Agidigbo FM owner Oriyomi Hamzat currently hospitalised after death of 35 children at Ibadan stampede

The owner of Agidigbo FM, a prominent private radio station, Oriyomi Hamzat has landed in hospital after the death of 35 children at Ibadan funfair stampede.

It was reprted that tragedy struck at the Islamic High School in Bashorun, Ibadan on Wedensday when a stampede occurred during a children’s Christmas party.

The event was organised by Wings Foundation, owned by Queen Naomi Silekunola Ogunwusi, the former wife of the Ooni of Ife and was promoted by Agidigbo 88.7 FM, owned by Oriyomi Hamzat.

The Oyo State government had confirmed that no fewer than 35 children lost their lives during the tragedy while the police, in a statement by SP Osifeso Adewale, said that 35 children had been confirmed dead so far with six others critically injured.

The police had also confirmed the arrest of Prophetess Naomi Silekunola, the estranged wife of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and seven others behind ill-fated event.

It was gathered that following the tragic incident, Hamzat has been hospitalized and is yet to recover since Wednesday morning after what happened at the children’s party.

“He(Mr Hamzat) was truly at the event. But when the stampede started and children were collapsing, he could not withstand that ugly scene. So he also fell and he is currently at the hospital,” a source privy to the incident told Reporters.

Earlier, the FM denied organising the Christmas party.

The radio station was reported to have organised the event in collaboration with the ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife, Queen Naomi Silekunola Ogunwusi.

However, the radio station said it only promoted the event as a media station and was not part of its organisers.

A press statement signed by its Director of Programmes, Olayinka Abdulwahab, said the radio station was notified that a mammoth crowd had assembled at the venue of the event before 5 am on Wednesday morning and they warned more people from going there.

Amidst the tragedy, the news making the rounds that Agidigbo FM, is the organiser of the children’s funfair, however, the management wishes to state that Agidigbo FM is not the organiser of the event, but one of the media outfits used to promote the event,” the statement reads in part.

“Upon receiving the notice that a mammoth crowd had assembled before 5 am this morning at the venue, Agidigbo FM, the people’s voice, used all media strategies to sensitise the populace with jingles and public service announcements from that time that people should stop going to the venue of the funfair.”

“This is not the time to spread misinformation,” Abdulwahab said. “ The Management of Agidigbo FM implore the general public to continue to pray for the speedy recovery of those in various hospitals and sympathise with the family of those who lost their lives.”