Onyeka Onwenu
Nigerian musician, Onyeka Onwenu is dead at the age of 72. She died on Tuesday after she performed in a birthday party of an 80-year old entrepreneur, Stella Chinyere Okoli in Lagos. Local reports say Onwenu slumped after she left the stage and sat down. She slumped, fainted and was taken to a Lagos hospital where she was pronounced dead.
A story circulating on WhatApp in among Nigerians attribute her death to exhaustion after her “Energetic performance”
it Read: Just last Saturday, early in the morning, I was on the street for a road walk. A lot of young men and women were also doing one form of exercise or the other on the street. I walked, and jogged, and I started palpitating. I immediately reached out for a place to sit down. One young man who was a bit far away from me started shouting, “Bros, stand up. Bros, stand up!” I looked up and he was actually pointing my direction. I stood up immediately. He said to me, “Walk around for a while. Don’t sit down immediately after an exercise”. I shouted back to him and said, “Bros, thank you!” He jogged past me. I was still breathing fast, palpitating. I walked around until I stopped palpitating. When I got to the house, I did a few searches on the internet for why someone should not sit down immediately after a cardiovascular exercise. Guess what, the result was quite stunning. Doctors advise against sitting down immediately after cardiovascular exercise to help prevent dizziness, fainting, or blood pooling in the legs. During intense exercise, blood flow is redirected to the muscles, and suddenly stopping can lead to a rapid drop in blood pressure. Gradually cooling down with light activity helps maintain steady blood circulation and ensures a smoother transition back to a resting state. This practice supports better cardiovascular health and reduces the risk of post-exercise complications. Sudden cessation of intense exercise has contributed to serious health issues, including death, particularly in individuals with underlying cardiovascular conditions, or aged people. For example, cases of fainting or sudden cardiac events could potentially occur if the body doesn’t transition smoothly from high-intensity exercise to rest. Proper warm-up and cool-down routines, as well as consulting with a healthcare provider before starting an intense exercise program, can help mitigate these risks.
This admonition quickly came to my mind when I read about the death of Onyeka Onwenu this morning. She had just finished performing in a birthday party. Reports say her performance was “Energetic”. And she was 72 years old. Not quite young anymore. After her performance, she immediately went and sat down. Then she slumped and fainted. She was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Death is a necessary end that will come when it will, William Shakespeare says in Julius Caesar. However, evolution in the field of health science and technology offers some helpful insights to help prevent some death cases.
Onyeka Onwenu has come, seen and conquered. May her beautiful soul rest in peace. Amen
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