SHOCKING: Rain like fire burns off cashew, cocoa plants, others, ice pellets knock out residents, in Ogbomoso community (PHOTOS)
Jeremiah OYELEKE
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Idi-Araba, in Ogo-Oluwa local government area, Ogbomoso zone of Oyo state, last Wednesday, was thrown into lamentation as a rainfall that was initially welcome with joy turned into rain of grief as it blasted off roofs, pulled down houses and most shockingly, scorched plants of various species. Also, balls and pellets of ice reportedly fell from the sky to mark an unprecedented incident.
Such rain that would burn off plants was unheard of in the agrarian village, villagers told ogbomosoinsightonline.com, during an on-the-spot assessment in the village.
“We have never witnessed such devastating rain that destroyed our plants. The one we experienced about seven years ago was when roofs were blown off. But one that would affect plants in such a manner as if they were sprayed with chemicals we never experienced. It has thrown us into huge economic losses.” Baale Idi-Araba, HRH Jimoh Muhammadu, informed Ogbomoso Insight.
He consequently appealed to government and political office holders to come to their aid.
It was observed that whole big cashew and cacao trees had their leaves parched and burned to the roots, cassava plants were uprooted and their leaves also scorched, even weeds suffered similar fate.
Villagers added that the rain was accompanied by ice in hail, which tore off roofs, and when they fell on the people knocked some off. “We were just running helter-skelter,” another villager, Ademola Olusola David, said. “When clouds began to gather we were happy, but suddenly wild windstorms tore into the community and in a twinkle, roofs were being blasted off, walls were falling down and commotion ensued everywhere as everyone was running to find refuge even as people were struck with falling ice chunks knocking many out.
“We beg the government to come to our aid. We can’t eat now, our farms are burned off as if paraquat (a weed killer) was sprayed on the plants. And we still have to repair the damaged roofs, also shops were destroyed. My own house is blown off. I never saw rain like that.”
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Also, David Olajide disclosed, “Fruits both ripened and unripened fell off the trees, we expected rain of succour but it was rain of debt.”
Asked what he thought caused the devastation, “Could it be because of rancour and animosity in the community or with other communities?” OnidiAraba retorted emphatically, “No!” Noting, “I can’t say what caused it but I am sure there was no fighting, and we broke no taboo.”
The head of Sobiyan, an adjacent village, Baale Oyadele Olutoye Jacob, thanking God the incident didn’t claim any life, said, “the widespread destruction was enormous, it is unprecedented.” He pleaded with the government to come to their assistance remarking, “It is beyond what we can shoulder ourselves, our source of livelihood has been destroyed. But I urge our people to take heart.”
Photos of scenes of devastation:
