Sola Adeyemo 
Evening of Thursday, January 16, 2024 will ever remain an indelible date on the calendar of many residents of Dejo Oyelese Close, Old Bodija, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, for the unexpected visitation of death that also left many of them injured when an explosive device shattered their residences.
At about 8 p.m. on that day, many unsuspecting residents, mostly senior civil servants, lecturers, professors, politicians, captains of bluechip companies, who were retiring to their homes, unsuspicious of any ominous event, were rattled by a sudden deafening blast that shook the foundation of the whole neighbourhood.
Still in limbo
Among the residents that had houses in the area but a year after, have not been able to return to the estate and live are: the late former Attorney General and Justice Minister Chief Bola Ige (SAN);
many former professors of the University of Ibadan; former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Chief Iyiola Oladokun Esq., (who said that he and his wife could no longer live in the house because of the colossal damage done to the house and the property therein); Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), who has a hotel within the vicinity;
Mr Niyi Farinto Esq. who had his Law Chambers there; Bimbo Oshin (a Nollywood Actress); Ashipa Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Kolawole Adegbola, (whose house was also badly damaged), and many more.
Immediately the blast occurred, the state governor, Seyi Makinde, alongside a former Chief Medical Director (CMD), University College Hospital (UCH), Prof. Temitope Longe, and the Special Adviser on Security, retired Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, raced to the site.
Rescue operations commenced. Five persons eventually died, 77 others were injured, several cars damaged, and many houses destroyed. Mr. Dele Alake, Minister for Solid Minerals, also visited the site; commiserated with the victims, while pledging the Federal Government’s support in rehabilitating the affected individuals.
The cause, according to investigations, was detonation of some explosive devices kept in a building rented out to a man from Mali, Mahmud Kamara (a motorcyclist and reportedly, a UN official).
He was cohabiting with another Malian, Sawane Youssouf (who was believed to be a miner, but whose identity was not known even to the executive of the Landlord Association of the area). They were illegally using the explosives to blast mineral resources at some sites in some towns in the state.
Makinde
Governor Makinde immediately provided accommodation to the homeless victims in some hotels, and offset the hospital bills of those injured. He promised to rebuild the 58 houses that could no longer pass integrity tests as a result of the explosion.
Mrs Olanipekun, Welfare Officer of the Old Bodija Landlord/Landlady Association, spoke at various fora, describing the agony the residents of the estate were passing through after being rendered homeless. On behalf of her people, she pleaded with Makinde to come to their aid.
However, a year after, the dream of the residents to return to the estate has not materialised. Speaking at the memorial service at Bodija Baptist Church, Ibadan, to mark a year anniversary of the unfortunate incident, a resident, Pamela, recalled last week how the explosion nearly claimed her life.
Personal experiences
“By this time last year, it happened around 7:30 pm. This one is not as if they told me. I experienced it. In fact, I’m a survivor. I went for a road walk like I usually do every evening. Last year by this time, I went to Osuntokun. So as I was coming back, I already got to my house but stood outside. The next thing I heard was gboah! And I was outside. That was the only thing I remembered.
“I did not know where I was for like five minutes. I didn’t know what I was seeing. After I opened my eyes, everywhere was covered with smoke. I couldn’t even recognise my house because I was outside the compound. I couldn’t find my way inside. It had directly pulled out our gate. At that time I didn’t know what was happening.
I thought rapture had taken place,” she narrated. Another lucky victim, Banji Fadehan recalled his experience, saying, after he had left for Osogbo, he received a call on his phone that something terrible had happened in his Bodija house. He thanked God he was not at home.
“I left home 10 minutes after six because I was called from work that night. I said I may not be able to make it back that same night so I decided to spend the night at Osogbo.
Then I received a call that daddy are you at home? I said ‘no’. “They said there was an explosion at my house. I was like I just left home. They said it was so serious! Then I drove back. I drove in such a manner I couldn’t imagine. As I came back, I saw everywhere in tatters. When I got home, I saw the place that I left and was deeply devastated. Dust everywhere.
The bed that I stood up from, there was brick stone lying on that same bed. “I could have been killed on that bed that night. It was a call from work that prompted me to be on my way to Osogbo. That was how I was not with those affected. But all the windows, roofs, and doors were shattered. That night, I was in total shock. I couldn’t sleep.
It was a night of terror. It was a night of trauma. I would rather say ‘may the good Lord not allow us to experience such again,’” Fadehan said. For a former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Chief Iyiola Oladokun, whose house was over 100 meters from the scene of the incident, the incident was initially to him a coup.
He recalled, saying: “We give glory to God Almighty for His mercies over all of us that survived this horrendous event that happened one year ago. “It was about this time exactly that we started hearing gboah! Gbo! I just started wondering where it was coming from.
Was there a coup? Before we knew it, we started seeing shattered glasses, windows, and doors flying around. It is only those that are affected that could imagine because it cannot be described. One can only describe it in the state of what he witnessed or experienced.
“I came out, my house was just 100 meters from here, not knowing the extent of what had happened until I got to the junction here and I saw some of the members in the dust.” Thanking God, he said further that: “I want to appreciate God once again and for all those who came to assistance.
Because as the President said this afternoon, if that incident did not happen as at the time it happened, only God can imagine the extent of the damage that would have happened. “I want to appreciate our people for the spirit of togetherness- most especially members of the executives of Dejo Oyelese Vigilante Group.
As of today, I cannot recount but I know we must have had not less than 100 meetings – unscheduled and emergencies to attend to issues that come up. “For all of us to be here this evening shows humanity in us because it is very easy to say well I don’t have the time”.
BERA Chairman
Chairman of Bodija Estate Residents Association (BERA), Muyiwa Bamgbose, while recounting the sad experience, disclosed that the association has recommended an undisclosed amount for every single life that was lost in the incident and also for those who lost property and cars.
While blaming the cause of the incident on carelessness, Bamgbose hinted at the possibility of maintaining the annual remembrance. “Someone was rushing in to help people and lost his life.
Someone wanted to move his car away from danger; himself and his car were badly affected. “As a community, we made this pledge not to allow this to go unmarked. For some days now, we have been meeting with the committee set up by the Governor, Seyi Makinde, to plan or structure how people will be supported.
We were looking at only financial support. They had recommended some amount for every single life that was lost. We have five on the record. We earmarked an amount for them and for houses that were damaged, cars that were damaged and so on.
“But we never thought of minds that were damaged. In church, somebody told us that a mother said ‘is this how he will die like a dog? As someone who meant well, we promise that this will continue to be a memorial.
If we continue to gather like this every year, it will do. If it is not possible, we make a promise to keep these people’s memories in our hearts. “As we do this, let’s promise ourselves that we will remember these people and we will also remember why this happened.
It happened because some people were careless and we will not allow that to happen again if God helps us.” Bamgbose said. Commiserating with the families of the deceased victims, Bamgbose called for justice, adding that some families still continue to face hardship, especially on accommodation.
He, however, expressed gratitude for the timing of the incident which he said would have been brutal had it occurred in the afternoon, midnight, or on a Sunday. “Since the blast, things have not been normal.
You will see light coming on and off. Sometimes, fans will blow when it shouldn’t blow and not blow when it should blow. We remember Mr. Fimihan Fagbemi, Mr. Toluwalase Kehinde, Mr. Ladipo Oyebanji, Mrs Agnes Badmus, and Mr. Bolu Adegoke. Their absence is really felt and we extend our condolences to their families and loved ones. May their souls rest in peace.
“Our gratitude and support to the aftermath of this tragedy is an outpouring of support that exemplifies strength and unity of our community. There are things that worked in our favour. If it was in the afternoon or middle of the night, their story would have been worse.
If it was on a Sunday, this particular church, this particular church a lot of things came down. So you could have imagined. “Despite support received, many residents continue to face hardship. Numerous families remain unable to return to their homes. Some properties overgrown with weeds.
We are waiting for compensation. As we remember those we have lost, let us also renew our commitment. “Number one, advocate for justice. We want the authorities to ensure that those responsible are held accountable to prevent such incidents.” Bamgbose said.
Makinde
Responding, Governor Seyi Makinde in a release captioned: “We will ensure every part of Oyo is secure”, reiterated the determination of his administration to ensure that every part of the state is safe and secure.
According to his Senior Adviser (Media), Sulaimon Olanrewaju, the governor prayed for the repose of those who lost their lives in the incident, while calling on the citizens to join hands with the government in securing the state.
“As a government, we are doing all we can to make the state safe. This is why we are investing so much in security architecture. But for these efforts to yield the desired results, we need the cooperation of the citizens; we need information from the citizens.
That is why we say, ‘If you see something, say something and the authorities will do something about it.’ “The explosion of January 16, 2024 could have been prevented if those who saw those storing explosive devices in residential areas had informed our security operatives.
That means the people that died did not have to die, the houses that were destroyed didn’t have to be destroyed and the disruption that we experienced didn’t have to happen.
“So, to prevent recurrence of such in any part of the state, let us all take the issue of security seriously and cooperate with security operatives by providing necessary information that will help them in discharging their duties of securing our lives.
We pray for the repose of those who lost their lives in the incident and we pray that Almighty God will continue to strengthen their loved ones. “As a government we have taken steps to prosecute those who caused this unfortunate incident.
They are facing trial for terrorism and are currently being held in prison. The government will soon start the process of rebuilding the affected area as contracts have been awarded to fix all the roads in the axis.
“Similarly, we have inaugurated a relief disbursement committee, comprising residents of the affected area, and representatives of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
The committee is to come up with a modality for the disbursement of the financial support the state government is providing for those who were affected by the explosion,” the governor said in the statement.
