Latest update on Ikoyi Building collapse; fresh details surface concerning the 21-storey building collapse
Honestly, I have been filled with fears and tears ever since this news broke out. I am praying to God to take away those fears.
Seriously, people usually avoid the roads because of traffic, road accidents, and death that may occur due to these. So they prefer to work indoors. They opt for remote jobs.
Unfortunately, death has left the roads and air and has now moved inside people’s doors.
Such was the case of the inhabitants’ of an extremely raised building at Gerrard road, Ikoyi.
The inhabitants met their untimely death after the building, comprising 21 floors, collapsed in a second.
This sad incident happened on Monday, November 1, 2021.
There were over 50 people trapped in the building when it collapsed; about ten were rescued while 40 already died.
Fourscore Heights Limited Managing Director, Osibona owned the skyscraper. Obisona was on one of the building floors when it collapsed. He died along with his friend, Wale Bob-Oseni, whom he had invited.
Wale was on his way back to the United States of America when his bosom friend, Obisona, implored him to check out his 21-storey building project. Wale obliged but unfortunately met his untimely death. Wale was a USA based Nigerian businessman, a real estate dealer.
Before his death, Wale’s 29 years old sister, Damola Otunla, had been in tears, praying day and night for her brother to come out alive, but was shattered when she heard he did not make it out alive.
Obisona’s assistant, Oyinye Enekwe, was also trapped in the rubble and did not survive it.
Also trapped in the rubble were many Youth Corpers and I.T. students since the building was under construction.
The other deaths that have been identified so far are:
Youth Corper Zainab Oyindamola (The building collapsed 5 minutes after she walked in), an aluminium installer, his partner, Kenneth Otu, an engineer and pastor at Redeemed Christian Church of God, Living Water Parish, Ibafo, Ogun State, Ola Ogunfunwa.
Who is to be blamed for this building collapse?
- The Contractors?
- The Subcontractors?
- The Architects?
- The Builders?
- The Engineers?
- The Supervisors?
- Condo boards
- Other workers responsible for maintenance and repairs?
What do you all think?
It is really sad………………………
Here are reactions to the collapsed building and the reasons it collapsed:
- The developer flouted building permits.
- Obisona, the M.D of “Four score height limited”, was given an approval letter on April 5, 2019, with registration no IV/2019/D.O./033/67 and permit no DCB/DO/244IV on April 9, to build 15 floors, not 21 floors.
- The managing director of “Prowess Engineering Limited”, Muritala Olawale, was the first constructor for the floors.
- On February 20, 2020, he wrote to Osibona about their visions for the project not being similar again and executed the way it ought to; so, he withdrew his services.
- Olawalale Sikiru went for an interview in the building, but he did not make it to the next stage. The building collapsed two hours after he left.
- OAU (Obafemi Awolowo University) 400 level civil engineering student Sola and another friend went to buy food. They were yet to return when they learnt that the building had already collapsed.
- They cut corners
- They did not engage quality hands on a magnitude project.
- Barjcornell: Direct labour for this magnitude of a project! Without construction working drawings? Consultants and a PM? I had earlier asked if there was a civil contractor? For tall buildings in Nigeria, it’s either a Grade A company or none. I doubt the recently inaugurated Audit Panel Will get as much info as Dr Kem!! Well done!!!
- Ola_nottz: “Many Nigerian builders are on this page. I am a CSCS Certified Civil Engineer. I practised in the U.K. for 14years before relocating to Nigeria. Arriving in this country, I have realised builders don’t follow the health and safety on site. They use a very low profile with high-risk techniques in constructing a building. Take an example of constructing a Parapet design on a Building. Nigerians have deployed the habit of moulding the Parapet on the ground without any iron rods, then hanging it on the building wall like artwork. It is so unacceptable in terms of safety-wise. A parapet is meant to be carved with planks and woods, then later with irons and rods all around it connecting to the rods that come from all the pillars around the building. Then, granite or gravel ( depending on the capability of funds at hand) should be mixed with a certain amount of cement as concrete, then poured all around the Parapet and pillars without any break in between the concrete during the process. Parapet serves the same purpose as Beam on a Building. So, it shouldn’t be moulded on the ground with mere sand and cement.”
