The General Manager of Hilton Hotel in Ile-Ife, John Olalekan, has said only God can explain the circumstances surrounding the drowning of a 300-level student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Emmanuel Fatile, in the hotel’s swimming pool

Fatile, who was reportedly a good swimmer and trainer, drowned on Sunday while swimming in the pool.


According to Olalekan, the deceased had initially completed his swimming before going back into the pool.

He said all efforts to save Fatile, who came in company with two friends to the hotel, proved abortive.

“I want to put it straight that our swimming pool is fenced and secure.

The person that died inside the swimming pool was an expert and a trainer himself. He usually teaches other people how to swim.

“He had already completed swimming; he came out and went back inside the pool again.

“It is only God that can tell what happened. It is not explainable. If he was an amateur that came to swim, we couldn’t have allowed him to swim without using the floaters and tubes.


“We even give experts tubes. I think it is the wish of God. It is an unfortunate thing. This is the first time such will be happening.

“No one has died in our hotel before,’’ he said.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Osun, DSP Folashade Odoro, said the incident was still under investigation.