9th September, 2015
Kazeem Ugbodaga
Thousands of students of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, protested Wednesday and shut the school gate in solidarity with a 300 Level Accounting student of the institution who was electrocuted by a naked wire.
P.M.NEWS gathered that the girl, Oluchi Anekwe, was walking with her sister on Tuesday when a spark from a high tension wire from one of the poles in front of the entrance occurred.
The pole was said to have fallen on her and she got electrocuted immediately. She was rushed to the Medical Centre where she was certified dead.
The death of Anekwe led to the protest at the school gate on Wednesday as the students were angry that the management of the institution did not declare a day of mourning for the deceased.
The students, in their thousands trooped out and headed to the school gate chanting militant songs and shut the gate, baring vehicles from coming in and out of the school.
They declared a lecture-free day for themselves.
The protest was led by the Students Union President, Comrade Abiodun Martins.
According to Martins, “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.
“Oluchi, till her death, was a first class student, and a very active student in class. Our condolences go to her family, relatives and friends. We pray that God will grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.”
Martins lamented that the event that led to her death was in its entirety avoidable and called on all concerned authorities to swing into action so as to prevent a similar incident in future.
“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 there will be no unnecessary sound around the campus in honour of the lost soul.
“The entire University of Lagos students loved her, but God in His wisdom saw fit to embrace her. Oluchi, good night,” he mourned.