Nigerian Woman Dies Hours after Arriving UK for Son’s Graduation

A Nigerian woman, Oluranti Akinyemi, has passed away in the United Kingdom less than a day after travelling to the country to attend her son’s graduation ceremony.

Findings by revealed that a fundraising campaign was initiated on the crowdfunding platform, JustGiving, with a target of £20,000 to facilitate the repatriation of her remains to Nigeria and offset related expenses.

As of Wednesday, £2,087 had been donated by 97 contributors.

In the appeal, posted by Adekunle Ogundana, the family appealed for support to return the deceased to Nigeria for burial.

“Help us bring our sister, mother, friend and beloved home, Mrs Oluranti Olufunmilayo Esther Akinyemi (née Oluwalana/Ogundana),” the statement partly read.

According to the post, Akinyemi travelled to the UK for her son’s graduation but reportedly suffered a sudden cardiac arrest in the early hours of the morning, less than 20 hours after her arrival.

She was said to have been rushed to Luton and Dunstable Hospital, where she remained on life support for three days before she was pronounced clinically dead.

The family described her death as shocking and heartbreaking, noting that urgent funds were required to clear outstanding medical bills in the UK, repatriate her body, and organise her funeral rites in Nigeria.

Akinyemi, believed to be a mother of four, reportedly arrived in the UK on February 11 for the graduation ceremony scheduled for February 18.

A United Kingdom-based X user, @DHKRULLAH, who circulated the fundraising link, disclosed that she suffered cardiac arrest on February 12, slipped into a coma, and was confirmed dead on February 14, 2026.

The development has triggered conversations on social media, with some users advising families to prioritise medical checks and precautionary measures when elderly relatives embark on long-distance travel.

One user, @agu_i, encouraged travellers to remain hydrated, limit alcohol and caffeine intake, walk around during extended flights, and consider wearing compression stockings to improve blood circulation.

Another user, @The4thTobs, recounted a similar experience involving a woman who reportedly collapsed shortly after landing in the UK to assist her daughter with childcare.

Meanwhile, @iamSwagga22 called for improved collaboration between health authorities and the aviation sector to better address travel-related medical emergencies.

The incident adds to recent reports of Nigerians who died in the UK, including Saburi Adeniji, who reportedly succumbed to complications arising from a severe brain stem injury.