Blame Game Ensues Over Suspected Food Poisoning Incident in Osun State
The Osun State Government and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have engaged in a heated exchange of blame following an incident of suspected food poisoning that affected about 18 pupils of James Primary School B, Osogbo, Osun State, under the government’s free school feeding program.
The victims, treated in hospitals on Monday after consuming the mid-day meal served at school, prompted panic among parents as videos of the affected pupils in hospital beds circulated on social media.
According to reports, the pupils, after consuming rice with egg during lunchtime, experienced complications, leading to stool-related illnesses.
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Concerned mothers noted a foul smell from the egg their children were served and observed the children falling ill shortly after returning from school.
Osun State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Dipo Eluwole, revealed that despite over 100 pupils consuming the food, only about 11 within the same compound were affected.
He explained that when officials visited the school, the affected pupils were writing examinations. Upon completion, plans to transport them to a hospital were refused by their parents, with one pupil diagnosed with malnutrition.
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Eluwole indicated suspicion of political motives behind the incident, claiming that the opposition might exploit the situation. He mentioned an alleged involvement of a card-carrying APC member, ‘Boda Wasiu,’ orchestrating statements from parents on camera.
In response, Osun APC chairman, Mr. Tajudeen Lawal, admonished Governor Ademola Adeleke, attributing the incident to substandard food supplied to the pupils under the feeding program. He criticized the alleged paltry allocation per pupil for meals and emphasized the need for better quality control.
Lawal condemned the laissez-faire approach to governance, suggesting a connection between the suspected poisoning and the quality of food provided under the program, calling for collective condemnation of Governor Adeleke’s governance style.
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The incident has sparked a political row, with accusations and counter-accusations between the state government and the opposition, underscoring the need for thorough investigations to ascertain the cause and prevent similar occurrences in the future.
