The owner of Agidigbo FM, Oriyomi Hamzat, has recounted his harrowing experience at the ill-fated children’s funfair held at Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan.
The event meant to spread joy during the festive season turned tragic as a stampede claimed the lives of at least 35 children and left several others critically injured.
In a deeply emotional audio message that has gone viral, Mr. Hamzat, who was actively involved in the event, shared how the chaotic scenes left him in utter despair.
“I went home naked yesterday with only my boxers,” he revealed. “If not for the fact that they seized some people’s phones, my pictures would have been flying on the internet. I wept like a baby when I saw how people were falling on one another.”
Describing the moment of chaos, he explained how efforts to rescue those who fell were met with even more panic.
“As I was rescuing those that fell, more people were rushing and stepping on others just because of small gifts. People are greedy and selfish when it comes to free things,” he lamented.
READ ALSO: Police Arrest Queen Naomi, Others As Death Toll Hits 35
Mr Hamzat also disclosed the shocking attendance disparity at the event. “We invited kids, but it was adults who showed up, especially old people. Some even came with two-month-old babies. We had to be searching for their mothers amidst the chaos,” he added.
Sources from Agidigbo FM confirmed that Mr Hamzat was so overwhelmed by the tragic incident that he had to be rushed to the hospital for medical attention. “He could not withstand the ugly scene. He fell and had to be taken to the hospital,” an insider revealed.
The funfair, co-organized by Queen Naomi Silekunola Ogunwusi, the estranged wife of the Ooni of Ife, has drawn widespread condemnation. Queen Naomi and seven others have since been arrested in connection with the incident, as confirmed by Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Osifeso Adewale.
The Oyo State government has also expressed grief over the tragic loss of lives, confirming the death toll at 35 with six others in critical condition.
In his reflection, Mr Hamzat explained why he prefers charging for similar events he organizes. “The reason I always collect money for my own children’s carnival is to regulate the crowd. Yesterday’s experience will remain a lesson for me. I will never do this again.”
