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OAU Student Slumps, Dies Playing Football, Friends Accuse Health Centre of Negligence
A student of the Obafemi Awolowo University has been confirmed dead after he collapsed while playing football.
Omotola Akorede Kayode, a 300-level student of Microbiology, died on Friday morning after he slumped on a football pitch.
While the University authorities issued a statement saying all efforts to resuscitate the student failed, witnesses told PREMIUM TIMES his death was caused by ‘negligence’ at the University’s health centre.
A statement by the University Registrar, Margaret Omasule, said all medical measures taken to save the student’s life proved abortive.
“We regret to inform the university community that one of our students, a part three student in the Department of Microbiology, Omotola Akorede Kayode, died suddenly this morning, Friday, 17th of May, 2019.
“The report had it that the student was playing football with his colleagues when he suddenly slumped. He was subsequently rushed to the health centre where he was confirmed dead on arrival. All resuscitation measures proved abortive,” she said.
‘Not true’
Students who witnessed the incident told PREMIUM TIMES the victim was not ‘well attended’ to at the health centre.
One of the students who pleaded anonymity because of fear of victimisation told PREMIUM TIMES on Friday that: “Korede collapsed on the pitch; after, he was rushed down to the health centre immediately but he wasn’t given attention.”
Another student, a friend of the deceased also corroborated this.
“Korede slumped on OAU training pitch this morning. We were playing a novelty match. He was playing left back, and he was standing alone when he fell down, nobody touched him, he was standing with his fellow defenders.
“He slumped and started having breathing difficulty. We tried to give him CPR but nobody had much knowledge about it. Just after a few minutes, he was rushed to the health centre immediately in a fellow student’s car.
“He was still alive and fighting to catch his breath when we got to the health centre. He died at the health centre and not before getting there.”
In the victim’s last post on WhatsApp, he waxed philosophical, while commenting on rising suicide cases amongst students.
“See suicide skyrocketing over relationship shots, school results and JAMB results. You all whom this thing seems so important to, should better take heed and talk to people about it- NOTHING IS WORTH DYING FOR,” the post read.
Past incidents
In December 2018, a student, Abiodun Babatola died at the OAU teaching hospital due to alleged negligence after a robbery attack.
A year ago, a final year pharmacy student of OAU, Yusuf Abidoye, also died of abdominal pain.
His close friend, Oluwasanya Akanmu, a 500-Level pharmacy student, recounted how the deceased battled to stay alive.
He blamed Mr Yusuf’s death on the then strike by university health workers who are members of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU).
Premium Times
World-renowned boxer Anthony Joshua on Monday survived a ghastly road accident in Makun, Ogun State.
Eyewitnesses report that the incident occurred along a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The vehicle carrying Joshua, a Lexus Jeep with the number plate, KRD 850 HN, reportedly collided with a stationary truck under circumstances that are still being investigated.
Joshua reportedly sustained minor injuries, while two persons were said to have died on the spot.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has cautioned that any attempt to hurriedly re‑gazette Nigeria’s new tax laws could undermine parliamentary oversight and set a dangerous constitutional precedent.
Atiku’s warning follows public scrutiny over reports that the Tax Reform Acts signed by President Bola Tinubu differ from the versions passed by the National Assembly. Lawmakers, including Abdussamad Dasuki, raised concerns that the alterations could pose serious legal and constitutional risks, noting that they were not backed by any constitutional framework.
In a statement on X, Atiku said the directive to re-gazette the Acts effectively confirms “that the gazetted version of the Tinubu Tax Act does not reflect what was duly passed by the National Assembly,” calling it “a grave constitutional issue.”
He emphasized that under Section 58 of the 1999 Constitution, a bill only becomes law after passage by both chambers, presidential assent, and gazetting.
“Gazetting is merely an administrative act of publication. It does not create, amend, or validate a law,” Atiku said, adding that any post-passage insertion, deletion, or modification without legislative approval constitutes forgery rather than a clerical error.
Atiku further warned that rushing a re-gazetting while legislative investigations are ongoing “undermines parliamentary oversight and sets a dangerous precedent,” stressing that the only lawful approach is “fresh legislative consideration, re-passage by both chambers, fresh presidential assent, and proper gazetting.”
The former vice president clarified that his position is not opposition to tax reform but a defence of constitutional order.
“This is a defence of the integrity of the legislative process and a rejection of any attempt to normalise constitutional breaches through procedural shortcuts,” he said.
The Federal government has denied wrongdoing, insisting the laws will take effect as scheduled on January 1, 2026, while the National Assembly has directed the issuance of Certified True Copies of the Acts to ensure clarity and accuracy.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Candidate in the 2023 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, is set to formally join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on December 31, 2025.
The development would put to rest months of speculation about where the former Governor of Anambra State would pitch his tent in the coming elections.
Reports claim that Obi would be defecting with serving senators and other lawmakers elected on the platform of the LP, as well as remnants of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the South East region.
Specifically, Obi would be defecting alongside the Senator representing Anambra Central, Victor Umeh; that of Anambra North, Tony Nwoye; Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe; PDP chieftain Ben Obi; and members of the Obidient movement in the region.
It is not clear if the Abia State governor, Alex Otti, is part of the planned movement to the ADC.
The governor was recently approached by the PDP to join the party and re-contest his current position in 2027.
Further reports quoted Obi’s spokesperson, Valentine Obienyem, as confirming the planned defection of his boss to the ADC.
“Yes, it is true,” he reportedly said on Sunday.
Senator Umeh said the event would hold in Enugu, adding that it would involve all Obi’s supporters across the South East region.
“They will come from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Imo states to join those in Enugu, where this exercise will hold on 31st December,” he reportedly added.
Sources hinted that Obi, who has not hidden his intention to appear on the ballot in 2027, would contest the presidential ticket of the ADC.
On his part, Chief Chekwas Okorie, reportedly said that the expected formal defection of Obi to the ADC is a healthy development that could reshape the thinking and permutations of the 2027 general elections.
“I imagine that he would be defecting along with most of his associates and followers. I believe that a fortified and strong ADC will add value to the opposition and assuage the general fear of a possible one-party option to Nigerians come 2027. The APC, ADC and possibly the PDP locking horns in the 2027 democratic encounter promises a vibrant and robust electioneering campaign that will provide Nigerians the required options to make informed choices in electing their preferred leaders at all levels. I imagine that the APC leadership will return to the drawing table to map out the strategy to confront the emerging challenge. Nigerians are in interesting times,” Okorie stated.
National President of Njiko Igbo Forum (NIF), Rev Okechukwu Obioha, vouched support for Obi to ensure he reaches the pinnacle of his political career. He, however, cautioned that the ADC should not compromise merit and integrity in the choice of its presidential candidate, stressing that Obi remains the “hope for the restoration of the country on the path of greatness.”
