By A somber mood has descended upon the Akwa Ibom Polytechnic (AkwaPoly) community in Ikot Osurua, located in the Ikot Ekpene local government area of Akwa Ibom State, following a tragic and unexpected death. The students of the Department of Journalism and Media Studies experienced a particularly bleak weekend due to the sudden passing of their final year Higher National Diploma (HND) colleague.
The deceased, identified as John, reportedly collapsed and died instantly while on a karate pitch over the weekend. According to reports, John had appeared to be in good health and high spirits just days prior, as he was seen cheerfully taking his examinations on Thursday. The sudden turn of events on Saturday, when he left the campus students’ lodge to attend his regular karate training session, has left the community in shock and mourning.
A close friend of the deceased, who preferred to remain anonymous, recounted the harrowing moments leading to John’s death. “Immediately he entered the pitch, he fainted and was rushed to a private hospital in Ikot Ekpene where he was rejected and referred to General Hospital, Ikot Ekpene,” the friend sadly recalled.
Mr. Nsoefen Mark Akpan, an eyewitness and the president of the Journalism and Media Studies Students Association (JAMSSA), provided further details of the tragic incident. He disclosed that “the doctor at the General Hospital pronounced the deceased dead on arrival at the hospital.” Overwhelmed with disbelief and grief, the students rushed to the hospital, refusing to accept the doctor’s confirmation. In a desperate attempt, they took John’s body to a church for prayers, hoping for a miracle, but their efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.
Akpan further stated that “in the Church, after he was rejected, another spiritualist offered to resuscitate the victim but couldn’t succeed, claiming that the deceased had already been admitted to the spirit world.” Faced with this grim reality, the students returned the body to the mortuary, though many still struggled to come to terms with the sudden loss of their colleague.
