ON NAOMI AND ORIYOMI HAMZAT’S IBADAN STAMPEDE: NEED FOR A CONSIDERATION OF THE INTENTION OF THE ORGANIZERS
Every sane human being and parents who knew the the pleasantly gory pain they went through birthing the future hope of the family and society will show deepest empathy towards the loss of 35 children in the recent Ibadan stampede where Queen Naomi Silekunola Ogunwusi and her host Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat of Agidigbo Fm planned treating 5,000 children to Christmas Party with provisions of palliatives to ameliorate the suffering in the land though that’s not the first time such humanitarian outreach was held.
In like manners, only individuals suffering from unhealed ailments will condemn the stance of the Oyo State Government under our amiable leader, a thoroughly bred “Ọmọlúwàbí” and one of the rare political leader in the Southwest and Nigeria as a whole, Engineer Seyi Makinde.
Away from the position of the present occupant of the Agodi Government House, Governor Seyi Makinde is first a child of a parent either dead or alive. He’s also a parent, a humanist, a community leader and a lover of humanity {especially children according to independent investigation} before becoming a Governor who is legitimately in charge of the protection of lives and property in Oyo State. Definitely, his unwavering and unbent stance concerning the globally recognized infanticide should be understood by those having blood running through their veins.
Of course, such might have happened in far away Anambra and Abuja without those in charge giving succor to the parents by delving into the case with huge holistic approach. That Oyo State Government is pursuing the case to a logical conclusion is nothing but acting responsibly as the leader of the state who must protest the sanctity of life.
That said, the intention or motive of a perceived crime against humanity is taken into consideration in the matter of law.
Queen Silekunola Naomi Ogunwusi, a renowned philanthropist even before she married the supreme custodian of Yoruba Royal Dynasty, HRM Oba Ogunwusi Enitan, The Oonirisa, the Ooni of Ife had been lifting people out of their drowning sea of despondency with no issue but it’s quite unfortunate last year event took that dimension.
Incontrovertibly, the heads of those glorious departed souls put together are better off than whosoever anyone can think off. Alas, their dream cut short in their prime.
To this end, this is an appeal to the Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde to allow the law takes it course with evidences available to the court without putting in emotion or possibly bringing forth any scores-settling theatrics with either of the parties involved. Nobody knows if Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat is in the good book of the Governor but the people of Oyo can tell or if Queen Naomi is bearing the brunt of any perceived frosty relationship between the Governor and Ooni of Ife. Whichever, any sane individual should think emotion should be set aside, allowing the law to judge the motive and processes involved in a regrettable and avoidable national calamity of that magnitude.
Obviously, no amount of compensation can commensurate with the values of lives lost. However, the Angels of Humanity {except if otherwise proved} should be judged for their intention rather than the effect of their actions though according to feelers within the government, she reached out to the necessary quarters before the commencement of the programme.
Ogungbemi Adeyemi Orimisan writes from Akure