Ibadan Stampede: YCE seeks govt’s intervention in ex-Ooni queen, Naomi’s, ordeal

The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) has commiserated with the victims and families of the Ibadan Christmas funfair tragedy, calling on governments not to allow good intentions and good deeds to become regrettable because of the ordeals of former Queen Naomi Silekunola.

It would be recalled that Naomi had, on December 18, 2024, organised a Christmas funfair for children at the Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan. The event became tragic, leading to the death of 35 children.

Against this backdrop, the state government is prosecuting some people, including the former wife of the Ooni of Ife, Silekunola, in connection with the incident.

Others being prosecuted are the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Agidigbo FM, Oriyomi Hamzat, and the Principal of Islamic High School, Basorun, Abdullahi Fasasi.

Reacting to the incident, Yoruba elders, through their Secretary-General, Chief Oladipo Oyewole, said the estranged Queen’s position should be viewed from a humanitarian perspective. He said that is the noble position of the YCE.

Oyewole said life in Nigeria has been tough and remains tough for all and sundry, stating that the gloomy situation in the land would make the hungry and the needy masses seek temporary succour by looking for survival in whatever form.

The Secretary-General maintained that there is hardship in the land to the extent that there is hardly any adult Nigerian today who cannot share an experience of the disgrace and low level of pity to which our humanity has been subjected.

Oyewole said the gathering of children and the adults who took them to the venue in Ibadan should be viewed as a serious reflection of the lack of Social Security for all Nigerians.

He added that those children would have been taken to such a location as described in Ibadan because of freebies, which otherwise ought to have been provided by their parents, the government, or accredited government agencies.

He said: “It is with trepidation that we have learned of the unfortunate stampede which occurred in Ibadan over the yuletide season of the year of our Lord 2024.

“As elders, the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), while taking cognisance of the position of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is forced to take a considered position in viewing the unfortunate situation from a perspective totally different from the views of the law of the land.

“As everyone knows, there is hardship in the land to the extent that there is hardly any (seemingly comfortable) adult Nigerian today who cannot share an experience of the disgrace and low level of pity to which our humanity has been subjected.

“In view of all the above, the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) is of the opinion that a good-doers position, which has boomeranged, in an open society such as ours, ought to be a lesson for the government at all levels to reappraise the ‘I-don’t-care’ attitude to the immediate needs of the governed. The estranged Queen’s position should be viewed from the humanitarian perspective, being the noble position of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE).

“We conclude by begging the government not to allow the obvious tightrope to snap and ignite peril, as clearly demonstrated by the lack of safety in vehicular rides anywhere in the Southwest when there is slow movement or no traffic movement, or indeed, by an elder on foot, who was recently attacked by a passer-by in the Mokola/Sabo/Dugbe/UCH route in Ibadan.

“We implore the government to do something before it is too late.”