Controversy Over OAU Undergraduate's Suicide

The suicide of a 16-year-old student of Microbiology Department at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Miss Mercy Afolaranmi, has continued to generate ripples in the institution. 

Afolaranmi, who was in 100-level, reportedly took rat poison on Thursday because of her poor grade in a compulsory course in Chemistry.


Some students said she first withdrew from her close friends before she eventually took her life. One of the students, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Afolaranmi became sad when she saw that her grade was poor.
She first became distressed because she got an E in CHM 101 and eventually committed suicide.



But some students also said the female student did not kill herself because of the poor grade as being speculated by many of her colleagues. One of the students, who identified himself as Feyi, said the incident should be properly investigated to know why she killed herself; “if she indeed killed herself.”


One of the workers at the OAU Health Centre, who also declined to be named, said the girl was not brought to the centre because she lived in the town and not on campus. She said, “I am sure her death might have been prevented if she lived on campus because her colleagues would have seen her and discouraged her from killing herself.”


The Public Relations Officer of the OAU, Mr. Abiodun Olanrewaju, confirmed the incident. He, however, said the reason for the alleged suicide was not clear. We really don’t know what caused her death. There is this rumour that she committed suicide because of poor grade. She was a 100-level student. We don’t know what happened.

From punch