“He had already been repeating Part Two during the last session.”
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Colleagues of a Dentistry student at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, have mourned the death of Ajibola Ibitayo, an undergraduate of the citadel who was said to have taken his life.
Ibiyato allegedly took the decision due the unfavourable academic result he just recorded.
The development occurred at a time the university is still searching for one of its students who got missing since about a week ago.
The President of the Dentistry Students’ Association, Adebayo Idris, announced Ibitayo’s passage in a statement.
Idris wrote: “It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of one of our colleagues in the Faculty of Dentistry,” the statement read in part. We have received the painful news that he took his own life shortly after the release of his examination result.
“This loss is not just the departure of a promising young mind, but a painful reminder of the silent battles many students face. As an association, we are devastated, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, classmates, and all who knew him.
“Mental health is just as important as physical health, and no one should ever feel alone in their struggles.”
Meanwhile, the management of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, has confirmed the death of the part-two medical student.
A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr. Abiodun Olarewaju, on Thursday, stated that the student with the matriculation number: DEN/2021/023), took his life after failing his examinations.
Olarewaju said the results of examinations were released on Wednesday and it would have required Ibitayo to repeat Part Two for the second time.
“The entire community of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, has been thrown into mourning following the death of a Part Two student of the Faculty of Dentistry.
“He had already been repeating Part Two during the last session.
“The student, whose father is a medical doctor, reportedly injected himself at his parents’ home in Ejigbo, Osun State,” the statement read part
Saddened by the development, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Simeon Bamire, appealed to parents and guardians to instill in their children and wards the understanding that temporary setbacks in the pursuit of success are part of life and not the end of it.
In August 1919, a similar incident had occurred in the varsity, as has been the case in some other tertiary institutions in the country.
Then, Opeyemi Dara, who was a final year student of the Faculty of Arts, Department of English Language, had allegedly died by suicide after taking a suspected dose of lethal substance popularly known as “snipper”.
This happened following her alleged her poor academic performance, although the details of the incident were still sketchy.
Dara’s academic records obtained indicated that she had five outstanding courses and 12 Special Electives.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of OAU, Mr Abiodun Olanrewaju confirmed the incident and promised that the institution would investigate and make its findings public.
Olarewaju appealed to students not to contemplate committing suicide because of poor academic performance,
“We sympathise with the parents and guardian of the deceased known as Dara.
“We just want our students and young ones to know that depression is not a thing they should encourage, no matter the situation or circumstance they find themselves.
“ Some people in the past have passed through the same situation and circumstances and came out clean.
“Now, suicide can never be an option and people, especially the young ones who believe that taking their own lives is an act of gallantry should know that it is not.
“We want to appeal to students, particularly OAU students to take things easy. Any child that fails; that is why the university says you can rerun a course, you can resit a course.
“People out there also face challenges and when you are in school, failure or repetition of a course or particular subject is also part of the challenges students must face.
“The university will get to the root of the incident and get back to the public,” Olarewaju said.
