Funmilayo Ogunseyi, the mother of Naomi Silekunola, the former wife of the Ooni of Ife, has called on President Bola Tinubu and the public to intervene in her daughter’s ongoing legal battle following a tragic stampede at a funfair in Ibadan, which resulted in the deaths of 35 children.
Silekunola, along with two other individuals, was recently arraigned at the Iyaganku Magistrate Court in Ibadan. The court ordered her detention on charges of conspiracy, negligence, and failure to provide adequate security and medical arrangements for the event.
In a tearful video that has gone viral, Ogunseyi made an emotional plea, stressing that her daughter’s intentions had been purely humanitarian. She spoke of Naomi’s long history of organizing outreach programs to support vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and pregnant women.
“She only came to Ibadan to help those in need. This was not her first time doing such work. My heart goes out to the families who lost their children; it was never our intention,” Ogunseyi said through tears.
Ogunseyi explained that the tragedy occurred when the crowd began gathering early in the morning, well before the scheduled start of the program at 10 a.m. The stampede took place at around 6:30 a.m., before Naomi had even arrived at the venue. She further revealed that Naomi, who was feeling unwell at the time, collapsed during police interrogation and remains in custody despite her fragile health.
Ogunseyi also suggested that the incident might have been politically motivated, claiming it was an “order from above.” She appealed directly to President Tinubu and other influential figures, asking for her daughter’s release.
“Naomi is not a killer; she came with compassion in her heart. She is sick and fragile. Please, Mr. President, help us. Don’t let my daughter’s life be ruined,” Ogunseyi pleaded.
She also expressed her deep sympathy for the families affected by the tragedy, emphasizing that it was an unintentional and heart-wrenching incident.