A tragic incident shook the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) community in Ile-Ife, Osun State, as a nine-year-old lion attacked and killed a veteran zookeeper named Olabode Olawuyi on Monday.
According to the university’s public relations officer (PRO), Abiodun Olarewaju, the zookeeper, who had been overseeing the Zoological garden for over a decade, was carrying out his routine duties of feeding the animals when the lion launched the fatal attack.
Despite the valiant efforts of other staff members present to rescue Olawuyi, the lion’s aggression proved fatal.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Simeon Bamire visited the scene of the tragedy and received a report from the acting director of the university’s medical center, Dr. Tirimisiyu Olatunji, confirming the unsuccessful attempts to save Olawuyi’s life through first aid and medical interventions.
In response to the heartbreaking incident, the aggressive lion responsible for the attack was euthanized. Olawuyi had been caring for the lions since their birth on campus approximately nine years ago, making the tragedy all the more poignant.
The university management expressed deep condolences to Olawuyi’s widow and children, urging them to find solace in the divine providence that governs life and death.
Furthermore, the Vice-Chancellor has initiated a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, aiming to uncover both immediate and underlying causes.