A Nigerian university student tragically collapsed and died on Good Friday, April 15, while reenacting the crucifixion scene during a school performance of “The Passion of the Christ.” However, the specific cause of his death hasn’t yet been revealed.
“Initially when it happened we thought it was a joke,” an eyewitness named Micheal Eluwa told Vanguard News Nigeria of the tragedy, which occurred at the Clariantian University of Nigeria (CUN) in Nekede.
The victim, named Suel Ambrose, 25, who was playing Saint Peter in the play, had fallen down during the scene where the Apostle slices off a Roman soldier’s ear to protect Jesus, the Mirror reported.
This confused the audience, who initially thought it was “it was part of the drama,” per Eluwa’s testimony. However, they realized “it was a serious matter,” after the philosophy student didn’t get up and started bleeding, whereupon bystanders scrambled to assist the prone performer.
“At the time the incident occurred everybody came together and rushed the deceased to a school hospital and later, when the case became worse, he was taken to a nearly Federal Medical Center, FMC.”
“It was from there we heard he could not survive it,” recalled Eluwa of the unfortunate pupil, who had reportedly dreamt of being a priest after graduating.
University management stated they will address Suel’s death at a later time.