Two foreign Nigerian medical professionals based in the epicenter of COVID-19 (coronavirus) have died according to some media report.
They are Italy-based Dr. Olumide Okunuga and a London-based female medical doctor whose name was not given.
According to US-based blog, Irohinoodua, Okunuga was the President of Egbe Omo Yoruba, Emila Romagna and Vice-President of Yoruba National Community in Italy.
The 64-year-old pathologist from Ikenne, Ogun State was a two-time councillor in Modena, Italy where he had lived for 35 years.
He was diagnosed to have contracted COVID-19 in Canada, a country which has recently been hit by the deadly virus.
Irohinoodua, quoted sources as saying that the remains of Okunuga, were asked to be recognised from a distance by his daughter, Dr. Bolanle Okunuga, whose mother is a Caucasian of Italian origin.
The blog reported Canadian health officials as saying that Okunuga’s body would not be released, but had to be cremated.
“His death has left the Yoruba community in Italy totally devastated. We have lost a very great man who is in the apex of his career,” an official of the Egbe Omo Yoruba who did not want to be named said.
An official of Egbe Omo Yoruba in North America, said: “We lost a great man this weekend. He was an affectionate and decent man who lived for others through his meritorious services since he left Nigeria for Canada many years ago.”
An obituary by the The Yoruba Community in Italy announcing his death went viral on Sunday.
It reads: With Gratitude To Almighty God , the Yoruba community in Italy regrets to announce the sudden death of 64years old Dr. Olumide Okunuga, on Tuesday 10th March 2020.
“He was a Pathologist, an indigene of Ikenne Remo Ogun State, Nigeria. The President of Egbe Omo Yoruba Emilia Romagna and the Vice President of Yoruba National Community Italy. And two time elected councillor for Modena Italy, where he lived for 35 years.”
A lady, Ayishat Akanbi, who broke the news of the medical doctor’s death in London, said the deceased was her cousin.
Ayishat warned blacks to disregard the claim that coronavirus cannot affect them.
She said: “My cousin who is a doctor and in her early 30s died of coronavirus this morning for anyone irresponsible enough to think black people are immune.
“If you think that being a Nigerian, an African or black makes you immune to the now spreading and dreaded coronavirus, then, you may just have been lying to yourself.”
