Delegates of the Executive Council of Adekunle Ajasin University Alumni Association led by the Worldwide President, Mr. Kunle Adetoba, on Monday, paid a condolence visit to the monarch of the host community of the Institution, Akungba Akoko, Oba Sunday Adeyeye Ajimo III, over the last Saturday accident involving a truck conveying bags of rice which rammed into a road side market, killing 22 and leaving 18 others seriously injured.
Mr. Adetoba described the ill-fated incidence as an irreparable loss to not just the family of the victims, but also the Akungba Community, the University Community and Ondo State. He commiserated with the Akungba Community and the families of the victims, praying God for divine consolations.
The President, who was represented by the Chairman of the Akungba Branch of the Association, Dr. Layi Oladipupo, however, called on the relevant authorities, including the Ondo State Governor, to relocate traders in the market where the accident took place from the present location (road sides) to the primary location of the market (Atiba market).
Other measures recommended by the alumni body to prevent such gory incidence in the future include, restricting traffic time for trucks plying the road from 10:00PM to 6:00AM; barricading the road sides; and upgrading the road to a dual carriage status.
In his response, the Alale of Akungba, Oba Sunday Adeyeye Ajimo III, who received the delegates in his palace alongside his chiefs, thanked the alumni body for identifying with the community in this trying time, described the accident as Akungba massacre that is too much to bear.
The Monarch noted that the State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has already approved the relocation of the market from the road side, and compensations to the families of the victims.
He said the state government was also considering construction of barricades along the sides of the road.
Meanwhile, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, has revealed to the delegates of the alumni body who had a stop-over in his office, that the University has started the process establishing a Mammy Market within the campus.
Prof. Ige said, “already, we have set up committee which has two weeks timeline to come up with what the University could do to mitigate future occurrence. Besides that, we have also moved to establish a Mammy Market on campus. The space should be ready before we ask our students to resume to campus.”