THE BLACK
SUNDAY
 |
| The scene of the unfortunate incident |
Sunday,
October 30th, 2016 was a very sad day in the lives of parents, relatives and
friends of four students of the Federal Government Girls’ College, Owinni in
Oyo town.
Ladipo
Mojisola, Ibirogba Mariam, Giwa Toyibat and John Bukola left their parrents’
abode on Sunday to resume school after the short mid-term break. Unknown to
their families and friends, they were going on a journey of no-return.
At the popular Sabo-Owinni road which is about less than a kilometer to their school which has
been in a very dangerous state for a long while due to government’s neglect,
these four young souls met their waterloo.
They
were being conveyed in a minivan to their school when an oncoming truck loaded
to the brim with bags of gaari allegedly ran into one of the dangerous ditches.
In a bid to maneuver, the lorry driver lost control and this led to a part of
the old lorry tearing off. This happened when the bus conveying the students
was passing by the lorry.
 |
| The Minibus in total wreckage |
Consequently,
large bags of garri fell from the lorry onto the oncoming bus, trapping the bus
and its ten occupants. It took combined efforts of onlookers and sympathizers
before the occupants could be rescued!
What
a sad day!
Not
all of the occupants were lucky to survive it. While five other occupants are
still in critical situations in two different hospitals, the bus driver and
these four students lost their lives!
THE
BURIAL
 |
| Sympathizers at the mortuary |
After
receiving the very heartbreaking news of the loss of their daughters, the
parents insisted that they must be buried on the following day, Monday 31st October,
2016.
The
corpses had already been moved to the Oyo State General Hospital Mortuary on
the day of incident.
When
our correspondents visited the mortuary, the environment was gloomy. Relatives and sympathizers were seen crying and consoling themselves. It was really
sad! Some were seen sitting in hordes pretending that all was well.
Two
school buses belonging to FGGC, Oyo were seen carrying some teachers and colleagues of the
deceased students.
The
peak of the sad moment was when the aunt of one of the girls, Giwa Toyibat
stormed the morgue and was wailing, demanding to see her niece’s body.
After
over four hours of processing and cleaning the bodies, two of the girls’ bodies
were ready to be buried. These two girls, Ibirogba Mariam and Giwa Toyibat were
both buried according to Islamic rites at the Muslim Cemetery.
 |
| Bodies of the muslim girls preparing to be taken to the cemetery |
After
an hour, the bodies of the other two students, both Christians, arrived at the
Christian Cemetery for their final journeys.
 |
| Islamic clerics performing the final rites on the bodies |
SAABO
MARKET TRADERS INSENSITIVITY
We
were still at the morgue when news reached us that the Saabo market was open
for business when they should have joined sympathizers to mourn the death of
these students and also protest the poor state of the road.
Relatives
and friends flew into rage, annoyed that these market women were insensitive and
heartless. According to one of the teachers, she said ‘if it were to be one of
their kids, would they have open for business?’
That
statement further infuriated the sympathizers.
In
a swift response to the insensitivity of the market men and women, the
leadership and members of the National Association of Oyo Students besieged the
market and insisted it must be locked down immediately for three days. This was
actually effected by the leadership of the market.
Also,
students of FGGC, Oyo were seen today in front of the Oyo Town Hall carrying
placards to also protest the market traders’ insensitivity to their plights and
government’s neglect of the road.
 |
| The protesting students in front of Oyo Town Hall |
One
of the placards displayed ‘Sympathize with us on the loss of our beloved
students’. Another one was ‘This is one killing too many, Atiba LG repair
Saabo-Owinni road’.
WHO
KILLED THESE YOUNG GIRLS?
The
Government: It’s quite unfortunate that some stakeholders and indigenes of
Saabo who felt concerned have always been lamenting and speaking up on the poor
state of the Saabo road. Appeals and efforts have been made to the government
to repair the damaged road so as to prevent further loss of lives as it has
been happening on this road.
Apparently,
the pleas fell on the government’s deaf ears despite the fact that Saabo market
generates the highest revenue for its Local Government, Atiba. The road suffers
total neglect till this day. The government, on Sunday, killed these four young
leaders and threw their families into mourning states.
Saabo
Market Traders: Also, a tour to the market will clearly reconcile you with the fact
that some stupid and erring traders who have been warned to stay off from the
road several times are still being stubborn. Stalls and extended sheds have been erected in such a way that it
reaches the road and often obstruct traffic movement. These erring traders need
to be dealt with immediately.
Its
also a known fact that Saabo market has its leaders who are responsible for the
smooth running of the affairs of the market from time to time. Even if the government
isn’t doing anything about the road and the erring traders, why won’t you swing
into action?
 |
| Cross-section of mourning teachers and relatives |
You
all got the blood of these children on your hands!!!
Transporters: It’s no gain-saying that over 50% of vehicles
that ply Saabo road and transport goods to and from the market are not road
worthy. Why some are in total state of wreckage and the drivers still ‘manage’
them, some are simply suffering due to poor maintenance and lackadaisical
attitudes of some of these drivers.
May
the blood of the innocent girls hang on your necks.
A
CALL TO ACTION
This
is calling on all good sons and daughters of Oyo town, political office holders
(especially Sen. Monsurat Sunmonu, Hon. Akeem Adeyemi, Hon. Gbenga Oyekola and
Hon. Muideen Olagunju-Alatede), media outfits, students’ movements and all social crusaders
to come together to decry the poor state of infrastructures and social amenities
in our town.
It’s
unfortunate that almost all our roads are in pathetic and deplorable states. We
need to call the government into action. Loss of lives on these roads must be
put to an end!
OmoIyakunmi
08062350129
Hmmm, innalillahi waina illeihi rojiun... There are mountains to climb before we correct these myriad of unfortunates!
ReplyDeleteThe concern majorly is how the terribly divided political class would be matured and work together without competition for publicity, for the greatness of mother Òyó!
You have spoken well! Traditional rulers apart from political have lots of ego sacrifice to make in the interest of the subjects. IT IS A PITY!!
DeleteMay almighty God consoles the families of those who lost their lives.this writer did thorugh work about description of the state of the road..as bad as anything to describe bad.Political and TRADITIONAL rulers should work together in the interest of the people."when 2 elephants conflict..who suffer? The answer is why that road remains as it is...it s a pitty,we just lost some of tmrw's leaders.
ReplyDelete