October 01, (THEWILL) – Students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) on Friday staged a protest over the institution’s culpability in the death of Adeshina Aishat.
The students alleged that Aishat, a final-year student of foreign languages, died due to negligence by the institution’s health workers.
One of the students who spoke with newsmen said Aishat was having breathing complications but was not given the necessary attention until the matter got worse.
The student said: “She was later transferred to Seventh Day Adventist Hospital, where she eventually died.”
The institution’s students union has called on the management to investigate the matter.
A statement issued by Ogunperi Taofeek Olalekan, Public Relations Officer-elect of the Union, reads: “Adesina Aishat, a 400 level student at the Department of Foreign Languages, just joined the list of many students who have lost their lives due to “negligence” at the Health Centre of the University. It saddens our heart that a member of our Union has to be returned home as a corpse when her family expects her to be a graduate with prospects.
“We send our condolences to the family of the deceased. But while we mourn Aishat, we cannot lose sight of the circumstances that led to her death, especially the role of the University Health Center. Aishat’s death is not the first to happen due to negligence of duties by the workers at the Health Center. It is only one out of many.
“Enough is enough.
“We call on the University Management to investigate this death and punish all health workers who failed in performing their duties when Aishat needed attendance which they failed to give but only transferred her in her last moments to Seventh Day Hospital where she eventually died. Without a proper and quick investigation (one which must actively involve and be communicated to students) and punishment meted, the University Management will be putting the lives of students in danger. We cannot let our lives become toys. We will have to protest this, as we cannot afford to keep losing our lives like fowls.
“As we await the University’s reactions and actions to this sad occurrence, we urge all Union members to see this incident not as a loss to the family of Aishat, her class, department or faculty, but as a loss to all students of the University. We solicit your support as we demand justice to be done in memory of Aishat and many others like her. It was Aishat today, it could be anyone tomorrow. We cannot wait until another sad occurrence like this happens. Our lives matter!”
