Students of Osun State University (UNIOSUN) have staged a peaceful protest following the tragic passing of their colleague, Miss Grace Osunlakin, who allegedly died due to inadequate health facilities on campus.
The aggrieved students blamed the government and the university management for the poor state of medical infrastructure.
Following the incident, the management of the university announced the indefinite closure of its College of Law, Ifetedo Campus, where the 400-level Criminology and Security Studies student was based.
In a video circulating on social media, students were seen weeping and protesting what they described as poor healthcare services at the campus.
They attributed the incident to an absence of adequate medical personnel and basic healthcare equipment.
The students also expressed concerns over what they described as recurring student deaths at the institution, alleging that inadequate medical facilities and limited access to emergency healthcare have contributed to previous tragedies.
They called on the Osun State Government, led by Governor Ademola Adeleke, and the university management to urgently improve healthcare services across the institution’s campuses to prevent future occurrences.
However, the management of Osun State University has expressed deep concern over what it described as misleading narratives circulating on social media regarding the unfortunate death of the final-year student.
In a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the university, Ademola Adesoji, the institution presented a sequence of events surrounding the incident to clarify the circumstances of her passing.
According to the university’s report, Miss Osunlakin successfully participated in her final-year project defense on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at about 1:15 p.m. before a panel chaired by the Head of Department, Dr. Ademolu Adenuga.
Following the defense, she interacted with her project supervisor and fellow students before returning to her off-campus residence, which is a privately rented apartment.
The university noted that she showed no visible signs of illness while on campus that day.
The institution further stated that she had been identified as an asthmatic patient since her 100-level days, a condition documented in her medical records at the University Health Centre on the Ifetedo Campus.
Records also indicate that she was last treated at the University Health Services on March 26, 2026.
On the night of the incident, a fellow student named Mariam reportedly found Grace in distress and assisted her back to her room, where she was laid on a mattress while her condition was monitored. When her condition appeared to worsen, her peers decided she should be taken to a medical facility at about 11:30 p.m.
The report explained that movement at that time was severely hindered by an unannounced Oro ritual in the Ifetedo community, which imposed nighttime restrictions and made securing transportation extremely difficult.
Despite this challenge, efforts were made to transport her on a motorcycle to the nearby Community Health Centre at Ikija, Ifetedo. The university stressed that Grace was not taken to the University Health Centre at any point on the night of the incident.
Her project supervisor, Dr. Oyeyipo Eyitayo, and the Acting Head of Peace and Conflict Studies, Dr. Olawale Gbadeyan, were contacted at about 11:46 p.m. Both lecturers immediately proceeded to the Community Health Centre, where the matron on duty confirmed her passing in the presence of her friends.
Seeking further medical confirmation, Dr. Oyeyipo and Dr. Gbadeyan subsequently transported Grace to Goshen Specialist Hospital in Ondo, accompanied by other students, including the College President, Moshood Ali Olaide.
Upon arrival at about 12:10 a.m., the medical doctor on duty carried out preliminary checks and confirmed that she was dead on arrival.
Following this confirmation, the doctor advised that her remains be deposited in a mortuary.
Consequently, the team proceeded to the Ondo State Specialist Hospital, popularly known as the General Hospital, where her body was deposited at the Divine Haven Funeral Home at about 1:21 a.m.
The university management expressed its deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the late Grace Osunlakin, and assured stakeholders that reviews into the circumstances surrounding the incident will continue.