An official of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, slumped and died on Monday while on a queue at a branch of Wema Bank located inside the institution’s main campus in Ojo area of Lagos.
The deceased, Johnson Adesola, was a chief executive officer in charge of accounts at the university’s bursary department and the faculty officer in charge of finance at the institution’s Faculty of Law.
According to witnesses, who craved anonymity for fear of sanctions by the university authorities, Mr Adesola had left his office at about 11a.m. on Monday to join the long queue for an opportunity to withdraw a maximum of N5,000 as permitted by the financial institution.
“However, less than 20 minutes after he joined the queue, he slumped. The bank branch was close to the university’s health centre and people quickly rushed him to the centre but he was pronounced dead,” one of the sources said.
Meanwhile, the university has confirmed the development but, however, blamed those who reported that it was the institution’s bursar or one of his deputies that died.
According to the acting head of the university’s Centre for Information and Public Relations, Olaniyi Jeariogbe, the development is a sad occurrence, and “management mourns the deceased.”
Mr Jeariogbe said the deceased was brought in dead to the university’s health centre and there was nothing “the centre could do to bring him back to life.”
He said: “It was a rude shock to all of us and particularly his colleagues who saw him just before he stepped out to join the queue for the withdrawal. We are saddened by the development.
“But let me use this medium to clarify, especially those carrying fake news that the bursar or deputy bursar was deceased. Our bursar is Mr Saheed Olayinka, who has about four deputies and they are all in good condition as I speak to you. People should always confirm their reports from verified sources before jumping to conclusions.”
He said wrong identities could create further problems, “as relatives may have overreacted before the true stories are told.”
He said the university will make an official statement on the development as soon as possible.
