Vice-President Kashim Shettima has assured Nigerians that the Federal Government will support families of victims of recent stampedes across the country.
In a condolence message delivered on Sunday in Abuja, Shettima expressed sorrow over the losses and extended prayers to the affected families.
A Series of Preventable Tragedies
The tragedies unfolded in quick succession: on Saturday in Okija, Anambra, a Christmas palliative distribution event turned deadly, with 22 people losing their lives in an early morning stampede. On the same day in Abuja, ten people died during a Christmas food-sharing event at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama. Even more devastating was the stampede on Wednesday at the Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan, where about 35 children lost their lives during a holiday funfair.
The Vice-President described the incidents as a “national tragedy” and announced that the Federal Government had directed relevant agencies to provide immediate support to affected families. However, amid the pain faced by many affected by this tragedy and the country at large, such declarations fall short of addressing the root causes of these disasters. Where were the proactive measures to ensure crowd control, safety, and proper organization of such events in the first place?
Lip Service Amid Systemic Failures
“I am extremely saddened by these tragic incidents that have claimed innocent lives,” Shettima said, adding that he was “particularly distraught” by the loss of children’s lives due to poor planning and organization. His acknowledgment of these failures begs the question: why has the government not implemented stricter regulations or provided guidelines to organizers of mass events?
Despite offering prayers and pledging support, the Vice-President’s response lacks tangible commitments to ensuring such tragedies do not happen again. Nigerians have heard similar reassurances in the past, yet incidents like these persist. Words of condolence, no matter how heartfelt, do little to restore public confidence when actionable steps are absent.
Bottom Line
The Vice-President’s response is a textbook example of damage control with zero accountability. How many more times will Nigerians have to endure preventable tragedies while their leaders roll out the same tired script of condolences and vague promises? Where are the concrete actions to prevent such disasters?
Perhaps the government should pause its endless cycle of condolence messages and finally address the root cause of these disasters: hunger. The stampede crisis painfully exposes a harsh reality. Nigerians are starving. Never in the nation’s history have tragedies of this magnitude occurred so frequently, and this is no coincidence.
While safety standards and regulations for public events are crucial and should not be ignored, they address only a symptom of the problem, not the cause. The truth is as plain as an African proverb: “A hungry man is like a fiery bull.” Desperation drives chaos, and until hunger and poverty are tackled head-on, these tragedies will remain an ever-present threat.
