Speaking with The PUNCH on the incident, NANTSU OAU branch chairman, Mr. Wole Odewumi, said details of how the incident happened were not available yet, however, confirmed that another staff member working at the garden was also injured during the incident.
There were insinuations that the deceased had left the cage opened, while trying to feed the animal when he got seized by the lion, but Odewumi, who promised to visit the scene of the incident on Tuesday could not confirm the claim.
He, however, said the leadership of the association would meet the university’s management to discuss the welfare of the family left behind by the deceased, adding that Olawuyi’s death was a loss to the entire OAU community.
He said, “A member of the association also working at the garden reported to me that the incident happened while the deceased was trying to feed the animal. Immediately, I heard of it, I contacted other people on campus. It is true that another staff also got injured.
“The injured staff could have sustained the injury when those at the scene were running helter-skelter in panic during the incident. As a union leader, I have to get the facts around the incident. I condole the family. The person may be the breadwinner of his family.
“May God console them. I urge them to accept the incident. Whatever role the University management will have to play, we will meet them on Tuesday to discuss it. We will ask them about steps they want to take regarding the family left behind by the deceased. It is a great loss to the university community, apart from his family members who are directly bereaved.”
