Student’s death sparks protest at FUNAAB

Maria, a 400-Level Plant Physiology and Crop Production student of the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta (FUNAAB) Ogun State, died from injuries sustained in the accident on Camp-Alabata Road, a busy motorway that stretches to the institution’s main gate.

She was returning to her off-campus hostel at 7pm when the commercial motorcycle conveying her had a head-on collision with a cab. The motorcyclist died on the spot.
She was identified as a student on the scene of the accident by sympathisers, who called the Students’ Union Government (SUG) president, Dennis Nwenonye, to notify the school management. Told the severity of Maria’s injury, it was gathered that Dennis called other SUG leaders living off-campus to get her, while he rushed to the school Health Centre for an ambulance and doctor’s referral to take her to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Abeokuta.
The doctor on duty, it was learnt, refused to issue the referral, asking that Maria be brought to the clinic before he can refer her to the FMC. Dennis then spoke with the Dean of Students’ Affairs (DSA), who ordered the release of the ambulance to take Maria to the FMC.
Before the ambulance arrived, some students had taken Maria in the SUG bus to a private hospital where she was referred her to the FMC. But, a few minutes after her admission, she died.
Her death led to a protest by students, who accused the school management of negligence. The protesters, led by SUG leaders, demanded the sack of the Director of the Health Centre, saying the late Maria could have been saved had the medical staff responded to the situation in time.
The protesters demanded N50 million compensation for the bereaved family. They called for the dualisation of the Camp-Alabata Road, which they described as a death trap. They barricaded the school gate and marched on the Administrative Block to draw the management’s attention to their grievance.
Although the school is on holiday, lecturers and non-teaching staff, who had other activities on the campus, were prevented from entering.
Reacting, the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Olusola Oyewole, set up an investigative panel chaired by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academics, Prof Muftau Waheed, to probe the alleged negligence by the Health Centre staff.
The panel was given a week for the job. Its Secretary, Mr Bright Obiriwonsi, led the school delegation on a condolence visit to the late Maria’s parents.
It was gloomy at the 16 Alfa-Nda Street, Ilasamaja, Lagos home of bereaved parents. When CAMPUSLIFE visited the house last Friday, sympathisers were streaming to console them.
Her father, Mr Emmanuel Atere, a pastor, betrayed emotion as he recalled how he learnt about his daughter’s death. As he spoke with our reporter, his wife, Felicia, also a pastor, wept uncontrolly. She gazed at the ceiling, deep in thought.
“I call this tragic incident a trial of faith,” Pastor Atere said, wondering why his daughter suffered “that cruel fate”, despite being a born-again Christian.
He described the late Maria as a child of God, who did not bear grudge against anyone. “She loved God and her siblings. She was always cheerful and free with anyone,” he said.
Reliving how he received the news, Atere said “untimely death” was the least he expected in his household as he prepared to sleep that fateful day. He said he had just finished his night prayer when he got a telephone call from Victoria, his first daughter, at 9:45pm.
“Victoria said I should start praying for Maria. I asked what happened to her; she told me her sister was in a coma. I became restless immediately. I could not call my wife, because I did not know if she had been told Maria was in a coma. I later got to know she was told that Maria was sick. We started praying immediately. We held a vigil all through the night; I did not sleep.
“At 4am on Monday, a senior Redeemed Christian Church of God pastor called me and told me to start coming to Lagos. I asked if Maria had woken up from coma, he said she was still being attended to.
He said I should take the next available flight to Lagos… After a few minutes, the pastor sent money for a flight ticket into my account.
“My friend took me to the airport at 5am. I was crying as we approached the airport, because I knew something tragic must have happened. But, I continued praying to God to avert calamity in my family. After I landed in Lagos, my son joined me and we departed for Abeokuta immediately.
“I met other family members with the Catholic Bishop of Abeokuta Diocese and pastor of the church Maria attended. They took me to a mortuary and I was surprised. When I asked what was happening, they said my daughter was in the mortuary. At this point, I broke into tears and lost my memory. I could recall the Bishop led another prayer session at the mortuary to call back Maria’s spirit, but she did not wake up.”
Atere said the Bishop told him his daughter’s last words were: “I am in severe pain, let me go and rest in the bosom of Christ.” Atere said he is consoled that Maria died knowing Christ.
On the allegation that Maria died because of the school’s tardiness, Atere said he left everything to God to judge. “It is only God that can wipe away our tears. Whatever the school authorities have to say would be in their own favour. We don’t ask for any compensation; it would have been our joy if she was honoured while she was alive,” he said.