Authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State have shut down the zoological garden on the institution’s campus following the killing of a veterinary technologist, Mr Olabode Olawuyi, by a nine-year-old lion on Monday.

Speaking with Platinum Times on Tuesday, the Chairman of the National Association of Non-Academic Staff of Universities, OAU branch, Mr Wole Odewumi, said the management of the university had shut the garden.

He explained that the veterinary technologist was attacked by the lion while he was attempting to free a woman, who was first attacked by the lion.

Odewumi said, “I spoke to some of his colleagues, and they told me what happened. The lion attacked a woman first. The woman is also a staff working at the zoo.

“The deceased intervened to free the woman from the lion. He must have assumed that the lion would recognise him. His intervention to free the woman must have infuriated the animal. The lion left the woman and attacked him squarely.

“After he was freed from the lion’s grip, they rushed him to the health centre on campus here. He however died before he got there. But the second person that was attacked, a woman, is still on admission receiving treatment presently.”

Odewumi also said a mourning procession was held on the campus on Tuesday in honour of Olawuyi while the management of the university met with his family.

He said, “We held a mourning procession in honour of the deceased this morning and members of the management addressed us after that sober event.

“All unions on campus joined the procession. The management promised to take necessary action. There will be a committee that his union will also have a representative in, that will work on the issues raised. I have visited the scene. The zoo has been locked up. It is officially locked up.

“The management will not want anybody to go there for now. Some members of the family of the deceased were around and we handed them over to the management.”

Going by the information on the Curriculum Vitae of the deceased, the 59-year-old Olawuyi born on December 22nd, 1965 would have exited service in 2025.

The management of the institution had in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the University, Abiodun Olanrewaju, on Monday, explained that members of staff who were at the scene of the incident did everything within their power to rescue the deceased, but could not, as the animal held him and mauled him.

According to a video recorded at the scene, the lion was later shot dead by a security operative working with the school, as the mangled remains of the late Olawuyi soaked in blood were laid at the entrance to the garden.

Oblongata:
Once the Lion had tasted human blood there was no going back!

As it had attacked the woman and probably tasted her blood, every human became a potential prey!

In a saner clime, during the attack on the woman, the Lion would have been darted (with tranquilizers) and eventually euthanized because it had tasted human blood.

The system failed the victims.

duduade:


I read it was euthanized yesterday

Why these report says it was shot dead

phorget:
Cooked up story!
So what exactly was the woman doing in the lions den?

Oblongata:
Once the Lion had tasted human blood there was no going back!

As it had attacked the woman and probably tasted her blood, every human became a potential prey!

FinidiGeorge:

Lol... You people just saying euthanize up and down... The animal was KILLED, simple.

Euthanize is mercy killing or explained as killing an animal or someone humanely which most times comes with painless death. It is an assist killing.

illicit:
The man's body was still there when the lion was shot

Which one is that he was rushed to the hospital?

Abi rush get another meaning?

ValCon888:
A lion was killed for being a lion. That is what I know.

illicit:
The man's body was still there when the lion was shot

Which one is that he was rushed to the hospital?

Abi rush get another meaning?

Tallesty1:
Masculinity

duduade:


I read it was euthanized yesterday

Why these report says it was shot dead

EreluRoz:
Watch as they start blaming the woman now

FinidiGeorge:

Lol... You people just saying euthanize up and down... The animal was KILLED, simple.

Euthanize is mercy killing or explained as killing an animal or someone humanely which most times comes with painless death. It is an assist killing.

phorget:
Cooked up story!
So what exactly was the woman doing in the lions den?