In a tragic incident on Monday, a 9-year-old male lion fatally injured a zookeeper during a routine feeding session at the Zoological garden of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
The victim, Mr. Olabode Olawuyi, a dedicated Veterinary Technologist who had cared for the animals for over a decade, succumbed to the attack.
University Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, confirmed the unfortunate event, stating, “Mr. Olawuyi, who had nurtured the lions since their birth on campus, tragically fell victim to the male lion during feeding.”
Despite efforts by staff to intervene, the lion’s aggression proved fatal.
Upon receiving the news, university management, led by Vice Chancellor Prof. Adebayo Bamire, halted ongoing activities for an immediate assessment of the situation.
“Sadly, the aggressive lion had to be euthanized,” Olarewaju continued. “Our hearts go out to the family of the deceased, and we urge them to find comfort in faith during this difficult time.”
The university has launched a thorough investigation into the incident to determine its causes.
This incident brings to mind past tragedies involving human-lion encounters, such as the 2018 mauling of a young woman near Pretoria and the 2022 death of a South African conservationist by lions he had raised.
