ACADEMIC activities were paralysed at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Ondo state, on Friday, following a protest by students of the institution over the death of their colleague, Ayomide Akeredolu.
Akeredolu, a 500 Level student of the school, was said to have slumped inside the hall of residence.
The deceased, who was planning to write his final exam, was immediately rushed to the institution’s health centre but gave up the ghost on arrival.
His death angered the students who mobilised to block the front of their school on the Akure/Ilesha express road for several hours.
They alleged that Akeredolu died due to the lack of basic amenities in the school’s health centre.
However, the protest forced commuters and motorists plying the expressed road to use alternative routes.
Speaking with this newspaper, an eyewitness and student of the school who pleaded not to be mentioned, said, “He (Akeredolu) slumped while in his hostel at Akindeko Hall of residence and was rushed to the University Health Centre (a proposed University Teaching Hospital), due to the lack of basic amenities, he lost his life at the university clinic.
“We rushed him to the health centre around 8:30 pm, when we got there, there was a power outage, and throughout the oxygen set up, CPR and injections they gave him, the light wasn’t restored, we had to use our flashlights, it was also hard to believe that there is no backup power supply.
“Sequel to the incident, the health centre refused to attend to another student, a former FUTASU Vice President who was in a critical condition and needed emergency attention but because she wasn’t with her ID CARD, no one attended to her.”
But in a swift reaction, the institution’s management, which condoled with the family of the deceased, said Akeredolu was brought in dead.
The management, in a statement released by its Spokesman, Adegbenro Adebanjo, said it was important to point out that the protest was not directly related to the death of the student.
“He was brought in dead. Efforts to resuscitate him through Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and oxygen therapy proved abortive. He was subsequently taken to the UNIMED Teaching Hospital, Akure by the medical personnel on duty inside the University ambulance.”
“Understandably, his friends and colleagues are devastated by the sad Development. The management joins them in mourning at this very difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers are with our students and the bereaved family.
“It is important to point out that the protest was not directly related to the death of the student.
“The representatives of the students, at a meeting with Management called at the behest of the Vice Chancellor, pointed out some lacuna in the process of accessing services at the Health Centre. The Management in the course of the meeting directed that immediate remedial measures be taken to address the lacuna and other issues raised by the students.
“The corrective measures will be reviewed from time to time to ensure that they are being implemented to the letter,and satisfaction of the students.”