A 400-level medical student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, identified as Adewole Emmanuel, died after collapsing moments before his final semester examination.
IFUMSA Announces the Death
Emmanuel’s death was announced in a statement released by the Ife University Medical Students Association (IFUMSA) on Thursday, April 22. The statement read, “Under the cover of dark clouds, we write to you with the heaviest of hearts to inform you of the passing of one of our own, an integral part of the association and a solid pillar of his class.”
The association described the deceased as “a colleague, friend, roommate, and a Part 4 medical student with an undeniably bright future until the time of his passing.” They added, “This incident is not only sad, but crucially painful as we lost a rising star and a loving member of the IFUMSA family. In honoring his dearest memories, we kindly ask the general public to do without speculations and respect the privacy of the family during this vulnerable period.”
Allegations of Inadequate Emergency Response
A fellow medical student, @to37867_toyyib, mourned the deceased on his X handle, alleging that the ambulance brought in when the deceased collapsed had no stretcher nor oxygen. He wrote, “We just lost another medical student. Adewole Oreoluwa Emmanuel, a Part 4 medical student of OAU, collapsed during his viva and didn't survive. He wanted to be a cardiothoracic surgeon. He wanted to save hearts. But when his own heart needed help, the system couldn't save him. This is not just one sad story. It is a mirror showing how little we value the lives of those training to save ours. How do you explain an ambulance arriving without oxygen or a stretcher? How do you explain a college with no working defibrillator? How do you expect young doctors to keep pushing when basic life support is missing? To IFUMSA, OAU, and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN): This cannot be another forgotten case. Something must change. Oreoluwa deserved better. His dreams deserved better. Rest on legend!”
No Official Statement from School Authorities
The school authorities are yet to release a statement over the unfortunate incident.
