- Femi Branch has reacted to news of Queen Naomi and Oriyomi Hamzat being remanded in Agodi prison
- The Ooni of Ife’s ex-wife, Oriyomi Hamzat, as well as the Principal of the school the event was supposed to take place were arrested after 35 lives were lost at the children’s funfair they organised in Ibadan.
- Femi Branch shared why he believes parents of those who lost their children should be arrested and the organizers be released.
Nigerian actor Femi Branch has cried out over the arrest and remand of Queen Naomi Silekunola, Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat and Islamic High School principal Abdullahi Fasasi at the Agodi Correctional Centre until January 13.
The Ooni of Ife’s ex-wife, media personality and school principal were arrested after 35 children lost their lives at the Christmas funfair organised for them.
Femi Branch took to social media to react to the news, stating that while he sympathises over the loss of life, he considers the case to be nonsense.
The versatile actor asked how the organisers were responsible for the tragedy when the event was supposed to start by 10am and security personnel were supposed to arrive at 8am but parents were reportedly already throwing their children over the fence and into the compound overnight. In his words:
“I want to believe they have very good lawyers because this case is nonsense and this is not me being insensitive to the plight of the children that died, it is very tragic. But if the purpose is to punish those responsible for the death, how is it the organisers? Let’s look at the facts on ground. The event was supposed to start by 10am, the security personnel were supposed to arrive by 8. The venue was locked and wasn’t meant to be open till the security personnel arrived by 8 for an event that was supposed to start by 10. From the reports we have, people came overnight, they started arriving overnight and started throwing their children over the fence and into the compound. I saw a very tragic one of one of the children that as the mum threw them over the fence, the child hit their head and died instantly. So how is this the fault of the organisers?”
Speaking further, Femi Branch blasted the parents of victims who endangered their children’s lives by throwing them into the event venue. He said:
“Is it a problem to do good in this country right now because we are dealing with so much and a few people try once in a while with the little God has blessed them with to help people’s lives. This thing can happen to anybody o. We understand the root cause of this matter is that there’s hunger in the land but is it hunger that will make you to endanger the life of your child? Throwing your child over a fence? How bad is that hunger? I think we’re sick, we’re not well as a people.”
In the video, Femi Branch said Queen Naomi and Oriyomi Hamzat were only trying to bless the people and they are now arrested and charged. The movie star urged people to speak up about the situation and that the police should fish out the parents who threw their kids over the fence. He added:
“And now the poor organisers who are trying to be a blessing are now arrested, charged to court. What is going on? Don’t tell me you’re just trying to make an example of them. To what end exactly? We need to be careful because we’re setting a very terrible precedent. I think people need to speak up about this. Why have the police not fished out those parents that threw their children over the fence and also charged them because as far as I’m concerned, those are the real offenders.
These people should be set free, they should be released and let those parents who threw their children over the fence be arrested and be prosecuted, those are the real offenders.”
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