In Osogbo, the Osun State capital, the collective prayers for shower of blessing to quench the intolerably baking atmosphere were answered on March 28, 2026. Torrents of rain descended from the sky; it was a downpour but before it subsided it had left behind a tale of sorrow, gnashing of teeth and accompanying cries.
Last Saturday was a day of rain, a day of rage when roofs angrily detatched from body of buildings, when widow glasses were shattered, trees fallen, fence pulled down, street light collapsed. Sabo axis of Osogbo, a scene of the disaster, had never had it so tragic in the recent past, losing a life to that evening rainfall and its aftermath.
The calamity was not restricted to Sabo, the traditional settlement of northerners residents and a splinter of their hosts, it was almost the same story of disruption at a section of road between Olaiya bridge and Oranmiyan House on Gbongan road where the rainstorm pulled down a massive billboard and caused untold panic to residents and house owners who could not imagine such a huge board could be that uprooted by any force. The Police Barrack was not spared by the rainstorm.
Electricity supply as usual became another casualty; power outage enveloped the metropolis with areas such as Odiolowo, Oke fia, Biket, Igbona, Ataoja Estate, Powerline, Ota efun, Ogooluwa, Iyana Camp and others most affected.
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke was not in town but his Deputy, Prince Kola Adewusi hit the streets the following day on inspection tour and assessment of the situation, during which he had a stopover at Sabo and commiserated with the residents.
Upon his return to the state, the governor also made a similar tour to the town. That was on Tuesday when he visited victims at the Asubiaro and Osun State University Teaching Hospitals and offered prayers and support.
At the Asubiaro hospital, staff and patients trooped out, welcomed him and expressed surprise at the visitation. The governor commiserated with the victims and also condoled with patients being treated.
He expressed sadness at the death of one of the victims, Mrs Jemilat Tijani who was affected at the Orita Sabo area of Osogbo.
“This is really sad. I hereby offer her son, Farouk Tijani, a university scholarship through the Osun State University. Once his admission process is concluded, the Secretary to the State Government is to take up the scholarship offer”, he promised.
At the teaching hospital, the governor described the rainstorm as a regrettable natural disaster, citing similar life threatening incidents in North America, Europe and other parts of the world.
Accompanied by staff, the governor said the whole world needs to take climate change as a serious threat to human communities worldwide, noting that “climate change is real and we must act decisively.
“That is why our government from day one prioritized mitigation actions as a response to the climate change threat. Osun has garnered several awards from local and international bodies on our pre-emptive climate policies.
“I am happy that the climate change envoy has also issued detailed technical statements including media appearances on the rainstorms. We are to launch immediate sensitisation across our communities as urgently as possible”, the governor noted.
At the police barracks that was badly affected by the rainstorms, the police officials in their numbers accompanied the governor to tour the affected areas.
“This is really unfortunate. Our officials have taken inventory. The scale of destruction is so widespread. Beyond our local efforts, we are reaching out to the Federal Emergency agency as well as the National Economic Council. We must bring succor to the victims”, the governor told the affected police officers.
On the entourage of the governor were Secretary to the State Government, Hon Teslim Igbalaye and members of the State Executive Council.
Few hours after the rainstorm, the SSG, son of Osogbo, promptly expressed his heartfelt sympathy to the victims, lamenting the amount of the destruction of property and losses of investments.
“His Excellency, Governor Ademola Adeleke, has already directed The Osun State Emergency Management Agency (OSEMA) to immediately assess and review the losses incurred by victims of the rainstorm, with a view to facilitating timely intervention and support,” he stated.
Similarly, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adewale Egbedun conveyed his concern over the impact of the recent rainstorm.
In a statement released on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Olamide Tiamiyu, the speaker described the incident as both alarming and regrettable, acknowledging the hardship and disruption experienced by many households and business owners.
“The distress caused by this unfortunate occurrence is deeply felt. I extend my heartfelt sympathies to all victims and assure them that they are not alone in this difficult period,” he remarked.
As the royal father of the affected town, the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun also expressed deep sorrow and heartfelt sympathy.
In a statement, the revered monarch described the incident as unfortunate and painful, noting that the destruction of homes, properties, and means of livelihood has brought untold hardship to many families. He acknowledged the emotional and economic toll the disaster has placed on victims and the entire community.
The Ataoja extended his sincere condolences to all those who suffered losses, praying that the Almighty grants them the strength and resilience to overcome this difficult period. He urged residents to remain calm, united, and supportive of one another, emphasizing the importance of community solidarity in times of adversity.
He also called on relevant government agencies and well-meaning individuals to provide immediate assistance and relief materials to those affected, in order to ease their suffering and facilitate quick recovery.
While assuring the people of his continuous prayers and fatherly support, the monarch encouraged residents to take precautionary measures, especially during this rainy season, to minimize future occurrences and protect lives and properties.
Kabiyesi concluded by reaffirming his unwavering commitment to the peace, progress, and wellbeing of Osogbo land, expressing hope that the city will soon recover and emerge stronger from this unfortunate incident.
The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company’s response to the emergency was a notification which alerted their customers and sought their understanding over the current power outage. The company blamed the rainstorm for the technical faults on Osogbo Township 33kv feeder.
“Our technical team is working to ensure power supply is restored. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience,” the statement read in part.
Before TheTabloid.net went to bed, our correspondents reliably were told that Governor Adeleke had been scheduled to host management of the electricity company on Thursday with a view to discussing public dissatisfaction over their performance and coming up with suggestions to restore public confidence in them.
Published on April 4, 2026
Leave a Reply