IT was a bad Easter for the people of Agbedo village in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State when an articulated vehicle carrying empty container killed two teenagers and injured three others on the eve of Easter Sunday.
The families of Ganiyu and Adigun like every other family had been preparing for the celebration but as God would have it, their children were not part of the celebration.
Whereas, Sefinat Kehinde Ganiyu,14, and Labake Taiwo, were knocked down beside the road at the front of their parents’ houses, Oluwatosin Adigun,10, was crushed when the vehicle rammed into their house while she was sitting at the entrance of the house, plaiting her hair for the Easter celebration.
When Sunday Tribune visited the village the following day, there was no celebration. In fact, there was no sign of Easter celebration as everybody remained indoor, mourning the passage of the two young girls while others were seen in groups discussing the incident.
Eye witness account stated that the vehicle with registration number LAGOS XX 312 JJJ, said to belong to Bimlad Limited, Lagos, which was coming from Ibadan and going to Saki, suddenly at Agbedo, swerved from its lane to other side of the road, knocking down Labake and Kehinde who were carrying water on their heads. Kehinde died immediately while Labake had fractures on her neck and legs.
The driver who had completely lost control of the vehicle, rammed into the next building, demolishing one of the bedrooms of the four-room apartment.
The family of six occupying the bedroom escaped death by the whiskers because it had not returned from farm when the messenger of death came calling. However, little Tosin who was plaiting her hair at the entrance of the house, the hairdresser and her 1-year-old baby, were not spared. While Tosin died immediately, the hairdresser and her baby sustained serious injuries.
A resident of the village described the two girls as promising children not only for their families but for the community. “You too can see the situation in the community as if it was an elderly people that passed on. For us in this village, there is nothing like Easter celebration.
It is a big loss to us,” he said.
Pa Olayiwola Adigun, 72, who spoke with Sunday Tribune said, “ I am the grandfather of Oluwatosin. I am also the owner of the building which the vehicle rammed into. On that day Saturday April 7, 2012, Tosin went to the farm with me. On coming back in the evening, she decided to plait her hair for the Easter while I went to the bathroom to take my bath.
“I had just finished bathing when I heard a big bang like that of a thunder shaking the building.
I rushed to the passage only to behold the head of this vehicle which has left a permanent scar on my body. It killed Tosin, wounded my daughter-in-law who was plaiting Tosin’s hair, injured her 1-year-old baby that was sitting on her mother’s lap. I am sad, I have never seen this kind of terrible thing in my life. We also took them, including the driver, to a private hospital in Moniya.
I discovered that the driver was drunk because of the odour oozing from his mouth. Is it not bad for the driver of this kind of vehicle to take alcohol before driving? See the pain his reckless driving has inflicted on me.”
Mr Ganiyu Salami, the father of Kehinde said, “I was sitting in the parlour when I heard a loud noise outside. I went out, saw two girls writhing in pains. I moved near to lift them up only to discover that one of them was my daughter. She did not survive it.The twin sister, Taiwo and their mother died long ago.
I am very sad.”
The father of Labake Taiwo, Pa Hussaini Taiwo said he sent the 19-year-old girl to fetch water, only to be attracted by the noise of people who saw them lying on the ground. “ We took them to the hospital. Labake was supposed to write the mock exam because she was in JSS3, but that cannot be possible now.”
While Tosin and Kehinde had been buried, Labake and the other people admitted in the hospital were responding to treatment when Sunday Tribune visited the hospital on Tuesday.
Contrary to the claim of people in the village that the driver had away from the hospital, an officer at Moniya Police Station said the driver was in their custody.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Moniya Unit Commander, Mr Francis Adebayo, also confirmed the incident saying that the remains of the victims were deposited at a mortuary while those injured were receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in the area.