The leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has called on the Federal Government to free the organisers of the Ibadan children’s Christmas party, where a tragic stampede claimed the lives of 35 children.
The event’s organisers—Naomi Silekunola, estranged wife of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, and Oriyomi Hamzat, Chief Executive Officer of Agidigbo FM—were arrested, charged, and remanded in prison following the unfortunate incident.
In an interview with The PUNCH on Saturday, Primate Ayodele defended the organisers, asserting that their intentions were noble and aimed at assisting the government by supporting the less privileged.
He dismissed accusations by Pastor Marcus Tibetan, who alleged that the organisers orchestrated the incident as a ritual, describing the claims as unfounded.
“Oriyomi Hamzat and Naomi have not done anything wrong; they didn’t engage in any ritual as claimed by some pastors,” Ayodele stated.
“Those pastors are the devil incarnates who have never contributed anything meaningful to humanity. These organisers cannot be blamed,” he added.
The cleric urged the government to exercise compassion, recognizing the organisers’ good intentions in alleviating the struggles of the underprivileged.
“The government cannot do it alone. The organisers were only helping by reaching out to the downtrodden. They acted with pure hearts, and the government should temper justice with mercy and release them,” he appealed.
Primate Ayodele also expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased children, attributing the tragedy to harsh economic realities and lapses in parental care.
