How Unilag VC, Prof. Adetokunbo Sofoluwe Died After Eating ‘Pepper Soup’

The death of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Adetokunbo Babatunde Sofoluwe on Saturday May 12, 2012 at the age of 62, was one of the most disturbing news that sent shock waves all over the country.

This was made worse, when it was reported that the renowned educationist did not show any sign of illness before then and the university community, in a statement after the sad occurrence, confirmed that Sofoluwe died of cardiac arrest.

The statement added that Sofoluwe suffered a heart attack while in his office at the Department of Computer Science on the night of Friday May 11, but managed to call his doctor who came to his rescue and brought him to the institution's Medical Centre in an ambulance.

The deceased, the university added, was subsequently transferred to Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba where he was diagnosed as having Myocardial Infarction.

Myocardial infarction refers to a situation whereby a blood clot stops blood from flowing in a heart (coronary) artery

“He was resuscitated before being transferred to the High Dependency Unit in Ward E8 of LUTH. Unfortunately, he suffered a second heart attack and all efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. Post mortem examination has since been carried out and this has confirmed the cause of death to be of Cardiac Origin,” the statement added.

Another source stated that the accomplished Professor of Computer Science had been at the University Staff Club late in the evening on the said Friday a few hours before tragedy struck. He was said to have 'sneaked' out and went into his old office at the Computer Department of the university, which he still maintained after becoming VC. It was there that he ordered for 'pepper soup.' He had just started eating the stuff, when he erupted into a ceaseless cough.

“The next thing was that he called his doctor on phone and complained to him. The doctor quickly swung into action to get to him by racing down to the Senate building, then the club, the faculty of science until he finally met him at his old office in the Computer Department. However, by the time the doctor got there, he was lying on the door,” said a source.

He added that Sofoluwe was rushed in an ambulance to LUTH, Idi-Araba, where a team of specialists had been mobilized for the emergency case that was at hand. The Chief Medical Director, Professor Akin Osibogun, we gathered, had quickly raced to the scene.

“Serious attempts were made to revive him, including the deployment of a cardiac machine the hospital were made to revive him, including the deployment of a cardiac machine he hospital had just acquired, but all was to no avail. He was finally pronounced dead a little above 6am on Saturday, May 12.

Sofoluwe got his first degree from the University of Lagos in Computer Science. Prior to his death, Prof. Sofoluwe had also served twice as the Head of the Computer Science Department and also as the Dean of the Faculty of Sciences at the University.

Sofoluwe was born on April 15, 1950. He earned his Master's Degree in 1975 and Doctorate in 1981 from Edinburgh University, Scotland. Prof Sofoluwe was the third alumnus to be appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos when he was appointed to the position in January 2010.

However, the family of the late Vice-Chancellor of University of Lagos (UNILAG), dismissed media reports which claimed that it had expressed misgivings over the circumstances leading to the late vice-chancellor.

Elder brother of the deceased, Mr. Dehinde Olumuyiwa Sofoluwe, who made this known during a press briefing by the university management to announce the burial arrangement last week Wednesday, said: “There was never a time Sofoluwe family feels that the death of our brother is from external forces or poison.”

Sofoluwe, who described his late brother as a quiet and easy going man, said that the deceased had last Thursday before his death on Saturday, told him to take things easy and that death could come at any time.

Announcing the burial plans, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics and Research), Prof. Babajide Alo, said the university management would immortalise the late VC, who died of myocardial infarction at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba. This, he said, is in line with the usual tradition of the institution to keep memories alive.

He said the university was yet to recover from the rude shock it experienced on receiving the sad news of the death of its 10th Vice-Chancellor, adding that a high powered committee, headed by him, has been set up to draw up the burial programme, in conjunction with members of the Sofoluwe family.

According to him, the burial activities would commence on May 25 to 27 with a special prayer session at the university mosque, Chapel of Christ Our Light and St Thomas Catholic Church at the main campus, respectively.

He said special singing and prayer sessions would hold on all three campuses of the institution, while a service of songs would hold at the Main Auditorium of the main campus on May 29.

He said a special senate session in the senate chamber followed by a Christian wake-keep at the Multi-Purpose Hall would hold on May 30 while the burial arrangement is expected to climax with the lying-in-state on the campus, followed by the funeral service at All Saints' Church, Yaba and interment at the Vault and Gardens, Ikoyi on May 31.

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, Minister of Youth Development, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka,  National Universities Commi-ssion (NUC) have expressed sadness over the death of Sofoluwe.

Ihedioha, in a letter addressed to the Registrar of the school, said he received “with great shock and very heavy heart news of the sudden and untimely demise of the Vice- Chancellor.”

Also, Uduaghan said the news of the death of Shofoluwe was saddening as it would not only leave a void in the family and the university community but in the hearts of those who knew him.

Abdullahi, in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, expressed deep sadness over the demise of a man, he said, was a thoroughbred academic and professional who contributed greatly to the development of Nigeria's education system.

He recalled that the late Vice Chancellor was the third alumnus of the University of Lagos to lead it and that he did his best to advance the cause of knowledge and scholarship.

Soyinka, in a statement entitled, 'An Untimely Death', said: “Babatunde Sofoluwe, late Vice-Chancellor, was our most gracious host for the Nigerian National Merit Award Lecture on May 3. It seems difficult to believe that the man who stepped twice onto the podium to deliver a witty welcome address, them wound up the occasion with perhaps the briefest, but no less honourous Vote of Thanks of any college event, has taken such an abrupt leave of us. I mourn with the University of Lagos community and send my deepest condolences to his friends and family.”

May 21, 2012