Students of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) in Ondo State on Monday identified the names and departments of four of their colleagues who died in a horrific automobile accident this past Saturday.
Several student sources who spoke to SaharaReporters, requesting that their names not be published, said some close friends and sympathizers of the four deceased visited the hospital's morgue to confirm their identities.
One student gave the names of the deceased and their departments as: (1) Oke Oluwatosin, a 300-Level Electrical Electronics Engineering student; (2) Abolarinwa Emmanuel Olaniyi, a 500-Level Electrical Electronics Engineering student; (3) Olaleye Israel Olumide, a 500-Level Management Technology Science student; and (4) Owanuga Olufunke, a 500-Level MicroBiology student.
These students died when their mini-bus nearly collided with a motorcyclist, according to reports by SaharaReporters.
SaharaReporters gathered from FUTA sources that heads of the various departments would meet on Tuesday with student leaders to discuss ways to memorialize the deceased.
Following this latest development, student leaders have already declared a three-day mourning for the four students.
The four students died after their bus, with an inscription of the Redeemed Christian Fellowship (RCF), a student religious body under the affiliate of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), veered off the road in an attempt to avoid a speedy motorcyclist recklessly driving on the wrong side of the road.
SaharaReporters reported earlier that the accident occurred at the notorious Ibule/Igbara Oke Junction in Ifedore Local Government Area (LGA) of Ondo State.
In an electronic statement issued on Saturday night by the President of the Students' Union Government (SUG) of the institution, Olusegun Oladele, said the declaration of the three days mourning was to pay their respect for the souls of the departed students who lost their lives in the horrific auto crash.
“The students' union hereby declares three days mourning which takes effect from 12am tomorrow and as such all staff of the union (tenants) and in extension those selling things on campus are to stay off work.
“During this period of mourning any individual that goes otherwise might not be able to tell the story, consequently SUG flags has been lowered; this is part of the activities. Line up by the union to pay your respect for these fallen heroes,” he said.
The FUTA Students' Union Government President however claimed in the statement obtained by a SaharaReporters correspondent in Akure, that the late students were on a “private journey” to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to participate in a missionary conference shortly after they had attended a vigil at the Redeemed Christian Fellowship (RCF) on the campus.
He further disclosed that the motor crash, which claimed the lives of the students involved, involved a Toyota mini-bus loaded with fifteen students among which was a student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) and an articulated motorcyclist.
“The accident involved a Toyota Hiace bus with 15 students on board (one from UNIBEN, one PGD student and 13 undergraduates from FUTA) and a motorcycle, which was the cause of the accident.
“The driver lost control when he (driver) wanted to avoid a crash with the rider of the motorcycle and tried to prevent a collision with the Okada man. The bus somersaulted more than three times; they were immediately rushed to private hospitals and at the end four of the victims gave up the ghost. On this day sadness and sorrow engulf the entire members of the union and the management.
“It was so sad that a student who participated in the vigil drove the bus and it was so unfortunate that after a stressful night with fatigue they started the journey,” Oladele said in the statement.
He described the tragedy that befell the entire staff and the students' of the institution as unfortunate while consoling with the families and friends of the deceased for the irreparable loss.
“The students' union hereby uses this opportunity to commiserate with the fellowship, friends, mates, and most especially the family of the deceased on this irreparable loss and it is our prayer that God should give them the fortitude to bear the loss.
“It is also important to inform the entire student populace to join us in prayer to avert such a reoccurrence and for God's mercy to bring back two of the victims who are in critical condition and have been referred to a specialist hospital for proper medical attention," the statement said.