Olympian Okorodudu is dead, owes hospital N.6m

Former Nigerian boxer, Jeremiah “Jerry” Okorodudu, is dead. He was aged 64.

A family source disclosed he died at a private hospital in Lawanson, Lagos, on Wednesday, 28 June after a prong battle with a foot ulcer

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

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

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

The Olympian was feeling better last week following several transfers from different hospitals, mainly due to lack of funds, before he was brought to the Lawanson hospital.

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

“It is true about his death. I just confirmed it after you called me, and I reached out to some colleagues,” Aboderin told some newsmen.

“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, said he sent N100,000 to him on Tuesday for the hospital bills .

“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. (Newspot)