Governors of the South-West region have expressed their condolences to Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, and the people of Oyo State following the tragic stampede at a private funfair in Ibadan that claimed the lives of 35 children.
The condolence message was delivered by Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state, during a visit to Governor Makinde in his office at the Oyo State Government Secretariat in Ibadan yesterday.
The visit followed the tragic stampede at a private funfair in Ibadan, which claimed the lives of 35 children.
Governor Abiodun, who is also the chairman of the South-West Governors’ Forum, described the incident as a painful loss not only to Oyo State but to the entire south west.
Speaking on behalf of his counterparts, Governor Abiodun said, “We are here on behalf of the entire Southern Governors’ Forum to commiserate with the governor, the people, and the government of Oyo State over this unfortunate tragedy.
“It is a reminder of the importance of ensuring safety measures in public events, no matter how well-intentioned they are.
“I am here on behalf of myself, family, the entire people of Ogun State and the entire Southern Governors’ Forum of Nigeria.
“We have come to commiserate with the governor and the entire people of Oyo State on the very unfortunate incident that happened on Wednesday 18th of December, 2024, where a good initiative turned sour.
“We all woke up to the news the following day and I decided to come on behalf of all of us and condole with the governor and the people as well as the government of Oyo State.
“The entire Southern governors are pained by this occurrence. In Ogun State, we believe anything that affects Oyo State affects us as well. Our prayer is that we won’t witness such an occurrence again. We will continue to remember all those affected in our prayers.” Governor Abiodun said.
In his brief remark, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, who thanked his counterparts in the region for sharing in the grief of the moment, reaffirmed his commitment to deepening collaboration with Ogun State in key developmental areas, particularly in the area of agriculture.
Makinde also disclosed plans for a peer-review meeting between the two states in the New Year, aimed at leveraging shared resources and ideas for the benefit of residents.
He highlighted the potential of a collaborative approach, particularly in the agricultural sector, such as the tractorisation policy, which both states are actively pursuing.
“Your Excellency, thank you so much for the visit. We appreciate you being with us at this difficult period. We have discussed strategies, including tractorisation, and agreed on a peer-review visit early next year. This will allow us to learn from each other’s successes and improve service delivery to our people.” Makinde said.