The speed at which Nigerians are slumping and dying has change into a worrisome improvement, notably to medical specialists.
Truly, demise is an inevitable finish of each mortal, however when and the way it comes is what has remained a thriller to mankind. Other than accidents of all kinds, man, in his quest to unravel the thriller surrounding demise has been in a position to set up the truth that demise naturally comes after transient or protracted ill-health. Nonetheless, current improvement has once more confirmed that the thriller surrounding demise can by no means be unearthed by mankind.
Just lately, there was a media report of personalities who all of the sudden slumped and died.
Previous to their sudden demise, they appeared outwardly, by each stretch of creativeness, very wholesome, however inwardly they had been very sick. In most cases, they had been reported to have simply completed one exercise or the opposite earlier than they slumped.
Checks by DAILY POST revealed disturbing developments the place quite a few incidents of slump-and-die cases abound however just a few, typically regarding outstanding people, get the media consideration.
If a peasant farmer in Kaura-Namoda slumps and dies, no one would report it. If a hunter in Ilofa slumps and dies, it won’t be reported. If a pepper vendor in Ogbete Primary Market slumps and dies, no one reviews that. However when an ex-governor slumps and dies, it attracts large media protection.
Nonetheless, that doesn’t diminish the truth that the scourge consumes Nigerians of their numbers.
Simply on Thursday, August 14, 2025, Chief James Aiyepeku, father of Ayobami Aiyepeku, a photojournalist who was murdered on July 22 in Kogi State, slumped and died. Though Chief Aiyepeku was affected by a stroke, his sudden demise was allegedly triggered by the shock of his son’s ugly homicide.
His son, Ayobami, was gruesomely murdered by his good friend and a correctional officer, Oluwapelumi Tolani Adebayo on July 22, 2025, for causes but unknown and his corpse was taken to unknown place.
The assailant was stated to have later dedicated suicide after being declared needed by the police whereas the corpse of the slain photojournalist was recovered in a bush path.
Traumatised by the brutal killing of his son, Chief Aiyepeku, couldn’t survive the shock and he slumped and died yesterday.
On Monday, August 11, the Assistant Coach of the Taking pictures Stars Sports activities Membership, Ibadan, Oyo State, Akin Olowokere, slumped and died.
In keeping with report, the newly appointed assistant coach slumped on the pitch in the course of the crew’s Monday morning coaching session and was rushed to the hospital, the place he was confirmed lifeless
He was for years an everyday participant together with his state membership, Sunshine Stars of Akure, Ondo State, earlier than taking over a training job.
On Might 13, 2025, a broadcast journalist with the Ogun State Tv, Bukola Agbakaizu, tragically handed away on Tuesday, whereas getting ready for her afternoon shift on the state-owned tv station.
Her demise was confirmed by the Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ogun State Council, Mr Bunmi Adigun, in a press release issued in Abeokuta. “Agbakaizu, a devoted workers member of Ogun State Tv, tragically collapsed whereas getting ready for the afternoon shift, and regardless of efforts to revive her, she was pronounced dead-on-arrival on the Federal Medical Centre,” the assertion learn.
On Might 7, 2025, the chairman of Bariga Native Authorities Space in Lagos State, Kolade Alabi, equally slumped on the All Progressives Congress, APC stakeholders’ assembly on the social gathering’s Secretariat in Ikeja, the state capital.
Alabi, who’s the state chairman of the Affiliation of Native Governments of Nigeria, was addressing social gathering members when the unhappy incident occurred. He was lucky to have been revived and rushed to the hospital in an ambulance for additional therapy.
Once more in April 2025, a Lagos hotelier, Kunle Akinyele, additionally slumped and died throughout his spouse’s sixtieth birthday thanksgiving service in Lagos.
A video accompanying the submit asserting his demise confirmed Akinyele visibly distressed and gesticulating earlier than slumping.
Earlier than this 12 months, a pair of such sudden deaths equally made headline information.
In February 2024, a member of the Nationwide Youths Service Corps, merely recognized as Samuel from Kaduna State and serving in Numan, Adamawa State, slumped and died at a soccer viewing centre whereas watching the penalty shootout stage of the match between Nigeria and South Africa.
Lamenting in a social media submit, a witness stated: “We misplaced one Nigerian throughout our victory celebration over South Africa right now at our sports activities viewing centre right here in Numan. The corps member who’s from Kaduna State however serving in Numan, Adamawa State, fainted earlier than the kick of the successful objective. He died earlier than they might attain the hospital. Might his soul relaxation in peace.”
Equally, a former federal lawmaker, Cairo Ojougboh, met an analogous destiny whereas watching soccer. The politician, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was stated to have handed away whereas watching the identical AFCON semi-final match between Nigeria and South Africa.
A supply near the politician stated: “Cairo Ojougboh, a medical physician, died in the course of the Nigeria vs South Africa match. The incident occurred when the penalty was awarded in opposition to Nigeria. Dr Ojougboh was stated to have shouted and slumped due to an enormous coronary heart assault when South Africa scored.”
It was the identical final 12 months, 2024 that the legendary Onyeka Onwenu, whose voice impressed thousands and thousands, reportedly collapsed after a birthday efficiency in Lagos. She was later confirmed lifeless at a hospital in Victoria Island.
Earlier, in October 2023, the Minister of Surroundings, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, reportedly slumped whereas being screened by the Senate.
He was, nonetheless, revived. Lawal, who fell to the ground after talking for about quarter-hour, was resuscitated by medical personnel known as into the chamber. A supply within the Senate disclosed that he was affected by exhaustion.
Behind the headlines, lies a deeper public well being thriller. Are these tragedies linked to undiagnosed coronary heart situations? Is stress enjoying a extra deadly position than we acknowledge? And why achieve this many victims appear unaware of any prior well being danger? These and extra questions agitate the minds of most Nigerians.
However whilst some Nigerians are battling to unravel the thriller behind the ugly pattern the Nigerian docs in diaspora have determined to take the bull by the horn as they’ve known as on the management of the Nationwide Meeting and President Bola Tinubu to urgently put aside particular contingency funds for residents with persistent situations and practising medical personnel to deal with rising illnesses and the ‘Hunch and Die’ epidemic throughout the nation.
In keeping with the Nigerian Diaspora docs, drawn from the US, the UK, Nigeria, and different African and Asia international locations, current research have proven that staff in each private and non-private sectors, together with medical personnel, had been being drastically diminished by the alarming sudden deaths syndrome.
Dr. Feyitayo Akorede from the US, a member of the Coalition of Medical Practitioners in Diaspora, identified {that a} current survey had proven a disturbing pattern of ‘slump-and-die’ incidents, affecting all ages and professions, each globally and in Nigeria.
“Medical doctors are involved in regards to the astronomical numbers of undiagnosed coronary heart situations, excessive stress and the alarming improve in persistent illnesses reminiscent of diabetes, stroke, Cardiovascular Ailments, Cancers, Arthritis, Bronchial asthma, Persistent Again Ache, Persistent Kidney Illness, Persistent Obstructive Pulmonary Illness (COPD), and substance abuse,” he stated.
Dr. Akorede, a neurosurgeon, stated the decision on the management of the Nationwide Meeting and President Tinubu to behave urgently by setting apart emergency funding within the nation’s price range for abnormal residents and medical specialists to help in lowering the epidemic, was to make sure that medical personnel are strengthened to assist the Nigerian populace.
He additionally known as on leaders and administration groups in each private and non-private organisations throughout Nigeria to urgently take proactive measures in safeguarding the lives of their staff by offering well being consciousness programmes, distressing lectures, and retreats, and higher medical companies to their staff to have a more healthy and productive workforce.
“For a lot of people, there are not any indicators of sickness, and it’s so sudden that there’s not sufficient time to name for assist; only a sudden collapse, typically in high-stress or emotional settings and silence.
“The demographics of the victims vary from youths to middle-aged people and the aged, underscoring that the epidemic reduce throughout all ages.
“This world ‘hunch and die’ phenomenon that has emerged because the post-COVID period are actually making docs world wide to talk out, warning {that a} silent disaster could also be brewing; poor cardiovascular consciousness, unchecked hypertension, and a harmful lack of routine medical screening, particularly in younger adults and professionals beneath stress should be urgently addressed to save lots of lives,” he stated.
Specialists react
Specialists have listed potential undiagnosed coronary heart situations like cardiac arrest, emotional or bodily stress, hypertension, poor well being monitoring or lack of consciousness as triggers.
They known as for public enlightenment on the necessity for normal checkups and realizing one’s cardiovascular well being standing. They suppose that many Nigerians are overlooking their public well being, resulting in sudden and traumatic deaths.
A professor of Public Well being on the College of Ilorin, Kwara State, and former Nationwide Chairman of the Affiliation of Public Well being Physicians of Nigeria, Tanimola Akande, revealed that people with a household historical past of sudden demise are at greater danger, including that in middle-aged and aged folks, numerous cardiovascular danger elements considerably improve the possibilities of sudden demise.
The heart specialist suggested that along with cardiovascular examinations, people ought to endure electrocardiography, whereas adults ought to examine their levels of cholesterol, and people with a household historical past of sudden demise ought to start early screening, advisedly twice a 12 months.
He listed the commonest causes of cardiovascular illnesses like hypertension, cardiomyopathies, and cardiac arrest. He stated many younger persons are uncovered to danger elements together with stress, alcohol and tobacco, amongst others.
“Additionally, a fairly frequent trigger of sudden demise in youths in our surroundings contains substance use reminiscent of opioids and different exhausting medicine. Violence can be a typical trigger of sudden demise amongst youth, which generally happens with cult group clashes and communal crises. Respiratory illnesses like bronchial asthma also can result in sudden demise amongst youths,” he stated.
On prevention, he stated there’s a want for a discount in publicity to the danger elements of cardiovascular illnesses like tobacco, alcohol, stress and adhering to wholesome life.
“Common medical assessments are additionally essential for teens. It’s typically assumed that it’s the older ones that want common medical examinations.
“Lately, fairly just a few youths are hypertensive, and they don’t seem to be recognized in any respect or early sufficient. Violence is on the rise in our society, authorities, communities, and households have roles to play to forestall this and notably monitor their younger ones to make sure they don’t be a part of unhealthy gangs the place substance abuse is frequent and cult rivalry can be frequent.
“Youth ought to be focused for well being schooling on wholesome life in and outdoors faculty and the necessity for normal medical examinations,” he stated.
Additionally a personal medical practitioner in Lagos, Dr Harmless Okoawo attributed the causes of sudden cardiac arrest to a mixture of hypertension, diabetes and excessive ldl cholesterol within the blood amongst different elements.
Explaining all of the processes that result in sudden cardiac arrest, he stated: “What occurs is {that a} mixture of hypertension, diabetics and excessive ldl cholesterol degree within the system result in the formation of tiny blood clots, which block essential elements of the physique, typically the mind.
“If these tiny blood clots block the small vessels within the mind, they trigger strokes.
“However, you understand that in some elements of the nation, when an individual has stroke, folks say it’s poison, when in precise sense, the person has obtained a blood clot floating in his circulation and it has gone to dam the half of the mind that controls that half of the physique that’s weak.
“Simply because it occurs to the mind, it additionally occurs to the guts. Blood clots can type and block a specific portion of the guts however as a result of the guts is in muscle and never just like the mind, the remaining elements which can be working proceed to work.
“Although that small half that’s not working is lifeless, the guts continues to operate.
“So, the particular person will expertise what we name repeated ischemic assaults of the guts. Ischemia means scarcity of blood to a specific half of an organ or tissue.
“He doesn’t know as a result of it’s a small portion of the guts that’s not getting blood provide or that’s lifeless. It occurs to a really tiny half of the guts; the remaining half of the guts continues to contract and loosen up repeatedly as blood is pumping.
“However, the particular person will now proceed to have two, three, 4, and 5 clots within the coronary heart till it will get to some extent when the portion of the guts that’s ischemic is way that the guts can not cope and it simply packs up.”
He decried a scenario the place folks don’t need to settle for that they’ve a well being situation, saying: “A affected person is instructed that he’s hypertensive, and he tells you, ‘I reject it in Jesus identify.’ Which means the particular person is just not keen to take your recommendation on the right way to management his blood stress and he isn’t keen to take treatment.
“Inform an individual that he’s diabetic and he says no, my father doesn’t have it. He’s not keen to take treatment and he isn’t keen to examine his blood sugar degree repeatedly.”
He suggested that solely common medical check-ups will cut back sudden cardiac arrest as in keeping with him, “You possibly can’t stop hypertension; you’ll be able to’t stop diabetics. Perhaps, you’ll be able to stop excessive ldl cholesterol.”
He insisted {that a} medical examine ought to be finished not less than as soon as in six months however acknowledged that when the issue is picked up, your doctor will inform you to extend the frequency.
Though, Dr Okoawo stated hypertension and diabetics can’t be prevented, that’s not to say there is no such thing as a answer to sudden cardiac arrest.
Providing options to the issue, he suggested folks to all the time go for normal voluntary assessments.
He additionally suggested employers of labour to insist on pre-employment medical assessments in addition to medical assessments for workers as a situation for retaining their jobs.
He believes that such measures will enable for early detection and therapy of the silent killers.
