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| From left, Secretary to Ogun State Government, Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa; Ogun State Deputy Governor, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga and Akinbo Ibukun, the only survivor of the accident, during their visit to the Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan, Ogun State on Sunday, to visit her. |
Written by: Doyin Adeoye
The
executives of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) have
commiserated with the friends and families of students of the Olabisi
Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye, who died in a ghastly road
accident on Friday, June 26.
Speaking with Campusbeats, the president of the association, Tijani Usman, said that the incident was not just a loss to the OOU community, but to all Nigerian students.
Tijani, while sympathising with the management, staff and students of OOU, described the incident as tragic and devastating.
“It is really sad to hear that lives of young future leaders were cut short in their prime. Seeing young, energetic and promising students die in such a manner is not something that sits well with us.
“On behalf of all Nigerian students, I pray God will grant the families, friends and colleagues of the deceased the fortitude to bear the loss,” he said.
The accident was said to have occurred at Ilishan Junction, along Sagamu/Benin Expressway, where a container-laden truck with number plate BDG 779 XE, had a head-on collision with a Mazda commercial bus with number plate XV 311 MUS, killing all occupants, except one, in the bus instantly.
Expressing his grief in an interview with Campusbeats, the Students’ Union (SU) president of the institution, Adegbesan Adenola, a 500-Level student of the Faculty of Law, said the campus was in a state of mourning and that the deceased students would always be remembered.
“It is very sad that our colleagues are gone. A two-day mourning has been observed, as well as a candlelight procession held in their honour.”
Speaking on why the students protested at the morgue on Saturday, Adenola said: “We were left with no other choice, as the private morgue where the bodies were first deposited demanded that money should be paid before the bodies would be released.”
That, he said, was inconsiderate on the part of the hospital, and the bodies were eventually released as a result of the protest.
According to him, the Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa; the Ogun State Deputy Governor, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga, and the vice-chancellor of the institution, Professor Saburi Adesanya, have been available to give the students the support needed at this time.
“They have been to the Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan, where the only survivor, Akinbo Laughter Ibukun, a 300-Level student of the Department of Chemical Science, is being treated.
“Personally, I am still short of words, and we just pray that such will never happen again. It is quite unfortunate that this is coming 10 days after we held the 10th year remembrance of the Ago-Iwoye communal crisis. We pray that the friends, families and close allies of the deceased will be comforted,” he said.
Students of the institution, in June 2005, clashed with the local vigilance group, where many students were reportedly killed in the attack.
The vice president of the Students’ Union of the institution, Adelesi Damilola, a 300-Level student of the Department of Performing Arts, confirmed to Campusbeats that of the 12 casualties of that accident, eight were students of OOU, while four had come to purchase the Post-UTME forms, one was a graduate of the institution and the other, the driver of the bus. The only survivor, Akinbo Ibukun is said to be stable.
According to a release made available to Campusbeats, names of some of the deceased are Odubanjo Eunice Oluwadamilola, 200-Level, Department of Political Science; Ogunnoiki Omolade Mariam, 100-Level, Department of EFM (History); Aribiola Yetunde Elizabeth, 100-Level, Department of Biochemistry; Adams Suliat Oluwatobi, 100-Level, Department of Accounting; Pampam Funmilayo Latifat, 100-Level, Department of Chemical Science; and Asade Christianah Ibukun, 200-Level, Faculty of Law. Dairo Olatunji Michael was a graduate from the Department of Physics.
Reacting to the accident, Adelesi said the student body would not for any reason compromise in getting the justice the departed souls deserved, as it was reported that the accident was as a result of the truck driver having driven against traffic.
“We demand answers from the Police and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC). The truck obviously belongs to a company; they should be brought to book. The students today (Monday) visited the site of the accident, and upon opening the container, saw some chemicals belonging to a company (names withheld).
“The state government should help us in ensuring that the company is brought to book. Lives of our loved ones have been cut short and the least we could do is ensure that their rights are preserved,” he said.
Meanwhile, many students have taken to the social media to express their grief on the demise of their colleagues.
Speaking on behalf of the Federation of Igbo Students (FIS), OOU chapter, Raph Chuks, the Public Relations Officer of the association, said on facebook: “We pray for the deceased’s parents and we pray that God will give them the fortitude to bear the pains. May we not witness such calamity again in OOU,” he said.
“Call it malady, term it negligence to traffic laws, the salient point is our population has been reduced by 12 simply because of an avoidable motor accident.
“I commiserate with the families of the departed students and also the school management and the Students’ Union. May we never have cause to mourn any longer,” Shofoyeke Adeniyi, OOU Students’ House of Senate wrote on his facebook wall.
Speaking with Campusbeats, the president of the association, Tijani Usman, said that the incident was not just a loss to the OOU community, but to all Nigerian students.
Tijani, while sympathising with the management, staff and students of OOU, described the incident as tragic and devastating.
“It is really sad to hear that lives of young future leaders were cut short in their prime. Seeing young, energetic and promising students die in such a manner is not something that sits well with us.
“On behalf of all Nigerian students, I pray God will grant the families, friends and colleagues of the deceased the fortitude to bear the loss,” he said.
The accident was said to have occurred at Ilishan Junction, along Sagamu/Benin Expressway, where a container-laden truck with number plate BDG 779 XE, had a head-on collision with a Mazda commercial bus with number plate XV 311 MUS, killing all occupants, except one, in the bus instantly.
Expressing his grief in an interview with Campusbeats, the Students’ Union (SU) president of the institution, Adegbesan Adenola, a 500-Level student of the Faculty of Law, said the campus was in a state of mourning and that the deceased students would always be remembered.
“It is very sad that our colleagues are gone. A two-day mourning has been observed, as well as a candlelight procession held in their honour.”
Speaking on why the students protested at the morgue on Saturday, Adenola said: “We were left with no other choice, as the private morgue where the bodies were first deposited demanded that money should be paid before the bodies would be released.”
That, he said, was inconsiderate on the part of the hospital, and the bodies were eventually released as a result of the protest.
According to him, the Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa; the Ogun State Deputy Governor, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga, and the vice-chancellor of the institution, Professor Saburi Adesanya, have been available to give the students the support needed at this time.
“They have been to the Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan, where the only survivor, Akinbo Laughter Ibukun, a 300-Level student of the Department of Chemical Science, is being treated.
“Personally, I am still short of words, and we just pray that such will never happen again. It is quite unfortunate that this is coming 10 days after we held the 10th year remembrance of the Ago-Iwoye communal crisis. We pray that the friends, families and close allies of the deceased will be comforted,” he said.
Students of the institution, in June 2005, clashed with the local vigilance group, where many students were reportedly killed in the attack.
The vice president of the Students’ Union of the institution, Adelesi Damilola, a 300-Level student of the Department of Performing Arts, confirmed to Campusbeats that of the 12 casualties of that accident, eight were students of OOU, while four had come to purchase the Post-UTME forms, one was a graduate of the institution and the other, the driver of the bus. The only survivor, Akinbo Ibukun is said to be stable.
According to a release made available to Campusbeats, names of some of the deceased are Odubanjo Eunice Oluwadamilola, 200-Level, Department of Political Science; Ogunnoiki Omolade Mariam, 100-Level, Department of EFM (History); Aribiola Yetunde Elizabeth, 100-Level, Department of Biochemistry; Adams Suliat Oluwatobi, 100-Level, Department of Accounting; Pampam Funmilayo Latifat, 100-Level, Department of Chemical Science; and Asade Christianah Ibukun, 200-Level, Faculty of Law. Dairo Olatunji Michael was a graduate from the Department of Physics.
Reacting to the accident, Adelesi said the student body would not for any reason compromise in getting the justice the departed souls deserved, as it was reported that the accident was as a result of the truck driver having driven against traffic.
“We demand answers from the Police and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC). The truck obviously belongs to a company; they should be brought to book. The students today (Monday) visited the site of the accident, and upon opening the container, saw some chemicals belonging to a company (names withheld).
“The state government should help us in ensuring that the company is brought to book. Lives of our loved ones have been cut short and the least we could do is ensure that their rights are preserved,” he said.
Meanwhile, many students have taken to the social media to express their grief on the demise of their colleagues.
Speaking on behalf of the Federation of Igbo Students (FIS), OOU chapter, Raph Chuks, the Public Relations Officer of the association, said on facebook: “We pray for the deceased’s parents and we pray that God will give them the fortitude to bear the pains. May we not witness such calamity again in OOU,” he said.
“Call it malady, term it negligence to traffic laws, the salient point is our population has been reduced by 12 simply because of an avoidable motor accident.
“I commiserate with the families of the departed students and also the school management and the Students’ Union. May we never have cause to mourn any longer,” Shofoyeke Adeniyi, OOU Students’ House of Senate wrote on his facebook wall.
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