Fire guts Ibadan market, victims count loses

The Ogunpa Labaowo market in Agbokojo, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital was in the early hours of Friday, gutted by fire.

The incident has left many assets in ashes while the owners lament their loses estimated to be worth millions of naira.

According to sources, some of the items destroyed as a result of the inferno include concrete mixers, mattresses, and equipment for automobile repairs.

A victim, Abdul-Jelil Oladimeji, who is a specialist in the repair of car shafts, lamented that he lost equipment worth several millions of naira.

Meanwhile, chairman of the Ogunpa Labaowo Plant Mechanic Association, Azeez Ibrahim, alleged that the fire outbreak occurred as a result of a surge in power supply to the area.

Ibrahim, further stated that many concrete mixers and their engines had been destroyed by fire and appealed to the state government to come to their aid.

Infernos in Nigeria have been a recurring experience with market places having a fair share.

In April this year, fire gutted the Bodija popular plank market in the state, destroying properties worth millions of naira.

Also in same Ibadan, in May this year, a popular market known as Agbeni market was reportedly razed down by fire.

Agbeni market is said to be one of the biggest fabric markets in Nigeria.

The incident reportedly occured at about 4:30AM on a Sunday morning.

Similarly, in January, another inferno was witnessed at the Araromi Spare parts market at Agodi Gate in Ibadan.

The incident which occured around 2.30 a.m. reportedly affected about 25 shops before authorities intervened.

Sources also revealed that the incident was caused by a careless burning of refuse which traders at the market refused to put off before leaving the shop.

The flames however burnt until it escalated.

In another story, a popular Lagos State socialite, Farida Abdulkabir popularly known as Farida Sobowale, has explained why almost took her own life by jumping into a lagoon on the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos.

Abdulkabir, owner of House of Phreedah, said her actions were due to the crisis she is currently facing.

 

While speaking, the Lagos socialite said frustrations, a failed marriage and many other proponents led to her suicide attempt on Thursday night.

Abdulkabir was quoted to have said in a viral voice note on social media that her N100 million marriage with another Lagos socialite, Demola Okulaja, crashed after two months.

Also, in a viral video, the socialist was seen receiving counsel from her rescuers who discouraged her from taking her life.

She reportedly said that she could not endure depression as a result of her crashed marriage and has been frustrated with many suicidal attempts.

She said, “Friends and families warned me not to go into the marriage. They told me that the man only wanted my money but I was recalcitrant.

“It was love that pushed me into this. He told me that he was going to be with me, make me bore children for him.

“I am so sorry for putting my children in such a position. I would not have forgiven myself if I had abandoned them after committing suicide.

“I have forgiven my ex-husband. May God provide him with another wife,” she added.

Meanwhile, Farida and her estranged hubby engaged in altercations, revealing shocking family secrets on social media, attacking themselves, and calling themselves unprintable names, according to media reports.