Makinde cancels birthday celebrations to mourn Ibadan stampede victims

By Deborah Oladejo

Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has announced the cancellation of his birthday celebrations scheduled for December 25.

The Governor also called off a birthday lecture planned in his honor in Ebonyi State.

Makinde made the announcement during a visit by a delegation of South-East leaders, led by Dr. Adolphus Wabara, Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, who came to offer condolences following the tragic deaths.

Expressing his profound sorrow over the loss of lives, the Governor described the incident as sobering and emphasized that it could have been avoided had the organizers taken the necessary precautions and exercised due diligence.

He said, “We were en route to Ebonyi after flying into Abuja when the sad events began unfolding on Wednesday. First, we had to secure the area, and I sent in the security team. By the time I reached Abuja and received the full report, it became clear that we could not proceed with our visit to Ebonyi.”

Makinde expressed gratitude for the visit, describing it as a symbol of the love and support from the South-East.

In his condolence message, Wabara expressed the solidarity of the South-East with the people of Oyo State, stating, “When Oyo is in mourning, the entire South-East mourns with it.”

He called the incident unfortunate and commended Governor Makinde for his swift response, which included ordering a thorough investigation into the tragedy.

Wabara also prayed for strength for the parents of the deceased, asking God to grant them the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.