Africa-Press – Nigeria. Members of the family of Babalola in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital were on Thursday November 10, this year thrown into mourning when one of their kinsmen met his untimely death.
The deceased, Bolaji Babalola, died as a result of injuries he sustained when a warehouse under construction collapsed.
The young, but hardworking Babalola died as a result of the injuries he sustained during the incident.
The warehouse collapsed on a Mosque and a structure within another compound which led to the death of Babalola.
Babalola was not only the person who sustained injuries, but he was only the person who died as a result of the incident.
Another person, Segun Abajingin was seriously injured.
Several other people have also lost their lives as a result of incessant building collapses that have been occurring in some parts of the country, including Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Many other people have also sustained permanent injuries as a result of incessant building collapses in some parts of the ancient city.
DAILY POST reports that no fewer than four cases of building collapses have been recorded in Ibadan this year.
Another building under construction caved in, in the early hours of Thursday, September 8, 2022.
The building is located at the Awosika area within Ibadan North Local Government Area.
Seven persons were said to have been rescued from the rubble of the building.
Also, a three-storey edifice collapsed in the early hours of Monday 3rd October, 2022.
The building is situated at Adabor Junction, in the Ashi area of Ibadan, Ward 5, Ibadan North Local Government Area.
It was gathered that property worth millions of naira were destroyed when the building collapsed but no life was lost in the incident.
Sources said the building housed a pharmacy, supermarket and a church.
Experts and stakeholders in the state have expressed mixed reactions over the ugly development.
Incompetency, substandard materials causing building collapse- SON
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria, (SON) in its reaction, said incompetency and substandard materials applied to minimise cost of production are the major factors causing building collapse in the ancient city.
SON coordinator in Oyo State, Adetoye Adeyinka, made this disclosure while reacting to the recent building collapse in the State.
He urged contractors to always reach out to relevant and certified agencies for sensitisation and advice on how to go about construction of standard storey-building.
National Focal Point (Nigeria), Global Network of CSOs on Disaster Reduction, Mr. Kolawole Amusat-Gbenla while speaking, regretted that building collapses, especially in Lagos and Abuja, are now common phenomena in Ibadan.
He described it as a sad development.
“Building collapses as we have experienced in many parts of the country, especially in Lagos and Abuja, and now a common phenomenon in Ibadan is a very sad development which could have been averted.
“They are not induced by natural hazards which means they are as a result of our negligence by not following the National Building Codes, the use of substandard materials, attempting to cut corners, contracting quacks as building engineers at the expense of certified engineers and builders.
“So what I can say as a Disaster Risk Management Expert is that ‘we are our own enemies’. This is more reason all persons found culpable of compromising quality constructions should be seriously dealt with by the relevant authorities.
“One other thing is that the supervisory roles of relevant government authorities too are compromised these days, which allow the so-called ‘not qualified building contractors’ having their ways.
“We can reduce the risk of further building collapses across the countries by doing the right thing, I am sure we all know the right thing to do. We need to enforce building codes to letters, monitor every developer to ensure the right professionals who will use the standard building materials in the right proportions are engaged.
“We also need to find a way to stop ‘quackery’ in the building profession; there are many roadside ‘bricklayers’ parading themselves as professional builders, but with no proof of certifications. Also, stringent punishment should be enforced for cutting corners, if we are really serious about reducing the risks of building collapses.”
An Estate Surveyor and Valuer, Mr. Lekan Ogunrinde explained that incessant building collapses is as a result of a number of reasons.
He attributed incidents of building collapses to faults from both the owners of property and the workers.
Ogunrinde made these disclosures during a chat with DAILY POST in Ibadan.
He said, “The incidents of building collapse in recent times is as a result of a number of reasons.
“It may be as a result of the client and the materials. The fault is from the professionals and the clients”.
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