A terrible occurrence happened yesterday at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, when Esu Rita Ema, a final-year student from the Department of Foreign Languages, died at the school gate while on her way to submit her final year project.
According to Abiodun Olarewaju, the university’s Public Relations Officer, the deadly collision involved a Lexus car registered in Abuja as ABJ 427 LQ and driven by Lasisi Sodiq Segun.
Rita was crossing the Ife-Ibadan expressway near the college gate when the car hit her. Rita suffered serious injuries as a consequence of the event, including the loss of both legs and a severed head.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) responded quickly, retrieving her remains and bringing them to the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex morgue.
The driver of the car has apparently been detained by Nigerian police and is being investigated.
In reaction to this unfortunate tragedy, OAU’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, sent his sympathies to Rita’s family via the Dean of Students Affairs, Professor Adeolu Odedire.
“If it is unfortunate to lose a domestic animal, how can anyone quantify the loss of a child, most especially a grown-up child who was a young, promising adult with a lot of potential? A final year student, for that matter“. Therefore, he appealed to his parents, siblings, family, friends, and classmates to seek solace in God,” the VC said.