A fire destroyed a 12-room bungalow belonging to 95-year-old Matthew Jayeola in the Oke Osun area of Ikere-Ekiti on Tuesday. Governor Biodun Oyebanji expressed sympathy during a Wednesday visit to the site, represented by Deputy Governor Monisade Afuye. The governor attributed the blaze to human negligence, citing cooking inside a room as the likely cause, and warned against such practices, calling them unhygienic and dangerous. He pledged relief materials for the victims and reiterated the government's commitment to citizens' welfare.
Oyebanji commended local officials, including House of Representatives member Rufus Ojuawo, Ikere Local Government Chairman Olu Adamolekun, Ikere West LCDA Chairman Rufus Olorunfemi, and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), for donating 20 bundles of iron sheets and 10 bags of cement to support rebuilding. Ekiti SEMA General Manager Oludare Asaolu confirmed the fire was man-made, triggered by a resident's carelessness, and said fire services responded promptly after he was alerted Tuesday evening. Jayeola, though displaced with family and tenants, expressed relief that no lives were lost and appealed to the government for help to rebuild.
Governor Oyebanji's visit and sympathy mean little if warnings about indoor cooking remain just speeches. The fact that a 95-year-old man now depends on charity and government handouts to rebuild shows systemic failure in housing and disaster preparedness. When preventable fires keep destroying homes, the real issue isn't caution—it's the lack of safe, affordable living spaces for elderly citizens. This incident won't change anything unless enforcement and public infrastructure catch up with rhetoric.
