The Southwest chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has extended its heartfelt condolences to the government and the people of Oyo State over the tragic stampede at a children’s Christmas funfair in Ibadan, which led to the tragic deaths of several children and left many others injured. The party expressed deep sorrow over the incident and conveyed its sympathies to the affected families, as well as to Governor Seyi Makinde, who has been deeply moved by the disaster.
The tragic event took place on Wednesday during a festive occasion that was organized to provide free entertainment for children. The event, which was meant to bring joy and fun to the young ones, unfortunately attracted an unexpectedly large crowd. The overwhelming turnout, combined with a lack of proper crowd control measures, resulted in a deadly stampede that claimed the lives of young children and left others injured. The scene was one of utter chaos and heartbreak as families watched in disbelief at the unfolding tragedy.
In a statement released on Friday in Ado Ekiti, the PDP Southwest Publicity Secretary, Chief Sanya Atofarati, expressed the party’s deep sympathy to Governor Seyi Makinde, the families who lost loved ones, and the people of Oyo State. He also offered prayers for divine comfort and strength for those affected by the tragic incident. Atofarati described the incident as heartbreaking and devastating for the state and the entire nation, urging the government and the people to come together in solidarity to support the grieving families during this difficult time.
In his statement, Atofarati went on to attribute the stampede and the resulting tragedy to the difficult economic situation currently plaguing the country. He stated that the economic hardship faced by many Nigerians has forced families to seek out free entertainment and other forms of relief, such as the Christmas funfair. This, he pointed out, was a direct result of the poverty affecting many households, who often do not have the financial means to provide for their children in the way they would want to. As a result, the community relied on free events like this funfair to offer their children some respite from the pressures of daily life.
The statement partly read, “We are using this incident to call on the Federal Government to improve the standard of living in Nigeria. What happened is as a result of poverty in the land. We cannot deny the fact that many families are struggling to make ends meet, and they turn to free events like this to provide joy for their children. The Federal Government should intensify efforts in ensuring that there is provision of adequate jobs for parents to be able to take proper care of their children and also to improve standards of living in the country. The event is quite unfortunate.”
Atofarati emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of the incident, urging the Federal Government to take immediate action to tackle poverty, unemployment, and the overall economic challenges faced by Nigerians. He called for policies that would enable families to provide for their children without resorting to seeking out free and potentially unsafe events as a means of survival.
“The PDP in the Southwest sympathises with the people and government of Oyo State over the unfortunate incident and the accompanying stampede and loss of lives of children. We prayed that God consoles the families that lost their children in the incident,” the statement concluded. The party reiterated its commitment to working towards better conditions for the citizens of Nigeria, particularly for the most vulnerable, in the hope that future tragedies of this nature can be prevented. The incident has left the state, and the country as a whole, in mourning, with many calling for immediate changes in how large public events are organized, particularly when they involve children.
