposed multi billionaire whose ‘gesture’ of rice palliative also recorded loss of lives.?
At a time when Anambra is supposed to breathe sign of life for the season of love,it is a season of sorrows,Tears and death .
Why should Okija also replicate the Ibadan mayhem in this part of the country just few days after the Abuja incidence?
Why are we so careless as to replicate sorrows and death when the experience of recent past is supposed to serve as guiding Light into the future.
Why has the state failed to mete out appropriate punishment for such serious life infractions which has reoeated itself on a seasonal basis?.
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Few Years ago,the Department of Immigration Services conducted recruitment exercise
in same Abuja which led to mass death of the jobless Youths on whom parents has spent Fortune…
Why are we always replicating failures and repeating avoidable deaths in spite of opportunities to learn from past experiences.
*It all boils down to lack of consequences for actions by both the state Officials,private organisations most of Who are obviously interested in making propaganda out of such supposedly good gestures?*
Will President Bola Tinubu who has ordered full investigation into the unfortunate incidents make a bold departure from the past and kick-start the process of institutionalising punishment for such infractions.
This if done, will stem the tide of avoidable deaths on the altar of supposedly populist gestures.
The time to take bold steps to mitigate future occurence is now!
