Yinka ADETUNJI
Events have taken a new dimension in respect of the death of a two-year old girl at Oja’jagun, Ogbomoso, allegedly by a vehicle in the campaign train of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the ruling party’s rally in Ogbomoso last Thursday, which the Oyo state governor Engr. Seyi Makinde, who led the rally, initially denied, as the Director-General of Oyo State Investment and Public Private Partnership, Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi this morning paid a condolence visit to the bereaved family.
According to the news gathered by ogbomosoinsightonline.com, the team led by Ogunwuyi, leader of the party in Ogbomoso zone, was at the parent’s residence this morning to apologize to the family during which he allegedly admitted to the wrongdoing.
It would be recalled that during the rally a Toyota Matrix car believably in the entourage of Governor Makinde who led the campaign skidded off the road to kill the unfortunate girl in her mother’s shop at Oja’jagun, wounding others including her grandmother in the process.
But the governor came on air to disown the vehicle that it was not in the PDP’s campaign train but that it was a car on transit through Ogbomoso from Igbeti, with a promise to fish out the driver of the car.
Politicians of the rival All Progressives Congress (APC) quickly made issue out of the incident slamming the ruling party as being responsible for the dastardly act. Several posts emerged on social media faulting Makinde and PDP for their stance.
Angered by the blame-shifting posture of the politicians, a youth group, Ogbomoso Community Youth Forum (OCYF), issued a statement Saturday, condemning the action of Governor Makinde and demanding that he tender an apology among other demands.
In the statement, made available to ogbomosoinsightonline.com, it is noted that what was expected of the governor was to own up, apologize and pay condolence visit to the bereaved family of the girl.
“We view with dismay the denial by the Oyo state governor, His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde, that the car that killed a two-year old girl at Oja’jagun, Ogbomoso during the PDP’s campaign rally in preparation for Saturday, May 22 council election in Oyo state, was not in his convoy.
“Several eyewitnesses we endeavoured to speak with have confirmed that the car that caused the accident was in the governor’s convoy, but why the governor is countering this is what is baffling. It has happened, the damage cannot be undone, but it will serve the memory of the deceased well if the perpetrators owned up to it, apologize and pay condolence visit to the bereaved family.”
OCYF further wonders why the governor had not named the perpetrator if at all the vehicle was on transit from Igbeti as the governor claimed, three days after the incident, noting that vehicles are registered in the country and that finding the owner of the vehicle shouldn’t be a difficult thing.
It added that the governor is becoming notorious for failed praises remarking that he made similar promise when Jimoh Isiaka was killed allegedly by the police during EndSars protest in Ogbomoso in October 2020 but that the killer cop is yet to be identified.
The group now warned that Engr. Makinde would not be taken seriously in the future if it cannot fulfill simple promises in matters that affect loss of lives.
“Moreover, the governor promised to fish out the perpetrator, what is delaying naming the driver of the vehicle if he denies it was not a car in his convoy. Is the vehicle not registered? Or what is delaying naming the owner?
“We want to recall that the governor made similar promise to find the culprit that fired the shot that killed that martyr of EndSars protest, Jimoh Isiaka, but seven months on, we have not heard anything about the identity of the trigger-happy cop. If we will take the governor seriously in the future, he needs to go beyond rhetoric.”
President of the group, Rev’d. Peter Olaleye, speaking during a condolence visit by members of the group to the family of the young girl on Saturday, expressed sadness and regret over the nonchalant attitude of Governor Seyi Makinde, noting, “a promising future was cut short in a careless manner.”
Olaleye disclosed that a seven-day ultimatum is being given to the governor to name the perpetrator if he would not own up, and pay condolence visit to the bereaved family.
He posited that if the governor disregarded this warning, “it means the governor is not a people’s governor as is always touted and may affect his chances in 2023, because the dead will not forgive him.”
He also enjoined politicians to do away with violent supporters pointing out, “This is 21st century, and our politicians need to grow out of going about with thugs because these thugs caused a lot of havoc after the killing incident, they macheted people and ignited pandemonium. They should learn from this incident and henceforth comport themselves with civility. What is to be gained from violence?”
The visit by Ogunwuyi Sunday morning was thus believed to be as a result of the warning by OCYF in order to mend fences.
According to information Ogunwuyi expressed grieve over the incident disclosing that the governor had asked them to make the visit earlier. He prayed for the repose of the soul of the girl while assuring the governor would also pay a condolence visit to the family.
It will be recalled also that the killing was protested by aggrieved women in Ogbomoso on Thursday after the incident.
