Kofi Adams, Ghana’s Minister of Sports and Recreation, has established a seven-member committee to investigate the death of Nigerian boxer Oluwasegun Olanrewaju, popularly known as ‘Success’. 

Olanrewaju collapsed during a match at the Trust Sports Emporium Boxing Arena in Bukom and was later pronounced dead at Korle-Bu Hospital. His death has triggered widespread debate about athlete health and safety, drawing attention to the Bel 7 Star Ghana Boxing League.

In response to the tragedy, the Sports Minister had vowed to launch a probe, and the formation of this committee marks the first major move toward uncovering the facts.

Leading the committee is Major (Retd) Amarkai Amarteifio, with members including former Ghana Boxing Authority President Peter Zwennes, experienced sports journalists Ekow Ansah and Samuel Bartels, along with Eddie Pappoe, Juliana Addo-Yobo, and Martin Engmann.

The committee's primary objective is to investigate whether all necessary precautions and protocols were observed by the organisers of the boxing league match in order to prevent the tragic death of Olanrewaju.

According to the terms of reference, the committee is to “determine the circumstances leading to the death of the Nigerian boxer Gabriel Oluwasegun Olanrewaju at the Bukom Boxing Arena on the 29th of March 2025.”

Additionally, they will “determine whether the licensing authorities in Nigeria acted with due diligence and followed procedure in allowing the boxer to accept an international match in Accra according to his qualification and experience.”

The Nigerian Boxing Board of Control has raised serious concerns about the circumstances surrounding Olanrewaju’s death. In a letter, the board highlighted what they described as “negligence on the part of Ghana Boxing Authority.”

The board raised several concerns about the circumstances of Olanrewaju’s final fight, pointing to irregularities such as a mismatch in weight class. They noted that although the bout was designated as a light-heavyweight contest, Olanrewaju weighed in at 85kg — a figure that falls within the cruiserweight category. They also alleged that the boxer did not undergo a mandatory pre-fight medical examination at the weigh-in.

Moreover, the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBBofC) revealed that their official clearance approved the fight for March 28, yet the bout took place on March 29 without any prior notification of the date change.

An autopsy later confirmed that the 40-year-old boxer died of sudden cardiac arrest during the match. He collapsed mid-fight against Ghanaian opponent Jon Mbanugu during Fight Night 15 of the Ghana Professional Boxing League and was pronounced dead shortly after at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.

Olanrewaju, a former National and West African light-heavyweight titleholder, enjoyed a lengthy boxing career after turning professional in 2019. He competed in 24 pro matches, achieving 13 wins — 12 of which came by knockout — along with nine defeats and two draws.