BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
VICTIMS of the recent incidents of fire outbreaks in Ikirun, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Osun State, have cried out for help from Government and well-meaning Nigerians.
Eight different shops were razed by fire at Oja Oba and Olawuwo Hassan Street, beside Ifelodun Local Government Council Secretariat, Ikirun last weekend.
Two shops were razed at Oja Oba while FADAMA II Complex of six shops were burnt the next day.
It was gathered that power surge might have caused the fire outbreaks in the two areas, while goods and equipment, worth millions of Naira were lost to the two fire disasters.
Speaking with our correspondent, one of the victims who owns a salon at the FADAMA complex, Ramat Oladimeji, said she recently stocked her shop with goods but lost all to the inferno.
She said, “I was called that our shops were on fire. By the time I rushed down, everything had been lost to the inferno. I could not salvage anything. I sell bulk weave-ons and attachments at dozen prices. I had dryer (for the hair), freezer that I used to sell drinks and I recently stocked my shop.
“Everything lost to the fire outbreaks will be up to N500,000. I was, by the help of God, operating the biggest salon in this area. This is what I have been doing in the last eight years. I want Nigerians and Government to help me.”
Another victim, Mrs Nofisat Kamila, who said she and her husband used two shops as pharmaceutical stores, lamented that their only source of livelihood was gone.
She said, “My husband and I managed two shops here, which we used as pharmaceutical stores. We sold in bulk. We sold drugs and other medical materials, equipment at wholesales. I can’t give the accurate figure of the goods we had in the shop before the fire, but they should be up to N2.1million.
“My husband and I struggled to set up that place. This has been the only source of income for us. We have children and dependants. We need assistance to be able to live well again.”
Segun Oluseyi, a 24-year-old fashion designer, said he lost all his machines and customers’ clothes to the fire outbreak.
Also expressing his pains, Alhaji Ademola Oladimeji, the President of Goodluck FADAMA Association, the group that owns the razed shops, described the loss as a huge one, not only to members, but other occupants of the shops.
Oladimeji said, “We built the shops with the help of the World Bank under the FADAMA II project. We have gone to the local government through the desk officer of FADAMA to complain. We hope they pass the information to the national body to seek their assistance.
“We also hope Nigerians will come to our aid. This is a huge loss to the occupants of the shops. They are people who are struggling to make ends meet and members of the association.”
