A 500-level student at the Covenant University (CU), identified as Jesutunmise Emmanuel, has died after a health complication during a football training session.

Reports indicate that Emmanuel stepped out of the game to rest after complaining of leg pains and fatigue.

According to an account of the incident contained in a statement by the university’s management, the late student began gasping for breath shortly after taking a break from the game.

The development prompted his colleagues to rush him to the university’s medical centre, where he was pronounced dead. The incident happened on April 6, 2026.

However, Emmanuel’s death has sparked public backlash, with some social media users accusing the university of medical negligence.

Several users on X also claimed the university’s medical centre lacked oxygen to sustain the student’s breathing, while others alleged that the management “switched to prayers” instead of providing urgent medical attention.

Covenant University is trending because Tunmise a 500-level Building Tech student died at the medical center, because they didn’t have Oxygen, so they switched to prayers till he died. Oyedepo too joined.

It’s the same way students died in 2017 and 2025.

Apparently, they were… pic.twitter.com/ajOm9DH4GP

— Trending Explained (@TrendingEx) April 7, 2026

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#covenant #university #covenantuniversity resorts to fasting and prayer after a student d!es due to negligence and lack of proper medical attention. pic.twitter.com/6KZ8JzCvRg

— Baze University (@bazetvbaze) April 8, 2026

YOU DID NOT HAVE OXYGEN IN YOUR WORLD CLASS FUCKING HOSPITAL. BUT YOU WILL FORCE STUDENTS TO GO FOR SERVICE EVERY FUCKING TIME. COVENANT UNIVERSITY, IS IT EVERYTIME???

— Okime (@_okime) April 7, 2026

it’s heartbreaking and honestly disturbing to hear about the death of a student at Covenant University.

a young life lost during what should have been a normal campus activity raises serious questions about emergency response and student safety.

universities owe their…

— Freyy (@Freyy_is) April 7, 2026

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‘HE WAS TAKEN TO MEDICAL CENTRE DEAD’

Reacting to the backlash, Timothy Anake, the university’s vice-chancellor, in a statement, described the student’s death as an “unfortunate loss.”

The vice-chancellor said the student was rushed to the school’s medical centre after his colleagues discovered he was struggling to breathe.

Anake said all efforts to save Emmanuel’s life were unsuccessful as the medical personnel confirmed that he was brought in dead.

He said the medical reports indicated that the student was suffering from an undisclosed medical condition.

”Jesutunmise, a diligent and vibrant student, participated in a student’s football training session on campus. He stepped out of the game to rest after he was said to have complained of leg pains and being tired,” the statement reads.

“In a short while, his football mates observed that he was gasping for breath, and they responded swiftly by taking him to the Medical Centre’s emergency unit, which was directly opposite the playing field.

“However, he had stopped breathing by the time he arrived at the facility.

‘Though he was brought in dead, the doctors responded immediately by administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with an automated external defibrillator (AED).

“However, all efforts to resuscitate Jesutunmise were unsuccessful.

“Subsequently, he was certified clinically dead due to a prior undisclosed heart condition.”

The school management also dismissed the reports that the medical staff neglected the student in his struggle for life.

“We wish to confirm that there was no form of negligence in the response of the medical personnel or a shortage of any required equipment for the treatment,” the statement added.

“The management of the University, led by the Vice-Chancellor, was at the Medical Centre from the time of the unfortunate event until the parents arrived, and remained with the family until he was laid to rest.

“The entire Covenant University community extends our deepest condolences to the family for this loss.

“This is also a loss for the University and the entire society, which was deprived of the special gift that Jesutunmise represents.

“We thank the general public for your concern and support at this time. Please keep the family in your prayers as they navigate this difficult period.”
By Pelumi Bolawa
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