By Ayodele Oni
Akungba community in Ondo state has blamed the management of Adekunle Ajasin University, (AAUA) for contributing to the high casualty recorded in last Saturday’s accident.
Contrary to claims by security agents that only seven persons lost their lives in the accident, the community said 27 persons were confirmed dead.
Spokesman of Akungba community, Chief Bode Iwaloye, the Asiwaju of Akungba, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the incident.
Iwaloye pointed out that “we frown at the non-challant attitude of the University towards the most recent accident in front of its gate. Had the University made its water tankers available for use at the scene of the accident more lives could probably have been saved.
“We implore the University to be more concerned about what happens outside its protective walls, immaterial of their perception of the host community.
“We have also consequentially witnessed a gradual erosion of the cordial and celebrated relationship which once existed between the University and the Host community up to the Vice-Chancellorship of Prof. Femi Mimiko.
“This new relationship further buried the once existing valued concerns of the University about events and happenings outside its walls.”
Speaking on incessant accidents in the university community, Iwaloye stated that
“On 11th December 2020, three trailers a Dangote Cement, Cooling Van loaded with fish and Trailer loaded with container of electronics had accident in front of the University gate.
“While three people were killed in the accident, all the contents of the burnt vehicles were looted by identifiable miscreants in the community.
“The carcass of the burnt vehicle littered the gate of the University for over one month before it was cleared and evacuated, prior to the school resumption. The stench from the accident site was something a citadel of knowledge should not have condoned for a day!
“Most agonizing is the accident that occurred in front of the university gate on Saturday 23rd January, 2021. Another Dangote Cement Trailer ran into the frontage of the University gate killing 27 people, including Students, visitors, residents and passers-by.
“This accident took the life of former SUG President Sam Praise. There were also harrowing cases of three students of the same parents being killed in the accident.”
On ways to put an end to incessant accidents in the university community, the spokesman suggested “realigning the sections of road, widening and dualising the main road between Okerigbo hill and Etioro to give more space for vehicles that lost control and keep gatherings at distance from the main road.
“We are also appealing to the state Government to help facilitate the payment of compensation to the families affected by the recent accidents involving Dangote Cement Company, being isolated accidents involving only Dangote Cement trailers.
“The Akungba community would strive to abide by any safety measures put in place by the Government. We shall, on our own part, try to coordinate the affected families to seek reparations by providing legal aid.
“We shall, in addition, make the plight of the community known to the Federal Ministry of Works, being the owners of the Federal road passing through our community and call for their immediate intervention into the incessant road accidents.”
