Ketasco NSMQ Contestant Dies

…From Alleged Food Poisoning

By Gifty Arthur

James Lutterodt, a former student of the Keta Senior High Technical School (KSHTS) and finalist at the 2021 National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ), has mysteriously passed on.

Details of the heartbreaking news of otherwise promising star’s demise are sketchy, but reports say the brilliant19-year-old, died allegedly from food poisoning.

The unfortunate death, The Anchor gathered, occurred in the early hours of Monday, July 3, 2023 at a yet-to-be identified hospital.

A brief tribute from the official page of the NSMQ reads, “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of James Lutterodt. As a member of the history-making #NSMQ2021 Keta SHTS team, he made his school and region proud as the first school from the Volta Region at the NSMQ Final.”

“Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time. May his soul rest in peace,” the tribute noted.

James, together with his colleagues, Francisca Lamini and Bright Senyo Godzo, had remarkably impressed followers of the National Science and Maths Quiz, despite coming from a relatively deprived second cycle institution in the Volta Region.

They had even outshone the winners of that year’s quiz, Prempeh College, receiving all the accolades, media interviews, gifts and cash, among others.

Until his demise, James was said to be pursuing a degree in Computer Science at the University of Ghana, Legon in Accra.

Other reports also say he was preparing to travel out of the country to further his university studies.

Even though his family is yet to speak on James’s death, sources have said he was due to travel to the United States (US) to pursue his education at Howard University.

His lady colleague, Francisca, earlier last year, secured scholarship to study at Harvard University in the US. She is said to be studying medicine and, according to earlier reports, she scored straight ‘As’ in all her subjects in her first semester.

Nothing is however known of Bright, who was the third finalist.

Meanwhile, news of the young man’ James’s death has gone viral on social media with many expressing shock and sending messages of condolences to the bereaved family.

Many social media handles and pages first broke the news.

The Anchor’s monitoring of the death of James has also flooded traditional media.

An account by name The1957News quoted on its page “James Lutterodt, a member of KETASCO 2021 NSMQ team, has allegedly passed away on Monday morning after suffering food poisoning. James was one of the three students who made KETASCO proud at the 2021 NSMQ as they made tremendous strides in NSMQ history.”

Another user on Twitter, identified as FRIGGO, revealed that the young promising student was poisoned mysteriously as at the time he was set to travel outside for further studies.

James, together with Francisca and Bright, took KSHTS, also popularly known as KETASCO, to the finals of the NSMQ for the first time in the school’s history.

Although they lost to Prempeh College, their talents and efforts did not go unnoticed.

Source:Anchorghana.com