Student dies during examination

A student of the National Open University of Nigeria, Michael Coker has been reported dead after he suddenly collapsed during an examination at the institution’s Victoria Island study centre in Lagos.

Penpushing reports that eyewitnesses who disclosed that the incident occurred last Tuesday said the victim reportedly lay unattended for over 15 minutes, gasping for breath, while fellow students were allegedly prevented from assisting him.

“It happened around 11am on Tuesday, shortly after we entered the hall for the examination. It wasn’t a crowded period; the corridors and staircases were free’, one of the students who witnessed the incident said

Penpushing reports that the witness identified as Bukola, alleged that a female senior lecturer allegedly stopped students from attending to the deceased during the incident, recalling that Coker was standing, with another student behind him when he suddenly collapsed.

The witness stated that the student behind the victim held him and placed him on the floor, alleging that the female invigilator from an adjacent hall entered and ordered students to return to their seats.

“Coker was standing, with another student behind him. He suddenly collapsed, and the student behind him held him and placed him on the floor. She(invigilator) started chasing everyone away to write their exams, even though the student was on the floor, gasping. Someone told her that a student had collapsed, and she replied in Yoruba, ‘E fi sílẹ̀, ó máa dìde,’ meaning ‘Leave him; he will get up.’”

Penpushing further reports that Bukola said, students became worried and began asking questions about Coker’s condition, and asking if he had had epilepsy, and they were told he doesn’t nurse such ailment

“We asked if he had epilepsy, and they said no. Another person asked if he was convulsing. Someone even suggested putting a spoon in his mouth. All this while, he was still on the floor, jerking and gasping for life, but she kept chasing us away,” she added.

“This went on for more than four minutes. It was only when his breathing became unstable that one of the invigilators said they had called a nurse. Even placing him on a chair took another five minutes. By then, he was already gasping badly’, Bukola added.

‘The nurse eventually came and administered first aid before he was taken downstairs through the elevator. We were told to continue with our exams. It was only after we finished that we were informed that Coker had died’, she lamented

Penpushing also reports that a member of staff, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said sudden medical emergencies were not uncommon during examinations.

“People come with different health conditions. Some are asthmatic or have underlying medical issues that even doctors may not be aware of. We have seen cases where students slump and recover within seconds’, the staff said.

‘Just a day before this incident, a student collapsed during an exam, and his colleague later disclosed that he was under the influence of a hard drug. Some students don’t know their health status. Some have seizures, and when they get here, they collapse suddenly.”

Penpushing reports that in another version, another student, who also did not want to be named because of the sensitivity of the incident, gave a slightly different account, suggesting that there was no deliberate delay.

“He was about to log into the system for the exam when he collapsed. I think the invigilator only wanted people to give him space. It was when they realised that something was seriously wrong that he was taken downstairs and rushed to the hospital before his eventual death.”

“Students started shouting that it was the woman who did not allow them to take him to the hospital on time. I wasn’t inside the hall when it happened, but I heard he fainted and there was confusion,” the student added.

Penpushing further reports that the student disclosed that the victim was taken to Bonny Camp Hospital, adding that he learnt he was rejected and later died on the way to another hospital.

“He was taken there, but I heard he was rejected and later died on the way to another hospital. It was an accident. These things happen suddenly; it’s not something people are always prepared for,” the student said.

Penpushing also reports that an official of the management of Bonny Camp Hospital, who preferred anonymity, however, denied rejecting the deceased, explaining that the patient was referred to another facility where oxygen would be available.

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