By Michael Ofulue, Osogbo

The management of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, in Osun State, has confirmed the death of a Distance Learning student (name withheld) who was electrocuted while trying to retrieve a ball from a compound.

According to the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olanrewaju, the deceased was playing a football match with his colleagues when the ball went into a fenced compound.

It was learnt that the deceased, in the process of retrieving the ball, entered the compound, got the ball, but was electrocuted after touching a live wire on his way out.

Olanrewaju said the deceased aspired to join the university after completing the CDL programme.

He said, “It is unfortunate that we recorded an unpleasant incident yesterday, where we lost a promising young man—one of our CDL students who was aspiring to join the university after completing the programme.

“Reports indicated that they were playing football in the evening when the ball fell into a fenced compound. Unknown to the young boy, he jumped into the compound because he was the one who kicked the ball there, and it was a rule that whoever played the ball into the compound would retrieve it.

“In compliance with the rule, the boy went in. We were told it was his first time playing with them. He retrieved the ball and threw it back to his colleagues, but while trying to come out, he climbed the fence and unknowingly touched a live wire, which led to his electrocution.

“When his colleagues noticed he hadn’t returned to the pitch, they went to check and found him shivering. One of them used a stick to remove the live wire from his hand, and they rushed him to the facility at the Centre for Distance Learning in the university.

“Unfortunately, he was brought in dead. They took him to another hospital where he was confirmed dead.”

The Director of the CDL, Professor Femi Koya, has contacted the parents to inform them of the unfortunate incident.

“We are sincerely sorry for what happened and we pray that God Almighty grants the parents, the university, his friends, and colleagues the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” Olanrewaju said.