On December 18, 2024, a tragic stampede at a children’s funfair in Ibadan, Oyo State, claimed the lives of 35 children, including infants as young as six weeks old, with some families losing more than a child. The event, held at the Islamic High School in the Bashorun district, was organized by the Women In Need Of Guidance and Support Foundation (WINGS), led by Olori Naomi Silekunola, the ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife, in collaboration with Agidigbo 88.7 FM, owned by Oriyomi Hamzat.

 What was intended to be a joyous occasion to bring relief and happiness to families turned into an unimaginable tragedy. The event, which aimed to host 5,000 children aged 0-13 years, became dangerously oversubscribed, leading to overcrowding and chaos. Promises of prizes such as scholarships and financial incentives like ₦5,000 attracted a large crowd, with some parents camping overnight to secure a spot.

While the intentions of the organizers were commendable, this incident serves as a grim reminder: ‘Love’ is not enough.

Why ‘Love’ is Not Enough

The nobility of love for children, in particular, is diminished when it is confined to mere actions or inactions. True love for children is evident when what we do or omit to do is driven by deliberate intentions, defined by foresight, attention to detail, and structured planning that prioritizes their well-being and safety to achieve meaningful impact. The incident on December 18 exposed critical lapses in planning and risk management, including:Inadequate Safeguarding Systems

1️⃣Inadequate Safeguarding Systems

Effective child safeguarding and protection requires codified policies and processes that encompass staff training, risk analysis, and contingency planning. Without such systems, even the best intentions can culminate in tragedy.

A robust safeguarding system acknowledges that emergencies are not unforeseen events but are often a reflection of inadequate capacity to respond effectively to situations that may inevitably occur when gathering children, whether in family settings or at public events. Such a system proactively anticipates the needs of children, identifies potential threats, and makes adequate preparations to meet those needs and mitigate risks before they arise. This level of care must adhere to tested professional, legal, and global standards. Section 2 of the Child’s Rights Act, 2003, serves as a policy framework that underscores the type of care required when interacting with children. It mandates that those responsible for children, whether within families or in broader public settings, must anticipate, prepare for, and safeguard against potential risks to their well-being.

In the context of public events, such as this tragedy, this principle highlights the importance of ensuring safety systems are in place to protect children. Without such systems, love, no matter how genuine, falls short of its potential to safeguard and serve our precious children effectively.Lack of Risk Assessment

2️⃣Lack of Risk Assessment

The organizers failed to evaluate the venue’s capacity in relation to the expected crowd. For an event designed to host 5,000 children, accounting for accompanying parents and guardians could have easily doubled or tripled this number, necessitating comprehensive planning and adjustments.Absence of Safety Protocols

3️⃣Absence of Safety Protocols

There were no measures in place to manage the crowd effectively, such as designated entry points, trained personnel, or age-group controls. Basic medical provisions like first aid stations, ambulances, and emergency response teams were also conspicuously absent, leaving attendees vulnerable to preventable harm.

It cannot be said that the organizers are not lovers of children. In fact, organizing this program is a testament to their love for children. In Africa, where we often pride ourselves on our love for our precious children, there is a lack of understanding that true love for children must include attention to details, chief among them being the safety of the children we serve.

Once safety is jeopardized, nothing remains of the greatest and noblest intentions aimed at benefiting our children. As this case clearly demonstrates, the funfair could not continue once the safety of children, which was compromised during the event, resulted in a stampede that claimed the lives of 35 children and injured others.

Poverty: The Underlying Issue

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, approximately 40% of Nigerians live below the poverty line of $1.90 per day—about 82 million people. This pervasive poverty forces families to seize any opportunity promising relief, even at great personal risk.

The stampede underscores how poverty influences behavior and attendance at such events. The promise of financial incentives in a society grappling with widespread economic hardship meant that attendance was bound to surpass expectations. If the organizers were conscious of the entrenched and pervasive poverty in the nation, they would have anticipated that the attendees would predominantly come from the lower rungs of society, people whose preoccupation would be satisfying their hunger rather than considering safety.

The organizers should have planned for this reality and put in place measures to ensure safety. Adequate preparation, aligned with global and professional standards, would have mitigated the risks. These standards are clearly outlined in Section 2 of the Child’s Rights Act, 2003, which emphasizes the right of every child to protection from harm and the responsibility of caregivers to prioritize their safety.

Layers of Responsibility

The tragedy underscores the shared responsibility for child protection across various layers:

1️⃣ The Family

Families are the first line of defense for children, instilling values and safeguarding them. But in a society battling poverty, many families lack the resources to fulfill this role effectively

2️⃣The Community

Communities, including media, NGOs, and religious organizations, play a vital supportive role. While the organizers aimed to spread love and joy, their failure to anticipate risks shows the limitations of goodwill without structure.

3️⃣The Role of the State

The Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs, led by Commissioner Mrs. Toyin Balogun, is responsible for overseeing child welfare in the state. Notably, the Commissioner was visited by the program organizers prior to the event, briefed about the program, and publicly expressed her unreserved support for it, an endorsement that is documented and available in the public domain.

In the wake of the December 18 tragedy, critical questions now arise regarding the Ministry’s role, the Commissioner’s involvement, and whether, in the eyes of the law, she could be considered an accomplice before the fact. These questions also extend to the broader child protection systems in Oyo State:

✅Does the government school premises used for the event have a formal Child Safeguarding and Protection Policy in place, which includes:

✓A codified policy outlining clear guidelines and procedures.

✓Established processes for preventing abuse and ensuring early intervention in case of an incident.

✓Mandatory training for all stakeholders to ensure awareness and compliance.

This ensures a safe environment for children and swift response in case of any concerns.

✅Did it provide any guidelines or exercise oversight during its organization?

✅ Does Oyo State have a statewide Child Safeguarding and Protection System? If so, is it codified into a comprehensive policy, broken down into actionable processes, and mandated for training across all relevant stakeholders in the state?

✅Are there established protocols for hosting events of this magnitude, or any event, on school premises? Were these protocols adhered to in this case?

✅As part of its commitment to child safety, does the Oyo State Government maintain emergency facilities such as first aid equipment, ambulances, doctors, and nurses that can either be stationed at the venue or dispatched swiftly upon being informed of such events? If such facilities exist, are they deployed in ratios aligned with the number of expected attendees?

✅If the state does not directly provide these resources, does its policy require organizers to ensure such provisions as prerequisites for approving events involving children?

✅What actions have been taken by the Ministry or the state government since the tragedy to address these failures and to prevent such occurrences in the future?

These questions demand urgent and transparent answers. The evident lack of oversight, inadequate safety measures, and insufficient preparedness raise serious concerns about the state’s commitment to safeguarding its children. Addressing these gaps is not merely a matter of policy compliance but a fundamental moral obligation to protect the lives and welfare of our precious children and their parents, who may not know better.

The state must recognize that, even in cases where children and their parents lack awareness or understanding of safety measures, the responsibility for their welfare and security rests squarely on the state. Public officials have sworn an oath of commitment to uphold this responsibility, and it is imperative that they act decisively to honor that commitment.

4️⃣The International Community

Global bodies must hold nations accountable for implementing child protection standards enshrined in international treaties.

Moving Forward

To ensure such tragedies never happen again, three critical actions are needed:

1️⃣Accountability Through Prosecution

The organizers must face prosecution, with due process followed, to determine responsibility. Governor Seyi Makinde confirmed that the organizers had been taken into custody as investigations continue. Accountability ensures negligence is addressed, and future incidents are prevented.

2️⃣A Comprehensive Statewide Probe

The Oyo State House of Assembly must conduct a public hearing to investigate the incident thoroughly. This includes examining the role of the Ministry of Women Affairs and the lack of safeguards at the event.

3️⃣Civil Actions by Families

Affected families must pursue civil litigation to seek damages. This step reinforces the principle that child safety is non-negotiable.

Final Thoughts

The organizers of this event, Women In Need Of Guidance and Support Foundation (WINGS) and Agidigbo 88.7 FM, undoubtedly acted with love and a genuine desire to spread happiness. However, love for children, when not defined by both appreciation and attention, falls short of safeguarding them. In this context, attention means paying meticulous attention to details, particularly those concerning children’s total well-being and safety, which must serve as the cornerstone of every activity we organize for them, whether educational or recreational.

What we often label as “children’s vulnerability” is, in reality, a reflection of adult irresponsibility. Love for children must embody both appreciation and attention; appreciation without attention cannot be considered true love, nor can attention without appreciation. While the organizers of this program undoubtedly acted out of appreciation for children, I believe the necessary attention, as defined in this context, was missing.

For love to truly make a lasting impact, it must be accompanied by structure, well-defined policies, and thoughtful foresight to ensure it translates into meaningful and safe outcomes.

We cannot ignore the systemic issues that allowed this tragedy to occur, poverty, inadequate planning, and lack of accountability. If we truly love our children, we must invest in systems that protect them.

Love must drive us to act responsibly, plan meticulously, and safeguard fiercely. Only then can we ensure that every child is not only loved but also safe.