The Southern Governors’ Forum (SGF), led by its chairman and Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, paid a condolence visit to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde following the tragic death of 35 individuals during a children’s funfair in Ibadan.
Governor Abiodun, speaking on behalf of the forum, described the incident as a “good initiative that turned sour” and urged non-governmental organisations to collaborate with governments for proper planning when organising charity programmes to avoid such tragedies.
“I am here on behalf of myself, my family, the people of Ogun State, and the entire Southern Governors’ Forum,” Abiodun stated. “We have come to commiserate with Governor Makinde and the people of Oyo State over the very unfortunate incident that occurred on December 18, 2024. The entire Southern governors are deeply pained by this loss. We pray for the repose of the souls of the children, their bereaved families, and the people of Oyo State. May we never witness such a tragedy again.”
He added, “In Ogun State, we believe that whatever affects Oyo State also affects us. We will continue to remember everyone impacted by this tragedy in our prayers.”
In his response, Governor Makinde expressed his gratitude for the visit, highlighting the solidarity shown by his counterpart and the Southern Governors’ Forum.
“Your Excellency, thank you so much for your visit during this difficult period,” Makinde said. “It also provided an opportunity for us to share ideas. We discussed agricultural strategies, particularly the tractorisation model in Ogun State, and agreed on a peer-review visit in the New Year. This will enable us to leverage the successes in both states.”
The governors concluded their discussions with a shared commitment to improving planning and safety measures for public events, ensuring such a tragedy does not reoccur.
