Uncertainty surrounds death of OAU lecturer

The cause of the death of a senior lecturer of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ademola Babalola, is yet to be revealed a week after his corpse was found in his residence.

The death of the professor, who was the former head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, was announced last week.

According to students of his faculty and department, the death of the professor is a mystery.

Alokan Cephas, a Part 4 student of Sociology, and Ayodele Omowumi said the easy-going professor died in his room and his body was recovered two days after neighbours discovered that his phone was unreachable.

“After the day’s work, he went home and all we heard was that his corpse was found on his bed two days later.”

The Public Relations Officer of the school, Abiodun Olanrewaju, when contacted, denied rumours that Mr Babalola was stabbed to death.

“When the news came to us, the security officers of the University went to his residence and had to force open the door of the professor.

“The cause of the death is still unknown as we await the result of the autopsy,” he explained.

Also, a lecturer in the department and a close friend of the late lecturer, Olabisi Ayodele, corroborated the PRO’s response saying: “He drove himself home and laid on his couch. He was found dead in his apartment.

“He was not stabbed to death but what we are suspecting is heart failure,” Mr Olabisi said.

Mr Babalola, whose body will be laid to rest on Thursday, taught courses in the areas of Social Change and Development, Nigerian Societies and Cultures, and Comparative Social Institutions, until his death.