Oyo Lawmaker, Hon Babalola Calls for Regulation of Large Public Gatherings to Prevent Tragic Incidents

A lawmaker in the Oyo state house of Assembly, Hon.Babalola Abiodun representing Ibadan North East Constituency 1 has proposed regulation of large public gathering.

With profound sadness the tragic stampede that occurred on Wednesday, 18th December 2024, at a private children’s funfair held at Basorun Islamic High School, Ibadan, resulting in the loss of many lives, predominantly children, and leaving several others injured.

According to the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, the State Government was not involved in the planning or logistics of the event but swiftly mobilized a rapid response team to provide medical assistance to victims.

The Oyo State Government has taken decisive steps to ensure that justice is served for the victims. The case is currently in court, with the government actively pursuing accountability for those responsible. This emphasises the commitment of His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde led administration to protecting lives and ensuring that such preventable tragedies do not recur.

Similar tragic incidents have occurred on 21st December 2024, at least ten people, including children, lost their lives in a stampede during a charity event at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja. On the same day, in Okija, Anambra State, a stampede at a food distribution event resulted in the deaths of 22 individuals. These incidents highlight the pervasive risks associated with large public gatherings across the country.

It is important for the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, in collaboration with other relevant ministries such as the Ministry of Health, to begin inspecting and approving venues for public events. These inspections should ensure that venues have the capacity, safety measures, and crowd control mechanisms to accommodate the expected number of attendees, especially for events with 1,000 participants and above.

Hon. Babalola proposed to the Executive Arm of Government:

-Through Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion to inspect proposed venues for public events expected to host 1,000 people and above, ensuring they meet safety and capacity standards before granting approval.

-In collaboration with Ministry of Health and security agencies to develop and enforce guidelines for event organizers on safety measures, crowd management, and emergency response preparedness to prevent future tragedies.

-To ensure that organizers of gatherings involving minors secure permits from relevant authorities before conducting the event.