Daud Olatunji
On Thursday, a wave of protest surged through the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), following the tragic death of a student, Ayodele Israel.
The incident has sparked accusations of negligence against the university’s medical officials by the student body, who believe this alleged negligence led to the demise of the 100-level Agricultural Economics and Farm Management (AEFM) student at the College of Agricultural Management and Rural Development (COLAMRUD).
The protesting students, carrying placards demanding justice, threatened a confrontation with the school authorities over Ayodele’s death.
They claimed that the campus medical staff failed in their duties, which they believe directly contributed to the tragic outcome.
In response, Olasunkanmi Olajide, the Acting Head of the Directorate of Public Relations at FUNAAB, issued a statement denying any culpability on the part of the medical staff.
Olajide confirmed the student’s death but attributed the unfortunate outcome to the actions of Ayodele’s friends, whom he accused of handling the situation unprofessionally.
According to the statement titled “Tragic Loss of Ayodele Israel Ifeoluwa: FUNAAB’s Response and Actions,” Ayodele suffered a severe asthmatic attack while off-campus.
Olajide explained, “In an unprofessional attempt to help, his friends inserted a spoon into his mouth and poured water on him to resuscitate him. Subsequently, efforts were made to find a motorcycle (Okada) to transport him to the University Health Centre.”
Olajide further detailed the sequence of events, noting that upon Ayodele’s arrival at the health center, medical staff, including doctors, a matron, and nurses, attended to him immediately.
However, they determined that Ayodele had already passed away before reaching the health center.
He expressed regret over the situation, acknowledging that the outcome might have been different had an ambulance been called instead of resorting to an Okada for transportation.
In the wake of Ayodele’s death, the university management took swift action to address the students’ concerns and maintain order.
Olajide stated, “This morning, in their grief and emotional state, students gathered to protest.
Olajide said the University Management, including staff members, promptly intervened to ensure calm and order.”
It was gathered that Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, the Vice-Chancellor of FUNAAB, personally met with Ayodele’s parents to express condolences and offer support.
The university has also constituted a committee to thoroughly investigate the incident, aiming to determine the immediate and underlying causes and to understand the circumstances to prevent future occurrences.
Olajide concluded the statement by expressing the university’s commitment to assisting Ayodele’s family with burial arrangements and extending thoughts and prayers to his family, friends, and the entire university community during this period of mourning.
The protest and subsequent response highlight the intense emotions and urgent calls for accountability within the university community.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the investigation initiated by the university management is expected to shed light on the incident and provide necessary measures to avert such tragedies in the future.
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