Ondo: Mother, three children die after amala meal

Tragedy has occurred in Isua Akoko,  in Akoko South East  Local Government  Area of Ondo State, as a woman and her three children lost their lives after eating a meal of yam flour (amala).

A member of the family, Hon. Adesina Ayodeji, told newsmen on Friday that the woman, whom he simply identified as Mrs. Folorunso, bought the yam flour from Isua Market and used it to prepare the meal for the family on that fateful day.

Ayodeji said shortly after taking the amala, the nine members of the family who ate from it became unconscious and  were immediately rushed to the Local Government Health Centre by neighbours, where first aid was administered on them.

He said that one of the children died at the health centre and on the same day, when their case was not improving, they  were rushed to the  State Specialist Hospital, Ikare-Akoko. He said the victims were later taken to a private hospital in Ikare Akoko where they were attended to before  another child died.

According to him, the rest of the victims were referred to the Federal  Medical  Centre, Owo, for renal diagnosis as the suspected poison was said to have damaged their intestines and kidneys.

It was gathered that the family decided to seek spiritual help when medical intervention failed to improve the situation and the victims were said to have been taken to a church for prayers, but the development resulted in the death of another child.

The father of the deceased children, Mr. Abiloye Folorunso, and four other children reportedly survived the food poisoning.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ondo State Police Command, Mr. Wole Ogodo, said he was aware of the incident but had not been officially informed by the Isua Police Division.

He said, “ I am aware of the incident by hearsay but I have not been formally briefed by the Divisional Police Station in Isua Akoko up till now.”