Ibadan stampede: Unfortunate twist as Queen Naomi collapses under police watch

• The heart-wrenching Ibadan stampede, which cruelly claimed the lives of 35 innocent children and left six others scarred with injuries, has become an unbearable echo of sorrow that refuses to fade.
• As the nation mourns and grapples with the enormity of this tragedy, a startling development unfolds—Queen Naomi Silekunola, identified as one of the organizers of the doomed funfair, reportedly collapsed while in police custody

The sorrowful tale of the Ibadan funfair tragedy has deepened, casting an even darker shadow over an already heartbreaking event.

What was meant to be a joyous Christmas celebration for children, organized by Prophetess Naomi Silekunola, former queen of the Ooni of Ife and Oriyomi Hamzat, an Ibadan-based broadcaster, has now spiraled into an unimaginable nightmare.

Designed to bring smiles to the faces of 5,000 children, the funfair instead attracted an overwhelming crowd of over 7,500, created a chaotic and ultimately fatal environment. This tragic miscalculation has not only claimed young lives but also shattered the trust of a grieving community.

In the wake of this calamity, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has taken personal charge of investigations.

Prophetess Naomi Silekunola was detained and reportedly collapsed under the strain on Friday, prompted her rushed transfer to the Police Hospital at Eleyele for urgent medical care. Oriyomi Hamzat, the chairman of Agidigbo FM, also required medical attention and was hospitalized.

The tragedy unfolded at the Islamic High School, Basorun, during what was intended to be a joyous end-of-year celebration orchestrated by Prophetess Naomi Shikemi and Oriyomi Hamzat, an Ibadan-based broadcaster. What began as a festive gathering for children quickly descended into chaos, leaving behind a trail of sorrow and devastation that words struggle to capture.

In the aftermath of the catastrophic stampede, a haunting video surfaced, revealing a heart-wrenching scene. The road leading to the venue was strewn with the remnants of innocence—tiny shoes, caps, and clothes scattered across the ground like silent witnesses to the horror that had unfolded.