The management of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, has promised to immortalise a veterinary technologist who was killed by a lion in the university zoo, Olabode Olawuyi.
Registrar of OAU, Adetunji Bakare, stated this at a one-day workshop to mark the first anniversary of Olawuyi’s death, held at Pit Theatre, Department of Dramatic Arts, OAU.
The workshop, organised by the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, was titled “Workplace Safety Awareness”.
9News Nigeria reports that Olawuyi died on February 19, 2024, while attempting to rescue a junior colleague who was attacked by the lion during feeding.
The registrar stated that people were not gathering to celebrates Olawuyi’s death, but his heroism, as he assured that the university authorities would immortalise the memory of late Olawuyi.
He therefore saluted Olawuyi’s courage for standing in gap, noting that measures have been put in place to prioritise workplace safety for staff and create conducive environment for them in the institution.
Speaking at the event, NAAT National President, Mr Ibeji Nwokoma, said Olawuyi was a martyr who died saving another life.
Nwokoma, who was represented by the immediate past National Treasurer, Dr Rachel Hassan-Olajokun, urged the university management to rename the zoo in Olawuyi’s honour.
Similarly, Mr Reuben Temerigha, the Managing Director, Western Diamond Energy Limited(WEDEL), charged every organisation to provide a safe and healthy environment for their staff.
Represented by Mr Harry Ipalibo, the Manager, Health Safety Security and Environment, WEDEL, Temerigha maintained that workplace injuries and hazard remain a pressing challenge.
He added that the deceased’s bravery and selflessness served as a stark reminder of the risks many workers face on a daily basis, calling for prioritising safety and implementing measures that would prevent such incident in the future.
Temerigha identified lack of awareness and training, non-compliance with safety regulations, hazardous work environments, fatigue and human error, and poor safety culture among others as the challenges to workplace safety.
He suggested comprehensive training programmes, strict enforcement of safety technology, encouraging a culture of safety, regular safety audits and risk assessments, employee well-being programmes as the way out to safeguard the workers.
