A 400-level medical student at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Adewole Emmanuel has died after collapsing during an examination.
The incident occurred Wednesday as the Part IV student in the College of Health Sciences reportedly slumped moments before the start of his oral (viva) examination. He was attended to immediately but was later pronounced dead.
The death comes more than four months after another medical student at the university, Timilehin Toromade, 18, reportedly died in his sleep on Jan. 6, 2026.
In a statement Thursday, the Great Ife Students’ Union described Emmanuel’s death as a “devastating loss,” saying the incident had thrown the campus into mourning.
“Despite medical efforts following the collapse, he was heartbreakingly confirmed dead hours later,” the union said, adding that the incident highlights the physical, emotional and psychological toll of rigorous academic demands on students.
The Ife University Medical Students Association also confirmed the death in a separate statement Wednesday, describing Emmanuel as a valued member of the academic community with a promising future.
The association urged the public to avoid speculation and respect the family’s privacy.
Meanwhile, an account on the social platform X alleged that the ambulance that responded to the emergency lacked basic equipment, including oxygen and a stretcher. The claims could not be independently verified.
In a statement Thursday, university spokesperson Abiodun Olarewaju said the student complained of chest pain during the examination and was immediately attended to by lecturers and fellow students.
“Despite prompt medical attention and all efforts made to revive him, he sadly passed on,” Olarewaju said.
He added that the university has begun engaging relevant authorities and the student’s family to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Vice-Chancellor Adebayo Simeon Bamire extended condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased, describing the loss as painful and irreparable.
Students and colleagues have continued to mourn Emmanuel, with tributes describing him as brilliant and kind.
