A tragic incident took place yesterday at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, where Esu Rita Ema, a final-year student in the Department of Foreign Languages, lost her life near the school gate as she was on her way to submit her final year project.
The university’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, reported that the fatal accident involved a Lexus vehicle with Abuja registration number ABJ 427 LQ, driven by Lasisi Sodiq Segun.
Rita was crossing the Ife-Ibadan expressway near the campus gate when she was struck by the vehicle, resulting in catastrophic injuries. Tragically, the impact caused the loss of both her legs and her head was severed.
Emergency responders from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) quickly arrived at the scene, recovering her remains and transporting them to the mortuary at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex.
The driver has been taken into custody by the Nigerian Police and is currently under investigation.
Following the incident, OAU Vice-Chancellor Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire expressed his deepest sympathies to Rita’s family through the Dean of Students Affairs, Professor Adeolu Odedire. He reflected on the magnitude of the loss, emphasizing the pain of losing a young, promising final-year student, and urged her family, friends, and classmates to find comfort in their faith during this difficult time.
