In a suburban neighborhood in Imo, Ilesa, nestled amidst quaint houses and bustling streets, stands an abandoned fire station—a relic of the past, now a haunting reminder of neglected safety measures. For years, its once vibrant red doors have remained shut, its windows darkened by layers of dust and neglect.
As the community grew, so did its concerns about the abandoned fire station. With each passing day, whispers of discontent turned into cries for action. Citizens, fueled by a sense of urgency and determination, banded together to demand government attention.
The abandoned fire station became a symbol of the government’s failure to prioritize public safety.
It stood as a stark reminder of the consequences of neglecting essential services.
Driven by their collective determination, citizens have called the attention of government, urging them to heed their pleas and breathe life back into the dormant station.
‘We have no fuel; get out’ Federal and State Fire Services in Ilesa respond to alarms or calls.
I am afraid of Nigeria. Osun
I visited a longtime friend who just got back from a trip. His residence is located at No. 64, Odundun Street, Ilesa, Osun State. Barely 45 minutes after I arrived at his home, I heard a loud cry from her neighbor. When we got out, we discovered that fire was razing down the house, and the other houses had been touched.
Ilesa has two fire service outlets. Both the Federal Fire Service and the State Fire Service. I surfed the internet, and I copied three phone numbers (08052318259, 08072277068, and 08039440354) from the official website of the state government. Only one of these three numbers—the MTN, to be precise—went through. I called the number five times, and as of the time of writing this piece, the handler has not called back.
I later got the number of the Federal Fire Service, who picked up my call at once but bitterly complained that there’s no fuel to drive down to the scene of the fire incident. He told me that they have been off duty for a while, and there’s nothing they can do. He also requested that I pass his message down to the comptroller.
I was struggling to understand the comment of this fire service agent when a strange number called me. At 4:17 p.m., I dropped the call and initiated another call purposefully. He introduced himself as the Ilesa coordinator of the state fire service, 08063596429. I told him that I had called three numbers on the state website, but there was no response. He told me that they have two numbers, and they have been blocked. I told him that there was a number that went through, and it has not been blocked.
I told him the location of the fire incident and appealed that he should forget about whatever happened and come down to the scene to quench the fire and help these vulnerable people in this time of harsh economic times. He told me that they could not come to the scene. When I asked him why, he told me that the location is not near and the truck may suffer damages because people are suffering at the moment. I was trying to assure him of my safety when he shut me down. He said, ‘GET OUT’.
The State Fire Service is located at Ereja Square, Roundabout. The residence is located at Odundun Street, Ilesa. The distance should be barely 12 minutes by car. The house is populated by four people. A single mother with three kids, an unemployed adult, a struggling young adult, and the house owner who’s barely surviving with rent.
Truly, fire is a disaster, and we cannot hold either the state or agency responsible for it. However, the quick response of the fire service could have saved the situation.
Conclusively, I spotted a fire truck at 4:42 p.m. at a popular CAC church after a fire completely razed the entire building and made tenants poorer. Despite efforts of this writer and others, we could not rescue properties from damages. It is indeed a sad experience.
This act of disservice is annoying and infuriating and should be utterly condemned.
God will grant those who lost their properties the fortitude to bear the loss. And I say to you again that the Federal Fire Service and the State Fire Service are not for you.
Please be careful!
Sodiq Lawal Chocomilo
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