Love’ is Not Enough: Child Safeguarding and Protection Reflections on the December 18, 2024 Stampede

Source: http://taiwoakinlamiblog.com

On December 18, 2024, a tragic stampede at a children’s funfair in Ibadan, Oyo State, claimed the lives of 35 children, including infants as young as six weeks old, with some families losing more than a child. The event, held at the Islamic High School in the Bashorun district, was organized by the Women In Need Of Guidance and Support Foundation (WINGS), led by Olori Naomi Silekunola, the ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife, in collaboration with Agidigbo 88.7 FM, owned by Oriyomi Hamzat.

This piece goes beyond recounting the events; it questions the systems and decisions that failed to protect these young lives.

The organizers of this event, undoubtedly acted with love and a genuine desire to spread happiness. However, love for children, when not defined by both appreciation and attention, falls short of safeguarding them. In this context, attention means paying meticulous attention to details, particularly those concerning children’s total well-being and safety, which must serve as the cornerstone of every activity we organize for them, whether educational or recreational.

What we often label as “children’s vulnerability” is, in reality, a reflection of adult irresponsibility. Love for children must embody both appreciation and attention; appreciation without attention cannot be considered true love, nor can attention without appreciation. While the organizers of this program undoubtedly acted out of appreciation for children, I believe the necessary attention, as defined in this context, was missing.

For love to truly make a lasting impact, it must be accompanied by structure, well-defined policies, and thoughtful foresight to ensure it translates into meaningful and safe outcomes.

This in-depth piece, drawn from nearly three decades of professional insight and extensive field experience in interventions at both national and international levels, serves as both a call to accountability and a plea for change, a commitment to ensuring that no child’s life is ever again lost to a preventable tragedy.

Read more of the story here: https://taiwoakinlamiblog.com/2024/12/27/love-is-not-enough-child-safeguarding-and-protection-reflections-on-the-december-18-2024-stampede/

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