Barely six days after the fire incident that razed four shops and goods with one badly affected valued at millions of naira, at the Robinson Gbagi Plaza on Deco Road, Warri south local government area of Delta State, owner of GKO Property Limited, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi FNIM, OON, has fulfilled a secret promise by doling out cash palliative to shop owners cum occupants of the Plaza, as the victims of the inferno lauded the gesture on the support for them to return to business and move ahead with their lives.
Gbagi, the governorship candidate on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in the March 18th general election in the State, is the owners of all major malls in the State, a conglomerate reputed as the single largest private sector employer of labour.
It would be recall that on Friday 15th March 2024, fire gutted some shops in the Shopping Mall situated at Deco Road, Warri, the Commercial hub of the State but was quickly put off by the State Fire Service personnel.
Two days after the inferno, the well known philanthropist, had secretly promised to visit the Plaza to sympathize with the victims and give them a shocking surprise of financial assistance to cushion the effect of the disaster and enable them bounce back on their feet.
The former Minister of State for Education, who described the incident as unfortunate and heartbreaking, despite the challenges occasioned by the hardship, gave cash gifts to those that were affected by the inferno.
The traders who could not hide their joy when Gbagi, visited them, expressed gratitude to the ‘notorious’ industrialist renowned for wiping out tears from the faces of the less privilege.
The senior lawyer cum Criminologist, disclosed that the purpose of the visit was to ascertain the remote cause and level of damage and offer assistance to ameliorate their lost.
He was accompanied by the Deputy Governorship candidate, Chief Mrs. Rosemary Oshilim, and a host of others during the visit.
The Catholic devotee, appreciated God that no life was lost to the inferno and consoled the victims.
The security expert, said, “I came to console you. I know how you are feeling, you cannot burn your shop deliberately.
“I am happy that a lot of people have built their houses and shops while doing business here, yet they are comfortable remaining here in Deco Road Plaza for the good fortunes.
“Anyone who wanted to loot that day must have been so disappointed over the proactive and quick measures we deployed.
“Fire service was on the ground to put off the fire while security operatives were available to prevent looting. No casualties and no fatalities were recorded. We are grateful to God about that”.
He then donated the sum of N500,000 to the most affected person whose shop was burnt, as an immediate intervention to cushion the effect of the inferno.
He gave directive to the Chairman of the shopping mall, Comrade Daniel Akintoye to expedite action and change the roofs of all the buildings at the mall with new ones and as well restore stable electricity to the Plaza.
Receiving the cash gift, Mr. Wisdom Ekuruemu, who was filled with tears of joy thanked Gbagi for the timely intervention.
Mr. Wisdom, while narrating the situation, said; “I was out of town when I heard that my shop was on fire and I received several calls from different persons, including a Hausa man who is a tricycle operator called to inform me that my shop was on fire, there was nothing I could do”.
Earlier, chairman of the mall, Comrade Daniel Akintoye thanked Gbagi and his entourage for coming to empathize with them.
He stated that thousands of youths earn their living by doing business at the mall, “Robinson Plaza is the shell and Chevron of Delta youths”.
Feelers received before Gbagi, arrived at the Plaza, indicated that of terror as some thought Gbagi, was coming to heap blames on them and evict them from the mall as a result of the fire outbreak.
However, upon his arrival he changed the narrative for good, doling out cash to the most affected victim to get back to business.
It was gathered that four shops were affected while one was mostly affected.
