Eze Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu, Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State and Chairman Council of Ndi Eze, recently paid a condolence visit to Abu-Lado community to commiserate with them over the pipeline fire incident in which many lost their lives and billions of Naira worth of property destroyed. He also visited Oba Lateef Olayinka Adeode, Alagbo of Ado Kingdom. CYRIACUS NNAJI reports.
Abu-Lado community located along Badagry Expressway in Lagos was a peaceful community until the unexpected happened; it was the gas pipeline explosion that took in its wake tens of lives and property worth billions of Naira.
This was the prelude to the recent condolence visit by Eze Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu, Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State and Chairman Council of Ndi Eze, to Abu-Lado community to commiserate with them over the pipeline fire.
Nwachukwu also commended the Lagos State Government headed by Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his early intervention by instituting N2billion Emergency Trust Fund to assist those affected by the debilitating disaster.
“We commiserate with all the Abu-Lado Community for this serious problem in our lifetime, this is a disaster that we did not expect to happen, but now that it has happened, we have come to show love to all the Abu-Lado community, and to inform all of them that they are not alone. Those of them that lost their loved ones, we use this occasion to show our deepest sympathy for the loss of life,” Nwachukwu said.
Commending the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for his concern for the victims of the fire, Nwachukwu said “We thank the Governor for being here and the Governor has shown love to Abu-Lado community, he also introduced a trust fund for those affected in this problem and we thank the governor for that kind gesture.”
Nwachukwu then pleaded with the Governor to ensure that the fire incident was thoroughly investigated “And we as a community request that the governor of Lagos State should think deep down to investigate this matter.”
Looking at the fatality of the explosion Eze Nwachukwu said that what he saw was more terrible than a pipeline explosion, he said “What I have seen is more terrible, more terrible and I have looked at other various explosions, it is never like this. It is never like this. That is why we are seeking, requesting for the state government to look deep down and investigate this matter,” he concluded.
Also on Nwachukwu’s entourage was Chief Sunday Nwobodo (Akaekpuchionwa of Enugu and Lagos states), the Chief Executive Officer, New Planet Resort, Ajangbadi, Lagos. He also commiserated with the people of Abula-Lado.
“Looking at what I am seeing, it is worse than what I saw on video and social media, anybody that comes here would tell you that what I am saying is the truth, it is beyond video. You needed to be here to find out the truth. I sincerely pray that God will come to the help of Ndigbo to bear this heavy disaster that befell them.
“If you look at it, majority of those who are living here are the Igbos, if you look at the nature of the buildings here, you will notice that Igbo people are in majority here. You can see these people crying, they are all Ndigbo. I pray that God will help the Igbos to be able to mobilize and rehabilitate our people,” Nwobodo stated.
H e also spoke on practical steps that Ndigbo should take to rehabilitate the victims of the fire, “That is why the Eze Ndigbo is here and other stakeholders, that is why I am also here to see thinks for myself. I think what I feel should be done is to mobilize the Igbo sons and daughters that are well to do, organizations and town unions to contribute their widows mite, what happened here is a disaster, the magnitude is beyond description, those who captured it on social media did not capture one quarter of what happened here, it is when you come here that you understand the magnitude of destruction done by the explosion.,” Nwobodo said.
Secretary of Landlords Association, Francis Duru, said “The cause of the explosion is not the most important thing now, what we are looking for now is money, food and medicine for the displaced.” He said the impact of the blast indicates that it is bomb and not pipeline explosion. He appealed to the Igbo leaders to come to their assistance.
Oba Lateef Olayinka Adeode, Alagbo of Ado Kingdom, who said he was still in a state of shock said “It is a very big surprise to us because this type of thing has never happened here before. Lagos State and some officers have come to see exactly what happened. The person in charge of petrol has come also and he said we should not base our action on patrol explosion, that it is more than that. There is need for investigation by the state government,” the first class oba said.
He also expressed appreciation to the Lagos State Government for the early intervention in establishing a Trust Fund that would carter for the victims of the blast “I think I am satisfied with what government of Lagos has done; it has promised N2billion in respect of the damages and every other thing.”
During the visit to the Oba, Chief Godwin Dike, the Traditional Prime Minister, Eze Ndigbo in Amuwo –Odofin called on the Traditional ruler to deploy his connections to ensure that there was construction of alternative route in the area which would provide exit point at a time of emergency, and also enhance better mobility for both social and economic activities.
