Activities at the Uniuversity of Ibadan in Oyo State broke down in the early hours of Thursday, May 7, 2015 when the students of the University took to the streets to protest the death of a student due to an alleged negligence by the University Health Center.
The students thronged out en masse as they blocked the gates of Nigeria’s premier higher institution denying motorists entrance into the school. Neighboring areas like Agbowo and Sango also had their fair share of the peaceful protest of the enraged students as they blocked the major road in front of the school.
Alaran Mayowa Muslihudeen, a 200 level student of Human Kinetics department who died suddenly on Wednesday, May 6, 2015 in his Hall of Residence, Independence Hall.
The student was reported to have slumped while watching the Champions League Semifinal clash between Bayern Munich and Barcelona FC in the Junior Common Room. He was however rushed to the University Health Center, JAJA Clinic where he was reported to have given up the ghost.
Students alleged that the Staff of JAJA Clinic were negligent and lackadaisical in the discharge of their duties and stated this claim as the main reason for the painful loss. Mayowa was said to have suffered an asthmatic attack due to suffocation and was not attended to properly at the University Clinic.
As students poured out their grievances and gained national media attention, our correspondent contacted the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Isaac Folorunsho Adewole to confirm the veracity of the development. Prof. Adewole said that the University had decided to set up a panel to investigate the reported claim about the negligence of the University Clinic.
In his reply by SMS, the vice chancellor said: “We recorded an unfortunate loss and decided to set up a panel to investigate. Please wait for the panel to submit a report to Management. Please bear with us in our moment of grief”. The protest paralyzed all activities on campus on Thursday; the school is however expected to return to normalcy today, Friday, May 8, 2015.
