FUTA Students’ Death: NANS Calls For Resignation Of School’s Director Of Medical Services

–Threatens Protest

The umbrella body of students in Nigeria, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called for the resignation of the Director of Medical Services of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Dr. R. O. Adenikinju, over issues bordering on the incessant death of students in the school’s clinic.

FUTA students on Friday barricaded the busy Akure-Ilesha highway in protest of Akeredolu’s death. Meanwhile, the national leadership of NANS says the stage is set for another round of rallies come Tuesday 29th, August if the medical practitioner fails to relinquish his office.

As contained in a statement from the national students’ body and signed by its vice president, (Ext. Affairs) Akinteye Babatunde Afeezz on Saturday morning, the state of the student’s death at the school clinic has become worrisome. Tuesday’s protest is their option in calling the attention of the government and other stakeholders to the deadly implication of the non-professional attitude of Adenikinju as the head of FUTA Medicals and the rotten state of infrastructure on the campus.

They made all these known in reaction to the death of a final year student in the Department of Quantity Surveying, Akeredolu Clinton Ayomide, who reportedly slumped in his hostel, was rushed to the clinic, and died under circumstances that have been linked to Adenikinju’s negligence by NANS.

The student’s body however said it would not stay aloof while its members die in avoidable circumstances that they ascribed to negligence and incompetence of the team of medical officials led by Adenikinju.

“It is rather unfortunate and sardonic because this irreplaceable loss, ugly event, and sour occurrence were avertable and avoidable.” read the NANS statement.

“The loss of a final year student in just a few days to election is so disheartening, melancholic, and unpalatable that words can not express the gravity of the loss, This is a loss that could have been averted and as such it hurts more to the brim”, the statement read while also lamenting the dilapidated state of amenities on the FUTA campus.

“To our greatest dismay, having made a thorough and proper close examination, we have realized that FUTA health care center, a supposed teaching hospital, is nothing to write home about with poor facilities that can not save lives or meet immediate emergencies.

“It is also on record that as at when the deceased was rushed down to the school health center there was a power outage and students had to use the flashlights to enable the oxygen setups and injections.

“There is no backup power supply at the institution’s health care center that’s supposed to run for 24 hours and 7 days weekly.
This is worrisome and only shows the negligence of the institution towards adequate healthcare.

“To mention a few, taken aback, it is also on record that before the ugly incident that took the life of Clinton, the former Vice President of the union (FUTASU) who was in critical condition was rushed down to the school clinic for emergency treatment and all that mattered to the Health Center Director is school ID card at a point that the paramount was to save a dying soul, this is inhumane act at its peak and must be frowned at in its totality.

‘We are also aware of the demise of an international student that was swept under the carpet and was never talked about by the management of this institution due to lack of a proper health care system hence it beckons on us to at this juncture seek Justice and put an end to the unending loss of our students.

It was on the backdrop of that that NANS has now directed its Southwest’s coordination to brace up for protests slated for 29th August as a means of pressing home their demands.

“To this effect, in solidarity, the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students(NANS) calls for mass action against this inhumane and callous act demanding for the resignation of the healthcare Director/his suspension be effected and for the management of FUTA to properly and effectively equip the University’s health center in the next 72 hours to averting further occurrence.

“Consequently, we beckon on the Zonal Structure of NANS to (Southwest) and Ondo JCC to prepare for a mass action on Tuesday 29th of August 2023 as we ground down FUTA north and South Gate should our demands are not met within the timeframe of next 72 hours by FUTA Management.