By
Olufemi Alfred
The cause of the death of a senior lecturer of Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Ademola Babalola, is yet to be revealed a week after his corpse was found in his residence.
The death of the Professor who was the former head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, was announced last week.
According to students of the deceased faculty and department, the death of the Professor is still a mystery.
Alokan Cephas, a Part 4 student of Sociology and Ayodele Omowumi, stated that the easy-going Professor died in his room and his body was recovered Two days after neighbours discovered that his phone was unreachable.
"After the day's work, he went home and all we heard was that his corpse was found on his bed Two days later."
Meanwhile, a reliable source, who confided under anonymity, said the Professor was stabbed in the eye and stomach because his articles and research works were against the British American Tobacco Company (BAT).
"Babalola was stabbed to death and his eyes removed. You dont mess with those companies. His research work affected those companies. They started receiving court suits and international pressure."
However, the Public Relations Officer of the school, Abiodun Olanrewaju, when contacted, denied that Professor Babalola was stabbed to death.
"When the news came to us, the security officers of the University went to his residence and had to force open the door of the Professor." He told the journalist.
"The cause of the death is still unknown as we await the result of the autopsy."
Also, a lecturer of the department and a close friend of the late Prof., Dr. Olabisi Ayodele corroborated the PRO's response saying;
"He drove himself home and laid on his couch. He was found dead in his apartment."
"He was not stabbed to death but what we are suspecting is heart failure." Olabisi buttressed
Professor Babalola, whose body will be laid to rest on Thursday, taught courses in the areas of Social Change and Development, Nigerian Societies and Cultures, and Comparative Social Institutions until his death.
He also published extentively on how the introduction and adoption of commercial flue-cured tobacco production in the Oyo north division, under the auspices of the British American Tobacco Company (BAT) affected the socio-economic lives of the people.
