Tragedy struck at Covenant University in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria after a final-year student reportedly died following a medical emergency while playing football on campus.
The deceased, Toluwase Jesutunmise Emmanuel, popularly known among friends as Tunmise, was a 500-level student in the Department of Building Technology before his sudden death.
According to the university, the incident occurred during a football game organised as part of the institution’s annual Chancellor’s Cup tournament.
Tunmise reportedly stepped away from the match after complaining of fatigue and leg pain. Moments later, he began experiencing severe breathing difficulties, prompting fellow students to rush him to the university’s medical centre for urgent attention.
Despite the swift response, doctors were unable to save him.
In an official statement signed by the Vice-Chancellor, Timothy A. Anake, the university said medical personnel immediately attended to the student and administered emergency treatment.
The statement revealed that health workers performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation using an automated external defibrillator (AED) in an attempt to revive him.
However, the intervention proved unsuccessful.
The university attributed the tragedy to a previously undisclosed heart condition.
“The management of the University, led by the Vice-Chancellor, was present at the Medical Centre from the time of the unfortunate incident until the parents arrived and remained with the family until he was laid to rest, the statement said.
University authorities also denied claims that the medical centre lacked necessary personnel or equipment during the emergency.
Despite the university’s explanation, several students have taken to social media to dispute the institution’s account of the events.
Some students alleged that the school clinic lacked basic emergency equipment such as oxygen and nebulisers, which they claimed could have improved the student’s chances of survival.
Others claimed that rather than prioritising immediate medical intervention, prayers were conducted by religious leaders before adequate treatment was administered.
These allegations have sparked widespread debate online, with many Nigerians calling for greater transparency about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Amid the growing controversy, a statement reportedly issued by the family of the deceased has been circulating on social media platform X.
The statement expresses grief over the loss of the young student and raises concerns about the events leading up to his death.
However, the authenticity and full details of the circulating statement have yet to be independently verified.
The tragic incident has generated public sympathy and renewed conversations about emergency medical preparedness in Nigerian universities.
Many observers have called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Tunmise’s death to determine whether proper medical protocols were followed.
For now, the Covenant University community remains in mourning as friends, classmates, and family members remember the life of a promising young student whose life was cut short unexpectedly.
