Afe Babalola University Graduate Who Fell from 26-Storey Cocoa House in Ibadan Buried by Church

• Feranmi Akin-Akinye, a 22-year-old graduate of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, who died after falling from the 26-storey Cocoa House in Ibadan, the state capital, has been buried
• The young man was laid to rest by Living Faith Church, also known as Winners Chapel, on Tuesday, June 3
• An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, has recounted what happened on the fateful day that Feranmi died

A graduate of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Feranmi Akin-Akinye, who fell from the Cocoa House in Ibadan on Monday, June 2, was laid to rest on Tuesday by his church, Winners Chapel.

Tribune Online reported that Feranmi, who reportedly lived with his mother in the Meridian area of Apata, Ibadan, was undergoing training in cybersecurity at the time of the incident.

Eyewitnesses recount Cocoa House incident

An eyewitness, who spoke to Punch on Tuesday under anonymity, recounted what happened on that fateful day. According to the eyewitness:

"When the incident happened, I initially thought it was a large bird falling from the sky.

“It was only when the person landed that I realised it was a human being.

I had my phone with me but I couldn’t even record anything because I was completely shocked."

“The victim first hit a roof beside the security post of the building before landing on the ground. It was a terrifying sight," another eyewitness recounted.

Firm managing Cocoa House confirms incident

In a statement released on Tuesday by Odu’a Investment Company Limited, the firm managing the Cocoa House, it was stated that the deceased was quickly attended to by an emergency response team and then taken to the hospital.

As per the Punch report, Victor Ayetoro, the head of Branding and Communication of the firm, who authorised the statement, said:

“The individual involved was swiftly attended to by the emergency response team and taken to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, for urgent medical attention.

“The company expressed deep concerns over the development and assured the public of its full cooperation with authorities investigating the cause of the fall."

Brief History of Cocoa House

Located in the Dugbe area of Ibadan, the skyscraper is reported to be the first of its kind in West Africa. Though it was completed in 1964 after Nigeria's independence, its commissioning came a year later in 1965.

The project was done under the late Obafemi Awolowo from the proceeds of cocoa, which was one of the mainstays of the Nigerian economy then, hence the name Cocoa House.

In modern times, Cocoa House now houses many commercial centres, one of which is the Odu’a Museum and Hall of Fame that was commissioned by Wole Soyinka in 2013.

Cocoa Hall renovation

The building got a facelift in 2024 as its facilities, including its car park, were upgraded, The Punch reports.

On the renovation, Oyo state governor Seyi Makinde said:

“We must continue to uplift the legacies of our predecessors and foster progress through collaborative efforts

“This building is a testament to our shared heritage and economic potential, and its renovation is a symbol of both our past achievements and our future aspirations."

The unfortunate death of the ABUAD undergraduate is believed to be the first incident that happened in the building since January 1985, when fire gutted the entire building.

In a related story, Legit.ng reported that a brave 17-year-old boy had saved a kid who fell from the window of a storey building.

3 die in Lagos building collapse

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that three people had lost their lives in a building collapse that happened in Lagos.

In a statement released by Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, permanent secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, stated that some people were rescued and added that the rescue efforts were carried out through the efforts of LASEMA and the Lagos State Fire Service. The statement read:

"The agency received a distress call about a collapsed building at 3:49 am, prompting an immediate response by 3:58 am. A set of three terraces under construction had collapsed. Search and rescue operations began immediately, resulting in the recovery of three dead adult males, the rescue of two alive, and one adult male trapped under the rubble."

Joseph Omotayo, the HoD of the Human Interest Desk, contributed to this report, adding a brief history of the Cocoa House and the fire incident that happened there some decades ago.

Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng