A 500-Level Mechanical Engineering student of the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Ayomide Oduntan, last Thursday, slumped and died on campus, throwing his family into mourning.

It was gathered that Oduntan died on the day he sat for his last examination in the school.

Our correspondent sighted a short video clip of the student celebrating after writing his final examination shortly before he reportedly slumped and died.

The final-year student, who would have celebrated his 21st birthday in October, was said to have been rushed to the school hospital for medical care after he slumped.

An uncle of the deceased, Wale Saliu, told our correspondent that family members were still in shock over the news of the sudden death of their son who he claimed was not known to be sick.

Saliu said, “He called his mother after sitting for his final examination on Thursday last week to tell her that he had finished and that he was signing out.

“Then somebody from the school just called the following day that the boy died. A final year student who was just signing out with all the money spent; at a private university.

“Somebody that was still celebrating his sign out as late as 7pm on Thursday and they said he slumped and died just like that. Some family members went there on Saturday. They said the doctor was not around. They said he died on Thursday. They called us on Friday.”

Another relative who identified himself simply as Daniel said it was Oduntan’s aged father that started calling other members of the family about the news of the death of his son.

He said, “What we heard was that he slumped and died on Friday. It was the dad that now called all of us about the news from the school.

“On Friday night, he still posted on his status about his signing out. He called his mom on Thursday to tell her that he was free now and that he would be coming home last week Saturday. It was a shock that they called us on Friday that the son had died. None of the school staff members has deemed it reasonable to come to the house to even explain to them that this was what happened to their child.”

Our correspondent learnt that the remains of the deceased were buried on Tuesday.

The school’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Tunde Olofintilo, confirmed the student’s death in a statement made available to our correspondent on Tuesday.

The statement read, “Ayomide, a 500 Level Mechanical Engineering Student, slumped around 10pm on May 31, 2023. He was immediately rushed to the ABUAD Multi-System Hospital. Unfortunately, he was dead before he got to the hospital.

“He was immediately attended to in the presence of his colleagues, but all attempts to resuscitate him failed.”

Olofintilo added that the university had ordered an autopsy by an independent pathologist after it requested and obtained a corona’s inquest, saying the result was still being awaited.

He added, “About the autopsy, the university requested and obtained a Coroner’s Inquest after which an autopsy was carried out. The report of the autopsy which was conducted by an independent pathologist is being awaited.

“The police issued a warrant to bury the dead body following the conduct of the post-mortem examination.

“As a university, we sincerely commiserate with the family and pray we will not witness such again.”

(Text, excluding headline: The PUNCH)

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