A 24-year-old Nigerian Participant of 2016 Mandela Washington
Fellowship, John Paul Usman, has died over the weekend after an accident
while hiking near Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
where he was studying Civic Leadership.
The U.S Mission to Nigeria in a statement said:
"We extend our deepest condolences to John Paul’s family and
friends over this tragic loss. John Paul was a rising star, devoted to
the causes of sustainable development, children’s rights, and peace
building in Nigeria. His selection to the Mandela Washington Fellowship
was a tribute to his drive, talent, and dedication to making his
country’s civil society even stronger."
According to reports, John Paul just left Nigeria this month on the
16th of June. He had been enjoying the Mandela Fellowship Experience as
he shared photos from the various activities as well as inspiring words
which reads: "The road of life is made smoother when traveled with
someone you love."
Narrating on how the incident happened, DailyTrust reported;
"A colleague of the late Usman from South Africa, Nzuzi
narrated what happened: “We went on a hiking trip. I was walking ahead
with four other fellows, including John Paul and one of our
coordinators. When we reached the waterfall where some decided to swim,
John Paul kept insisting I go into the water and I didn’t, because it
was too cold.
"He decided to join the fellows who were right under the water
and the next thing that happened was that he slipped into the water and
started drowning. Another fellow tried to save him but they both
disappeared for a while. We were all freaked out and then the one fellow
(trying to rescue the deceased) came back up but JP remained unseen. We
started screaming for help, and people jumped in to look for him. They
then recovered his body."
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