Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has canceled his December 25th birthday celebration as a mark of respect for the 35 children who lost their lives in a tragic stampede during a funfair in Ibadan.
Key Highlights:
- Incident Details: The stampede, described by Seyi Makinde as “painful, unfortunate, and preventable,” claimed the lives of 35 children in Ibadan, the state capital.
- Governor’s Statement:
- Seyi Makinde announced the cancellation while receiving a South-East Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) delegation led by Senator Adolphus Wabara, chairman of the Board of Trustees.
- He confirmed that he would spend his birthday alone indoors without celebration, emphasizing the sobering impact of the tragedy.
- “It has been a difficult year, with incidents like the Bodija explosion earlier and now this stampede,” he remarked.
- Acknowledgment of Support:
- Makinde expressed gratitude to the South-East PDP leaders, who were the first to offer condolences over the incident.
- He appreciated their solidarity and support during the challenging period.
Delegation Members:
The visiting delegation included notable PDP figures such as:
- Dr. Sam Egwu (former Ebonyi State Governor),
- Senator Ben Obi (former National Secretary of the PDP),
- Iyom Josephine Anenih (former National Woman Leader of the PDP),
- Chief SKE Udeokoye (PDP National Secretary),
- Chief Ali Odefa (PDP National Vice Chairman, South-East),
- Chief Obasi Elebi, and
- Chief Onyema Nwele (Ebonyi State PDP Chairman).
This gesture underscores Governor Makinde’s commitment to the mourning process and his empathy for the affected families during this period of grief.