…Gov Makinde commiserates with bereaved families

By OLUSEYE OJO

Tragedy struck on Friday, December 1, 2023, as three kings from Oriire Local Government area of Ogbomoso in Oyo State, lost their lives in a fatal road accident.

The monarchs, who were on their way to attend the funeral of their fellow traditional ruler, the Oloolo of Oolo, Oba Oyebunmi Ajayi, were involved in a collision with an oncoming truck at the Arinkinkin area of Ogbomoso.

As gathered, the car conveying the three traditional rulers to the event and a truck coming from opposite direction rammed into each other.

The news of their untimely death has sent shockwaves through the community, Oyo State, Nigeria and beyond.

The deceased traditional rulers have been identified as the Olodogbo of Odogbo, Onibowula of Bowula and Alayetoro of Ayetoro.

But one person that was in the car with the late three kings at the time the accident occurred reportedly survived. But he was said to have sustained serious injury and has been hospitalised.

The bodies of the deceased kings, according to an impeccable source, have been deposited at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital morgue in Ogbomoso.

When contacted, the State Public Education Officer, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Oyo State Sector Command, Ibadan, Mayowa Olalekan Odewo, who confirmed the accident, said preliminary investigation revealed that the accident was caused by speed violation and wrongful overtaken.

He stated that the accident occurred between 10:56am and 11:03am on Ogbomoso-Oyo Road. He gave the customised registration number of the white Mercedes Benz E230 that conveyed the traditional rulers as OLODOGBO. The registration number of the white commercial Scania truck that was involved the accident was also given as MUS301XF.

Odewo, who described the accident as fatal, stated that the weather condition was bright at the time of the incident. He added that two among the three dead kings lost their lives almost immediately, while one, who was still breathing at the scene of the accident was rushed to the hospital, but also breathed his last in the hospital facility

His worfs: “The injured victims were taken to LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso while the corpses were deposited at the same hospital morgue.”

Meanwhile, Governor ‘Seyi Makinde of the state, has expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and to the people of Oriire Local Government as well as Ogbomosoland. I

The condolence message was contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, Mr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, describing the incident as “unfortunate and saddening” and prayed for the repose of their souls.

Makinde said, “It is an unfortunate and saddening development. We can only pray that the Almighty God will repose on their souls and grant their families, their subjects, and the whole state the fortitude to bear the loss.”

The Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, Chief Ademola Babalola, in his condolence message, noted that it is crucial for authorities to ensure that the cause of the collision is determined. He added that result of the investigation would help prevent similar incidents in the future and hold responsible parties accountable.