A 26-year-old Nigerian student in the United Kingdom, Obanyeli Jesse Chima, has died after suffering an asthma attack while celebrating his birthday with friends in London.
Chima, who had recently completed a master’s degree in Public Health, was awaiting his graduation when the incident occurred on September 19.
According to MyLondon, Chima was with his friend, Eva, and her partner at a lounge for a birthday celebration. The three friends had birthdays on consecutive days in September and had arranged to celebrate together.
During the outing, Chima reportedly told Eva that he needed to step outside for fresh air because he was experiencing an asthma attack.
He struggled to breathe and used three inhalers, but they did not relieve his condition.
Eva called an ambulance, but Chima collapsed while she was speaking to the emergency operator.
She told MyLondon that their friend began performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with guidance from emergency operators as paramedics worked to stabilise him.
“Multiple ambulances came, and they spent around two hours working on him to stabilise his heart. They finally got him to the hospital and told us he’s on life support,” Eva said.
She explained that doctors initially gave them hope that Chima might recover, but his condition failed to improve.
“Two days later, they said he’s not getting better. There was no improvement. They eventually did a brain test on him and confirmed that he was brain-dead. On September 25, we lost him,” she said.
Eva described the experience as devastating, noting that the friends had been laughing together shortly before the emergency.
She said the birthday gathering was the only opportunity they had found to celebrate together because of their schedules.
Chima had recently completed his postgraduate studies and was looking forward to attending his graduation ceremony. His family had reportedly saved money for the occasion.
“His family had saved money for his graduation, and now that money needs to be used to bury their child. It’s horrible,” Eva said.
Chima and Eva became friends after leaving Nigeria to study in London. He also worked at Chelsea Football Club, the team he supported.
Describing him as a cherished friend, Eva said he was “the life of the party”. His sudden death reportedly shocked friends who considered him physically fit.
Chima is survived by three siblings in Nigeria. His family is making arrangements to bring his remains home for burial.
Meanwhile, Eva and other friends have launched a fundraising campaign to help cover the cost of transporting his body to Nigeria, as well as mortuary fees and other related expenses.
Eva said the family preferred to have Chima buried in Nigeria so relatives could see him before his burial.
She added that the cost of repatriation would place additional pressure on a family already grieving the loss of their son.
The fundraising campaign aims to raise between £7,000 and £9,000 to cover the expenses associated with returning Chima’s body to Nigeria.