Disclosed: OAU Staff Mauled to Death by Lion Would Have Retired in 2025

• The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) community was on Monday, February 19, thrown into mourning after a lion at the institution's zoo killed a veterinary technologist, Olabode Olawuyi
• Olawuyi was fatally attacked by the animal at the zoological garden, and efforts to revive him proved abortive
• Legit.ng reports that a fresh report has disclosed that the late Olawuyi would have exited service in 2025

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public journalism.

Ile-Ife, Osun state - Olabode Olawuyi, the zookeeper who had been taking care of lions for almost a decade and was killed by one of the big cats at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), was billed to retire from service soon.

Legit.ng reports that the mandatory retirement age in Nigeria is 60 years or 35 years of pensionable service, whichever is earlier.

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Per a report on Wednesday, February 21, by The Punch, the late Olawuyi was born on December 22, 1965, meaning he would have clocked 60 in 2025 and exited service.

Olawuyi killed by lion he looked after

Olawuyi, who was in charge of the zoo at OAU, was attacked as he was trying to ensure the safety of another staff member assaulted by the errant lion.

According to a statement by the management of OAU, the late veterinary technologist's colleagues were unable to save him as the lion had already fatally wounded him.

The big cat has since been eliminated.

OAU's vice-chancellor (VC), Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, said he was "saddened" by the incident and ordered a thorough investigation "into the immediate and remote causes of the incident".

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In a similar vein, Nigerians on social media have been commenting on the tragedy, with many expressing shock.

Read more about OAU:

• Hunters kill lion responsible for OAU zookeeper's death
• How OAU zookeeper was killed while trying to rescue woman from lion, NASU chairman narrates
• OAU reacts over arrest of students in EFCC midnight raid

Court jails OAU undergraduates over fraud

In a piece of related news, Legit.ng reported that two OAU undergraduates and four others were sentenced to various jail terms for their alleged involvement in internet fraud.

Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the federal high court, sitting in Osogbo, in Osun state sentenced the two undergraduates, Gbolahan Khalid Adesina and Perekebena Olombeni Micah, on a lone-count separate charge.

Source: Legit.ng