Ibadan Stampede: I Regret Not Heeding Spiritual Warning – Woman Who Lost Two Kids

A victim of the stampede that occurred in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, which has claimed the lives of over 40 children, Mrs Adijat Adewumi, affectionately known as Iya Ola, has regretted not yielding to a spiritual warning days before the sad incident.

Adewusi lost her two children in the stampede at the 2024 End of the Year Children Funfair organised by Queen Naomi Silekunola, the former wife of the Ooni of Ife.

In an interview with Sunday Vanguard, Mrs Adewumi said she received a message from a pastor of a white garment church who urged her to observe three days of fasting and prayer.

She, however, said she didn’t take the message seriously.

She said, “Just a few days before the funfair, I received a vision from a pastor of a white garment church, a man I had never met. He urged me to observe three days of fasting and prayer. I didn’t think much of it at the time; I thought it was just a spiritual exercise, not a warning of the tragedy that awaited me”, she recounted.

Speaking on how she learnt about the event, the woman whose voice was ladden with sorrow said, “I learnt about the event through Alhaji Oriyomi Hazmat’s popular programme. It felt like a chance for my children to enjoy themselves, to forget about our struggles, even if just for a day.

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“I wanted to see their joy, to let them experience the magic of the fair. However, as they approached the entrance, chaos erupted. I had to push my way through the crowd, ensuring my children got in first. I wanted them to enjoy every moment. But as the gates swung open, a tidal wave of people surged forward, overwhelming the entrance.

“I felt a sense of dread wash over me,” she said, her voice trembling. “I lost sight of my children in an instant. I started calling their names, but the noise was deafening. The pain is indescribable. It’s like losing a part of my soul.”

In those terrifying moments, the realisation of her spiritual warning came crashing down upon her like a thunderstorm, saying: “If only I had listened more closely. If only I had understood that this was a warning.