Sad end for electrocuted first-class UNILAG student who 'died in her sister's arms'

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Tuesday lost one of its first class students to electrocution, leading to a school wide protest on Wednesday.

Oluchi Anekwe, a 300-level student of the department of accounting was said to have made contact with a naked wire that fell from an electric pole within the campus’ main premises.

Abiodun Martins, the students’ union president, released a statement announcing the suspension of academic activities on campus.

“The University of Lagos students’ union regrets to announce the passing away of one of us, our very own Oluchi Anekwe, a 300 level student of the department of accounting,” the statement read.

“Oluchi, till her death, was a first-class student, and a very active student in class. Our condolence goes to her families, relatives and friends. We pray that God will grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

“The event that led to her death is in its entirety avoidable. We hereby call on all concerned authorities to swing into action so as to prevent future occurrence.

“In this regard, we hereby declare that all academic and social activities of the school and of the students’ are hereby suspended for today and no unnecessary sound around the campus in honour of the lost soul.”

The statement was also signed by Jawosimi Olusegun, speaker of the student parliament.

A witness who spoke to TheCable said Oluchi was walking with her sister, when the tragedy happened. She was rushed to a medical centre where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

“She was just walking with her sister…there was a spark (high tension wire) from one of the poles in front of the entrance where she was headed,” he had earlier written.

“It fell on her. She got electrocuted; we rushed her to the medical centre. Minutes later, she was pronounced dead.”

A lecturer in the university who confirmed that it was a high-tension cable that led to the electrocution, rendered a situation report, saying normalcy was back at the university.

“Everything is calm now; they were protesting earlier this morning. Everything was peaceful; they locked up all entrance gates but now everything is normal, management is addressing the issue.”

None of the students and members of the staff contacted could confirm the situation with the family of the deceased.

Social media has been soaked with tributes for the deceased who her friends confirmed was a calm, easygoing lover of Christ who always put up a smile regardless of the situation at hand.

Her last original post on Facebook was from July, 28, 2015 and she had heart-rendering words on the vanity of life.

“Everything that makes us human is vain,” she wrote.