According to VANGUARD, the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) has connected the terrible stampede in Ibadan to the pervasive poverty and hunger that many Nigerians face. Thirty-five children were killed in the incident, which took place during a children’s Christmas party.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
SPN shared its perspective through a statement by Ayodeji Adigun, the party’s Oyo State Secretary.
The party explained that the children and their families attended the charity event hoping to receive food and other forms of relief.
For many, the occasion was seen as a rare chance to access basic necessities amidst severe economic hardship.
The announcement that only 5,000 children could participate raised desperation among parents, leading to a massive turnout.
Some families reportedly traveled long distances and camped overnight near the venue, hoping to secure a spot for their children.
According to SPN, the situation highlighted the extreme levels of deprivation many Nigerians face.
The party noted that some adults without children even attempted to gain entry, underlining the desperation caused by hunger and suffering.
The SPN connected the incident to poor governance and policies that have deepened poverty and worsened hardship for working-class Nigerians.
They stated that such tragedies come from the bad living conditions under which many citizens are forced to live, despite the country’s abundant resources.
The party criticized successive governments for imposing policies they described as anti-people, which have left the average working-class parent unable to provide even a daily meal for their children.
SPN also pointed out that events like the Christmas party, which offer free food and other support, become lifelines for many families living in poverty, however, the desperation to access these opportunities often leads to overcrowding and, tragically, incidents like the stampede in Ibadan.
The party called for an overhaul of government policies to address the root causes of poverty and ensure that such preventable tragedies do not occur in the future.
“All of these unfortunate developments are sad consequences of the excruciating condition of poverty and misery in the midst of plenty under which mass of the Nigerian working people are forced to live across the country.”
“To average working-class parents without means of guaranteeing a daily meal for their children due to the imposition of several anti-people policies by the Nigeria capitalist government at all levels, this kind of free events will definitely be seen as a means of a sort of respite,” they said.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
