Rain is usually associated with blessings in this part of the world especially in an agrarian society like Idanre in Ondo State because of its numerous benefits the people derive from it. However, the one that fell on Friday 26th June 2020 evening around 7pm when some people were about putting their heads on pillows in Idanre kingdom left scary tales of woes.
The rainstorm came stealthily and caught the people unaware as nothing portends a dangerous outing for the natural phenomenon. Within just about 30 minutes, houses had been “beheaded”. Mrs Adenike Afolabi said her son nearly lost his life as they heard loud noise that heralded the removal of the roof of the one storey building built by her father in law who died years ago. As at the time of this visit, the family members were distributed around neighbors with some of their loads still in the open.
Mr. Clement Fagun’s case on the fateful day was more of tragg – comedy in nature. He, Ikale Voice gathered, had arrived home and in front of his house waiting for the rain to subside when this wicked rainstorm came and brought a the roof of his father’s house not far away to meet and pin him down inside the car. He was luckier than a woman, now buried, who was living around Mama Chikodi Restaurant, Sabo, Alade Idanre. She died as a result of wall that was said to have fallen on her.
Those at Idimilokun, Alade Idanre and Palace Road, Atosin Idanre were not the only people affected. At Ile Ibukun Street, from Starlight Junction towards the Police Station road, trails of the rainstorm disaster are still very obvious like a war battle zone when Ikale Voice visited the area.
The streets were littered with debris of roofs brought from various places and also wood planks from buildings elsewhere. Mrs Akinsida Bola of 1, Ile Bukun Street, Alade Idanre lamented that their one storey building had its roof blown off and their properties destroyed by the rainstorm. She explained how helpless they are because the original owner of the house died some years ago. She pleaded on government to help the family.
Corporate organizations were not spared the destructive impact of the rainstorm. The General Hospital, Alade Idanre had its Car Park torn into shreds while electric poles of BEDC were uprooted and its cable downed. While the General Hospital had removed its spoilt beyond repair Car park Park, the electricity distribution company was busy making frantic efforts to salvage the situation. Mr. Osahon, an Administrative Officer of BEDC said they were busy trying to ensure that normalcy was restored as soon as possible.Mr. Amos Oyebade, of Palace Road, Atosin Idanre wore sad look when our team visited his now desolate building which the rainstorm ravaged. His roof was taken away to another place. His property were seen in the open. He sought government assistance as he has no hope of getting money to roof the bungalow again.
Oba Gilbert Ogunlowo, the Aduranjan 1, Awosunye of Atosin Idanre confirmed being involved, albeit on lesser scale, as a neighbors’ roof came three houses away and landed on his fence. He called on government to help the victims and sited the pathetic case of a house at Palace Road, Atosin Idanre whose owner died some years ago and the children are too poor to embark on reconstruction efforts.
Another traditional ruler in whose domain the rainstorm did most damage, Oba Ayodele Akinbola, the Alade okun of Alade Idanre traced the rainstorm to climatic change and said though he envisaged it, the incident caught him unaware. He said he had contacted both Chief of Staff to Ondo State Governor and Deputy Governor to seek assistance for the victims of the rainstorm. Oba Akinbola however expressed unhappiness with the failure of some of the victims to give detailed information about their losses which he traced to the shoddy manner which people faced when a similar natural disaster visited the area last year.
