The management of Osun State University (UNIOSUN) has constituted a committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of a 400-level student, Osunlakin Grace, and announced sweeping reforms to healthcare services across its campuses. The decisions were reached during a meeting between the university management, led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Odunayo Adeboye, and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Southwest leadership on Tuesday, June 30, 2026.
Outrage and protest over alleged negligence
There was widespread outrage at the university last Friday following Osunlakin's death, which students attributed to poor healthcare facilities at its Ifetedo campus. Some students staged a protest to express anger, claiming that their colleague could have survived if adequate medical care had been available. The university initially denied allegations of negligence, maintaining that preliminary findings showed the deceased was never taken to the institution’s medical centre on the night of the incident.
According to the management, Osunlakin complained of stomach pain after returning to her off-campus residence and was later taken to the Community Health Centre in Ikija, Ifetedo, where she reportedly lost consciousness before being confirmed dead. The university also said transportation was hampered by an unannounced Oro ritual restricting movement within the community.
NANS engagement and demands
The resolutions were disclosed in a statement by NANS Southwest Coordinator, Adeyemo Josiah, on Tuesday. Speaking during the engagement, Josiah said, “The welfare, safety, and well-being of students across the Southwest remain the foremost priority of the NANS Southwest leadership.” He added that while the association believed in constructive dialogue and partnership with university management, it would continue to speak up whenever students’ welfare was neglected.
Responding, Vice-Chancellor Adeboye expressed sadness over Osunlakin’s death, describing the incident as painful to the university community. He announced that the university would establish another health centre at the Ifetedo Campus, where the deceased studied, while strengthening healthcare facilities across other campuses. He also disclosed that all medical centres would henceforth operate on a 24-hour basis to ensure uninterrupted access to healthcare services.
Key reforms: 24-hour services, solar power, ambulances
According to NANS, Adeboye further said all health centres would be equipped with reliable solar-powered electricity to address power supply challenges, while functional ambulances would be provided for emergency response. He added that qualified medical doctors and professional nurses would be recruited and deployed across the university’s health facilities to improve healthcare delivery. The Vice-Chancellor also urged students and parents to disclose underlying medical conditions, noting that the university had discovered several cases of students living with serious health challenges unknown to their parents or guardians, making emergency intervention difficult.
Speaking on behalf of the students, Students’ Union President Oremokun Shedrack formally presented the students’ demands. According to the statement, the students requested the “relocation of the Health Centre at the Ifetedo Campus, review and rehabilitation of all health centres across the university, twenty-four-hour operation of all medical facilities, recruitment and employment of qualified healthcare professionals, review of TISHIP and HMO code generation processes, immediate reopening of the Welfare Director’s portal, repair and maintenance of the university ambulance, provision of essential medical equipment, including a Nebulizer machine, and an appeal to the Osun State Government for improved healthcare facilities around the university communities.”
Committee to investigate and recommend
Responding, the Vice-Chancellor assured the students that management would implement virtually all the requests within its administrative capacity, explaining that the appeal for improved healthcare facilities outside the university fell under the responsibility of the Osun State and Federal Governments. As part of measures to strengthen accountability and healthcare delivery, Adeboye announced the constitution of a University Committee on Health Services comprising Students’ Union representatives from all campuses and relevant university officials.
“The committee has been mandated to thoroughly examine the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate death of Late Osunlakin Grace, review the factors that led to the students’ protest, assess all matters relating to healthcare services across the university, and make practical recommendations to the management for immediate and long-term improvements,” he said. The Vice-Chancellor added that the committee had been directed to submit its report to the university management “within one week” from June 29, 2026, to facilitate the prompt implementation of its recommendations.
Resumption and monitoring
Concluding the meeting, Josiah commended the university management for its openness, sincerity and commitment to students’ welfare. He said NANS Southwest would “continue to monitor the implementation of the agreed resolutions to ensure that every commitment made translates into tangible improvements for students.” The NANS coordinator also appealed to the university management to expedite the implementation of the resolutions and ensure the timely resumption of academic activities.
Responding, Adeboye announced that the Welfare Director’s portal would be reopened immediately, while students would resume academic activities within two weeks. According to him, the extension would allow the university to carry out comprehensive fumigation of hostels and other environmental sanitation measures to provide a healthier, safer and more conducive learning environment for students.
