Why hospital seized Olympic boxer Jerry Okorodudu’s corpse

Thursday, June 29, 2023 11:18 am

Olympic boxer Jerry Okorodudu,

By Nehru Odeh

A Lagos hospital has seized the corpse of Nigeria’s Olympic boxer Jeremiah Okorodudu. Okorodudu passed on on Wednesday at about 7pm while awaiting amputation surgery. He had been battling with foot ulcer that left him bedridden for weeks. He was aged 64.

The hospital authorities seized the corpse of the popular pugilist because of N600,000 debt which was part of his medical bill.

Okorodudu’s wife, Adenike, confirmed the news of his death to The PUNCH.

However, Adenike said the hospital was not willing to release her husband’s corpse until the outstanding N600,000 medical bill is paid.

“He is dead now but we still need to pay N600,000 to get his body out of the hospital,” Adenike said.

Secretary-General, Nigeria Boxing Board of Control and the President, West Africa Boxing Union, Remi Aboderin, also confirmed that the Olympian had passed away.

“It is unfortunate that he died this way, and I am actually lost for words. May his soul rest in peace,” he said.

The Vice President, Nigeria Boxing Federation, Azania Omo-Agege, also told The PUNCH that he sent his wife some money on Tuesday for the hospital bills of the former boxer.

“I just sent them money yesterday (Tuesday). I sent them N100,000 and we were planning for the amputation (of his leg) on Friday, this is very sad,” he said.

Okorodudu represented Nigeria at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games, where he competed in the middleweight category.

He was a gold medallist at the Oluyole 1979 National Sports Festival in Ibadan.

His medical predicament began in 2020 with a boil affliction that affected his mobility. He then had a successful surgery at Dans Hospital, Ikorodu, Lagos.

But his health condition relapsed after he was diagnosed with foot ulcer and suffered a stroke.