We no longer allow people to get closer to the mountain where cows died. Everywhere is now smelling and we need to be careful.
Following the death of 36 cows at Ijare in Ifedore Local Council Area of Ondo State by thunderstorm on Saturday, an offensive odour has swept across the community.
The odour, if not quickly checked, might result into an epidemic, according to residents of the area, who raised the alarm on Wednesday.
Our correspondent, who visited the community on Wednesday, observed that many of the town's residents living close to the site of the incident, had abandoned their homes.
Mr John Ajayi, a resident of the community, told SaharaReporters that the smell oozing from the site of the tragedy was dangerous to human health, noting that the government has to urgently intervene.
"We no longer allow people to get closer to the mountain where cows died. Everywhere is now smelling and we need to be careful.
"We are appealing to the state government to urgently visit the community and help us out to prevent possible outbreak of epidemic in the community.[story_link align="left"]74388[/story_link]
Ms Funmilola Lawrence, a petty trader in the community, said that the incident had already given the people of Ijare a bad name.
She said, "It is sad that an incident like this could occured but it has given us a bad name that we people in Ijare a bad set of people but we are not.
"So, we are advising strangers to ask questions whenever they come into our community to avoid what could be described as a taboo on the land."
It was reliably gathered that the community's traditional ruler was set to perform some rituals in order to appease the gods.
They have already met with the Fulani herdsmen through the head of the Mayetti Allah.
Traditional ruler of the town said that it was against the traditions of the community for people to turn the Oke-Owa Hill into a grazing land.
He said, "Oke-owa is a sacred place and our people know that you can’t just go there the way you like.
"As traditional ruler of the town, l go there once in a year and l don’t even go there alone.
“For me, it is an act of God for the thunderstorm to strike and kill those cows because the land is forbidden."