Mother of Ooni’s Ex-Wife Appeals to President Tinubu for Intervention Amid Legal Troubles Over Stampede
Funmilayo Ogunseyi, the mother of Naomi Silekunola, a former wife of the Ooni of Ife, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu and other influential Nigerians to intervene in her daughter’s legal situation.
Naomi is among three individuals facing charges in connection with a tragic stampede at a funfair in Ibadan last week, which claimed the lives of 35 children.
Silekunola has been accused of conspiracy, negligent conduct causing harm, and failing to provide adequate security and medical services during the event. The Iyaganku Magistrate Court has ordered her detention pending further proceedings.
In a tearful video that has since gone viral, Ogunseyi implored for forgiveness, asserting that her daughter’s intentions had always been humanitarian. She described Naomi as a philanthropist who had spent over a decade organizing outreach programs to support vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, and pregnant women across Nigeria.
“My daughter only came to Ibadan to help the needy. This wasn’t her first time organizing such programs,” Ogunseyi said. “We have traveled across the country, assisting children and the vulnerable. My heart goes out to the families who lost their children.
It was never our intention for such a tragedy to occur. Please, do not let Naomi be imprisoned. She is innocent. She only came to show compassion.”
Ogunseyi went on to describe the sequence of events leading up to the stampede, explaining that large crowds began to gather well before the scheduled start of the program at 10 a.m. She claimed the chaos began at 6:30 a.m., hours before Naomi even arrived at the venue.
“My phone number was on the event flyer, so I was the one contacted,” Ogunseyi said. “Naomi, her elder brother, and I rushed to the scene, and when we got there, she was arrested. We went to the police station to report the situation, but Naomi was detained and charged with murder.”
Ogunseyi also disclosed that Naomi, who was reportedly unwell, collapsed during police questioning and has been held in detention despite her deteriorating health.
As her daughter remains in custody, Ogunseyi pleaded for a high-level intervention, suggesting that Naomi’s legal troubles might be the result of manipulation by “powerful individuals.”
“They have taken my child to prison. The courtroom was filled with police officers. I don’t know where else to turn,” she said, breaking down in tears. “Please, I beg those in power, including President Tinubu, to come to our aid. Naomi is fragile and sick. She is not a killer; she came to help.”
Ogunseyi also expressed her deepest sympathies to the families of the children who died in the incident, emphasizing that the tragedy was entirely unintentional.
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