It was tears at Ijako Owode Road, Sango
Ota area of Ogun State after an emergency
fire service truck belonging to the Ogun
State Government Fire Service swerved off
the road and crushed a trader, Bunmi
Fatoyinbo, her seven-year-old son,
Emmanuel Fatoyinbo and her 76-year-old
father, Pa Moses Sogunro.
The incident, which happened on Friday
afternoon, was said to have thrown
residents into confusion and caused a
gridlock for hours.
An eyewitness, who identified himself as
Baba Vulcaniser, said the crimson-coloured
Mercedez Benz 911 water truck, marked,
Ogun AG 123 A09, was occupied by two
men and a woman.
Our correspondent learnt that it was driven
by one Sokunbo Michael of Ogun State Fire
Service, Ota.
The eyewitness added the driver was on
top speed, before he lost control and
rammed the vehicle into where the victims
were sitting.
He said, “We have all been here together for
the past eight years and Fatoyinbo (Bunmi)
had been the one selling food, recharge
cards to all of us.
“On Friday, around 1pm, I saw the truck
coming on top speed. The brake must have
failed; the driver swerved off the road and
headed straight for where she was sitting.
Her father was on a brief visit and was with
her. The truck crushed Fatoyinbo (Bunmi),
Emmanuel and their grandpa.”
Our correspondent learnt that the fire truck
was still fully loaded with water and was
returning from a fire incident scene when
the tragedy happened.
The first daughter of the deceased woman,
Esther, told our correspondent that the
three victims were rushed to a specialist
hospital, where her mother gave up.
“Before the accident, my mom had sent me
on an errand. I was in the bus when people
started calling me from different places,
saying there had been an accident.
“When I finally got there, my mom had been
rushed to Medicare Hospital in Ado Odo,
Ota. The doctors said they needed blood for
her. Before I knew it, she just stopped
breathing and I was told she had died.”
The first son of Sogunro and a brother to
Bunmi, Oluwatoyin Sogunro, said the
remaining two victims were referred to
another hospital in Lantoro, Abeokuta.
He added that before they could get to the
hospital, they also died, throwing the entire
family into mourning.
When our correspondent visited the Sango
Police Station on Monday, where family
members had gathered to see the
policemen investigating the incident, the
remaining five children of the deceased
were there.
One of them, 10-year-old David, who is in
Primary four, said their mother had
promised to take them to a tailor a day to
the incident.
He said, “My mom told us to prepare to take
our cloths to a tailor for Christmas on
Thursday. Then on Friday, when I was
playing in our neighbour’s house, they
called me. I saw my sister, Esther crying; she
said mummy had died. When they told
daddy that mummy had died, daddy also
fainted and people started to beat his chest
to wake him up. After that time, they told
me that my grandpa and Emmanuel died
too.”
The husband of the deceased, Sunday
Fatoyinbo, said his world had collapsed
because his late wife had been the bread
winner of the family since he lost his job 10
years ago.
The certified Agricultural Science expert
pleaded with the state government to give
him a job, and give scholarship to his
children who now faced a bleak future
without the usual support of their mother.
He said, “Being a Christian, I have taken this
tragedy with a strong mind. Losing three
souls in a day is painful. I have nothing left
again. I lost my job 10 years ago, and it had
been my wife that was supporting the
family and sending the children to school.
“I have handed this matter to God. But I
appeal to the government to give me a job,
and probably give scholarship to my first
and second born, to relieve me of this
burden.”
The Police Public Relations officer for Ogun
State command, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed
the incident and said the suspect was in
police custody and would be charged for
manslaughter.
He added that the Fatoyinbo family had told
the police that they were not interested in
pursuing a court case against the driver.
He said, “The family has said they don’t
want any case. However, as police officers,
we would play our role and pursue the
course of the law. It is now left to them to
file an application to the court to indicate
that they were no longer interested.”
The head of the Ogun State Fire Service,
Sango Unit, Mr. Obiwunmi Akanbi, said the
agency had visited the deceased family to
condole with them and would render all
necessary assistance.
“We are with them as we speak because
we heard that mother and son will be
buried soon,” he said.

Read this in Punch and its so sad

May they rest in peace

Human are funny.

First, R.i..P.

Second: shebi dem say to die na to rest, wetin una want again?

Christmas in heaven will be a wonder.

i will surely celebrate there wen i'm old enuff to die