Institution says deceased was never taken to university health centre, attributes delay to community movement restrictions
Students of Osun State University (UNIOSUN) on Friday staged a protest over the death of a final-year student, Miss Grace Osunlakin, demanding improved healthcare services and accusing the institution and Osun State Government of failing to provide adequate medical facilities.
The protest comes barely a day after the university announced the indefinite closure of its College of Law, Ifetedo Campus, following the death of the 400-level Criminology and Security Studies student.
Videos circulating on social media showed grieving students carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs as they decried what they described as inadequate medical infrastructure on campus.
The protesters alleged that the absence of sufficient medical personnel and emergency healthcare facilities contributed to the student’s death.
They further claimed that the incident reflected a broader pattern of inadequate healthcare services within the institution despite the tuition fees paid by students.
The students called on the Osun State Government and the university management to urgently improve healthcare facilities across all campuses to prevent similar tragedies.
However, responding to the allegations, the university management rejected claims that the deceased died due to negligence at its health centre, insisting that she was never taken to the university’s medical facility on the night of the incident.
In a preliminary report signed by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Ademola Adesoji, the university outlined the events leading to Grace’s death, stating that she had successfully defended her final-year project on Tuesday, June 23, and showed no signs of illness while on campus.
According to the university, Grace, who was a student of the Department of Criminology and Security Studies at the Ifetedo Campus, had been a known asthmatic patient since her first year, with her condition documented in the institution’s medical records.
The management disclosed that after participating in a Christian fellowship later that evening, she returned to her off-campus residence where she complained of stomach pain before collapsing.
The report stated that her housemate and coursemate, Miss Durosinmi Mariam, assisted her after hearing her scream from the toilet.
“As her condition worsened, it was decided that she should be taken to a medical facility at about 11:30 p.m.,” the statement said.
The university explained that movement at the time was hindered by an unannounced Oro ritual in Ifetedo, which reportedly restricted movement at night and made transportation difficult.
Despite the restriction, fellow students reportedly arranged a motorcycle to convey her to the Community Health Centre at Ikija, Ifetedo.
“The University stressed that Grace was not taken to the University Health Centre at any point on the night of the incident,” the statement noted.
According to the institution, she lost consciousness shortly after arriving at the community health centre, where the matron on duty later confirmed her death in the presence of lecturers and students who had rushed to the facility.
The university added that she was subsequently taken to Goshen Specialist Hospital in Ondo for further medical confirmation, where doctors reportedly declared her dead on arrival before her remains were deposited at a mortuary.
While expressing condolences to the family of the deceased, the university maintained that there was no basis for claims linking her death to the university’s medical services.
“Management reiterates that the deceased was an asthmatic patient and emphasises that at no point on the day of her demise was she taken to the University Medical Centre,” the statement added.
The institution said it would continue to review the circumstances surrounding the incident.
