Covenant University confam cause of death of student, deny medical negligence

Covenant University don confam di death of one of dia students Toluwase Jesutunmise Emmanuel and explain di circumstances wey lead to im death.

Di private Nigerian university for statement wey dem publish on dia X account on Wednesday reveal say Emmanuel die of "undisclosed heart condition" contrary to tori wey dey spread on social media.

Di University Vice Chancellor Professor Timothy Anake describe Emmanuel as "diligent and vibrant" student.

According to di statement, e die on Monday, 6 April afta e pause to take break during one student football training session wey e participate in for di campus.

"E bin step out of di game to rest afta dem say e complain of leg pains and tiredness. In a short while, im football mates notice say e dey gasp for breath, dem quickly rush am go di medical centre emergency unit wey dey near di field. However, e don stop to dey breathe by di time dem reach di facility." di statement read.

Na on Tuesday, 7 April, tori about di death of Jesutunmise Emmanuel begin spread on social media. Nigerians bin call out and drag di university for medical negligence.

According to viral accounts of di reports wey BBC neva fit immediately verify, Emmanuel die sake of lack of oxygen for di institution medical centre. Reports wey di university don deny.

Tori say Emmanuel wey dem mostly refer to as Tunmise wey be final year student of Building Technology die afta e allegedly collapse during di Chancellor Cup football match between Computer Engineering and Building Tech.

Multiple students report say dem rush am go di school medical centre and allege say di clinic no get essential emergency equipment like oxygen, instead staff of di university begin pray for am, until doctors declare am dead.

One pesin wey claim to be Emmanuel friend wit di name Okime on X lambast di school authorities, "COVENANT UNIVERSITY. YOU KILLED MY FRIEND", she tok.

Oda alleged friends of di deceased dragged di university on social media on top dia like of well equipped medical facilites, despite say e dey expensive.

Di institution wey dey owned by one Nigerian foremost Christian religious leader Bishop David Oyedepo don deny di tori wey dey spread say Emmanuel die sake of medical negligence.

Di higher institution explain say Emmanuel don stop to dey breathe by di time dem carry am reach di medical facility. Di statement say doctors quickly respond as dem administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) wit Automated External Defibrillator (AED), but e no work.

"All efforts to resuscitate Jesutunmise dey unsuccessful. E dey certified clinically dead due to prior undisclosed heart condition.

"We wish to confam say no form of medical negligence dey in response of medical personnel, and we no short of any required equipment for di treatment." Covenant University tok.

Di institution add say di Vice Chancellor plus management of di university bin dey di medical centre from di time di mata happun, until wen di student parents arrive and dem lay am to rest.

Di management express dia condolence to di family of late Tunmise.

Di University Student Union also pay tribute to di family. Rest in peace, brother 🙏🏽. For dis time of grief, we hold on to di memories shared, di conversations, di laughter, di evriday moments wey now mean even more. Dos memories go forever remain a part of us," dem tok for one post on Instagram.

Dis no be di first time wey student go die for di university. For June 2025, thunder strike one one 200-level engineering student, Mordi Nwense Daniel. Eyewitnesses bin allege say instead of make dem rush give am medical attention, university staff begin pray for am, by di time dem go carry am go medical centre, e don dey too late.

Similar incident occur for 2017, wen one final year student Segun Michaels hit im head for swimming pool.