Fresh facts have emerged on the circumstances that led to the death of a 48-year-old artisan, Seun-Tijani Atepasile, who fell from a water tank he was repairing on top of a building situated in Gbagada, Lagos.

The news of the incident and eventual demise of Seun-Tijani Atepasile filtered out on December 6, 2021.

It was learnt that Atepasile had been contacted by one Lanre Okunade, a tenant in the said building, to carry out repairs on the leaking water tank mounted on top of the building.

Unfortunately, that particular job would be his last as he was reported to have slipped from the top of the water tank and fell heavily to the ground, thereby sustaining grave injuries to his head and some parts of his body.

It was gathered that Atepasile, a father of four, died as a result of the injuries he sustained.

Three hospitals rejected him after which he was taken to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba where he passed on the following day.

Wife’s account

Mrs Tijani Atepasile, wife of the deceased, who could not hold back tears, spoke to Sunday Vanguard, saying her husband died inside ambulance at LUTH premises six hours after he was brought to the hospital without being attended to.

“He was given water and juice drink while screaming in pains by Lanre Okunade’s wife who is a medical doctor, optician by profession at LUTH”, she said.

“I was in the market when my brother-in-law called to say my husband had an accident where he went to carry out repairs at a building and that I should come to LUTH

“Immediately I rushed down to the hospital. On getting there, I met my husband in an ambulance screaming in pains without being attended to, not even first aid was administered on him.

“The only thing I heard Lanre Okunade’s wife saying was that there was no bed space.

“If my husband had been taken to a private hospital he wouldn’t have died”.

Lamenting, Festus Aighu, the artisan’s colleague, agreed with Atepasile’s widow, saying if the deceased had been attended to or taken to a private hospital he could have made it.

“On the day of the incident both of us were supposed to have gone for the repairs but I went for another work”, he said.

“When we received a called that he had an accident, we rushed down to the said building, rescued him and took him to three different hospitals.

“Unfortunately all three hospitals rejected him due to the severe injuries he sustained; we then took him to LUTH where he was abandoned inside the ambulance until he gave up the ghost.”

Another tenant in the building where the artisan fell, who did not want his name mentioned, blamed the occupant who invited Atepasile for disobeying all forewarnings about the said property and thus jeopardizing the life of the ill-fated artisan.

“What happened in that house is quite unfortunate but preventable. Merely looking at that property, one would easily notice the terrible state it is in. If care is not taken, we might be hearing another case of building collapse”, he stated.

“I think that tenant should be held responsible for the death of the artisan because he knew the state of the house yet he engaged that innocent man to work there.”

Mr John Adewale, another occupant, blamed the tenant for the incident.

His words: “This is a clear case of negligence and wickedness. Why would any person ignore all expert warnings and still go ahead to carry out repairs on a decaying structure without obtaining proper approvals?

“This is indeed a sad development that the police need to thoroughly investigate”.

It was learnt the accident occurred around 4pm, but the victim was only taken to Lagos University Teaching Hospital at 10pm after being rejected at three different hospitals due to the severity of the injuries he sustained and claim of no bed space by the lawyer’s wife who is a staff member at LUTH.

He gave up the ghost at about 3am the following day.

Brother of the deceased, Mr Kabiru Atepasile, said “proper medical attention was not given to my brother and he died in pains”.

“Even while at LUTH, he was only given water and juice”, Kabiru said.

“He screamed all through due to pains coupled with the massive wound on his head, yet no one attended to him.

“To make matters worse, my brother was not allotted any bed space or registered for the hours he spent in the hospital.

“The occupant who engaged him in the first place did not help matters.

“He sat in his car outside the medical facility throughout the ordeal while his wife, whom we heard is an optician, bought water and 5alive for my dying brother”.

Mr. Emmanuel, a security guard at the property where the incident occurred, told Sunday Vanguard that when the incident happened he rushed down to the spot and carried the victim on his shoulder to a nearby hospital where he was rejected.

“The lawyer who engaged his services was inside his flat but came to join us there and took him to another hospital”, he narrated.

“It was later I learnt that the artisan had given up the ghost”. (Sunday Vanguard)

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