...AAUA Final year student missing
By: Feranmi Okuku
A final year student of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba (AAUA) has been reportedly carried away by flood caused by the heavy downpour in the late hours of Monday.
Doyin Boluwaji, a 400 level student from the department of Religion and African Culture in the institution was said to have been carried away by the flood which invaded her villa (Package Villa).
A victim of the flood who identified herself as Oluwaseun Ademilua, a student of the department of Linguistics (400 level) spoke with ECHO saying that that current of the water was so high that the walls of the room started collapsing.
She said, ' I stay in the first room by the right in Package Villa. Doyin was the one that alerted me of the flood the rain was causing. So I started moving all my things to the top of my wardrobe, but it was not up to a minute before I realised that my room was filled with water already; so much that it was even lifting me up."
"The next thing we heard was the wall of Doyin's room collapsing and current became faster. Some of my neighbours that were already on the ceiling pulled me up with them. Doyin was with her boyfriend(Damilola) in the room but water has locked the room and they couldn't come out."
"They were holding hands and holding on to something but the force of the water pulled Doyin away."
She continued "A while after our Landlord came and tried to calm us down and also rescue Doyin but water also carried him."
She added that this was not the first time they had experienced something like that.
In her words, "our villa was also flooded second semester last year and we lost some properties then but it was not as bad as this. The Landlord tried to do some things after the first incident by constructing rings to curb the flood and drainage too."
A female student who pleaded anonymity who is neighbour living beside the villa said, 'I went to charge my phone in their villa because they switched on generator. The rain started around 7 in the evening but with time, it became heavier and flooded into their passage, so they had to switch off the generator. But they overlooked the water that was in their passage because they didn't think it would be more than that. I left the villa when they switched off the generator but rain also entered rooms in my villa (Character Villa) and we had to shift our valuable properties.
"We later learnt that students in Package Villa had to break the ceiling as a way of escaping the destruction water was causing. Her hands slipped off when she was trying to grip her fellow student's hand who was already in the ceiling. The landlord also in the process of trying to save her slipped and got carried away but was later found."
David Olasugba, 100 level student in the department of Plant Science and Biotechnology who stays in Peace Villa told ECHO that they were alerted by others tenants when the flood started.
He said, "Immediately we opened the door, the water gushed into our room, we only had the opportunity to bring out valuable things like our certificates."
He pleaded with the institution to help in finding a way to construct a drainage in their area.
The Landlord's daughter with the name Funmilayo said that Doyin (the missing student) was the one who called the landlord before he was also swept by the flood.
"Sister Doyin called to tell my Dad about the flood. When we got to the house students were already climbing into the ceiling. In an attempt to save sister Doyin he (landlord) slipped. We thought water already carried him away too but like 3 hours later we saw him hiding on the Cocoa tree and hanging on to it, waiting for the flood to reduce. He was taken to the hospital this morning.'
The Students' Union President of the institution, Comrade Samuel Adesomoju said the incident was such a sad one saying that the houses were too close to water.
He explained that "according to the environmental law you don't build your residential houses very close to water."
The union president said he has spoken with the Dvc Academics, Prof. Gbore and a search team has been coordinated for the search of the girl because her life is so precious and "hope that she survives this."
He added that the incident would have been averted if there were enough hostels in the institution
"This incident is as a result of the inadequate hostels on campus. The source of all this problem lies with the management. The one opposite health centre has been completed for the past 6 months but yet to be commissioned," Comrade Adesomoju said.
Dr. Matthew Idoko, the Chief Medical Director of health centre, AAUA said most students came into the health centre out of anxiety and only two students were injured.
"Only two had some serious injuries and were admitted till this morning that they were discharged. As at this moment, we don't have any accident victim in the ward, they have all been discharged," said Medical Director.
Dean of Students' Affairs on the other hand, Dr. Olusegun Owolewa said the management has permitted affected students to scout with their friends in the institution hall of residence.
He also explained that the completed hostels will be commissioned before the commencement of next session.
