A 500-level Building Technology student of Covenant University, Ogun State, identified as Jesutunmise Emmanuel, has passed away due to a health complication in the course of a football training session.
Reports indicate that Emmanuel had stepped out of the game to rest after complaining of leg pains and fatigue before slumping.
According to an account of the incident contained in a statement by the university’s management, the late student began gasping for breath shortly after taking a break from the game on Monday, April 6, 2026
The statement added that moments later, his teammates noticed he was gasping for breath and immediately rushed him to the university’s medical centre emergency unit, located opposite the playing field.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof Timothy Anake, further explained that despite being brought in without signs of life, medical personnel commenced cardiopulmonary resuscitation using an automated external defibrillator, but all efforts to revive him proved unsuccessful.
Several users on X also claimed the university’s medical centre lacked oxygen to sustain the student’s breathing, while others alleged that the management “switched to prayers” instead of providing urgent medical attention.
Also an X user @kamiikunre wrote, “This oxygen has been an issue since 2017 KILODEEEEEE!!!! they never have! that medical center is just for decoration.”
@TrendingEx posted that “Covenant University is trending because Tunmise a 500-level Building Tech student died at the medical center, because they didn’t have Oxygen, so they switched to prayers till he died. Oyedepo too joined.
Apparently, they were playing the Chancellor’s Cup, a match between Computer Engineering and Building Tech, Tunmise asked for an early sub as he was feeling weak and short of breath.
At half time, his situation got worse, they rushed him to the medical centre where the doctor on duty allegedly said Tunmise just needed air. But minutes later, said had stopped breathing.
Apparently, they didn’t use an oxygen or nebulizer. Because the ₦1.9M per session school housing over 11,000 students had nothing in their arsenal, except Jesus, so they switched to prayers.
According to multiple persons, Oyedepo arrived too and joined the prayers to revive him, it failed. It was about 3 hours later they informed Tunmise’s parents, while the school leaders were still contemplating proceeding with the football tournament.”
“YOU DID NOT HAVE OXYGEN IN YOUR WORLD CLASS F**king HOSPITAL. BUT YOU WILL FORCE STUDENTS TO GO FOR SERVICE EVERY FUCKING TIME. COVENANT UNIVERSITY, IS IT EVERYTIME???”
— Okime (@_okime)
“it’s heartbreaking and honestly disturbing to hear about the death of a student at Covenant University.
a young life lost during what should have been a normal campus activity raises serious questions about emergency response and student safety.”
— Freyy (@Freyy_is)
Responding to the backlash, Anake clarified in the statement that there was no negligence on the part of the medical personnel and that all necessary equipment required for emergency response was available and utilised.
“We wish to confirm that there was no form of negligence in the response of the medical personnel or a shortage of any required equipment for the treatment.
“The management of the university, led by the vice-chancellor, was at the medical centre from the time of the unfortunate event until the parents arrived and remained with the family until he was laid to rest,” the statement added.
He was, however, said to have stopped breathing before arriving at the facility.
The statement partly read, “On Monday, April 6, 2026, the Covenant University community experienced the unfortunate loss of one of our precious students. Jesutunmise, a diligent and vibrant student, participated in a student football training session on campus.
“He stepped out of the game to rest after he was said to have complained of leg pains and being tired. In a short while, his football mates observed that he was gasping for breath, and they responded swiftly by taking him to the medical centre’s emergency unit, which was directly opposite the playing field.
However, he had stopped breathing by the time he arrived at the facility.”
