A 400-level student of the University of Ilorin, Elijah Jude Anuoluwapo, has reportedly committed suicide after two unsuccessful attempts.
The deceased, who majored in Literature in the university’s Department of English, was said to have been frustrated over alleged rejection by family members after the death of his mother.
He died in the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), where he was rushed by his colleagues for medical attention after suffering from complications as a result of some drugs he took.
It was gathered that he had attempted committing suicide without success on two occasions.
One of his close friends, while narrating the circumstances that might have led to his action, said: “His father had abandoned his mother since she was carrying Jude’s pregnancy which later led to his mother’s death out of depression.
“Jude was raised by his maternal grandmother who later died last year of cancer complications. The development had become the main factor that had given him severe depression and frustration and made him attempt suicide twice before the last one that later led to his death earlier on Thursday morning.”
He described his late colleague as a brilliant student and would have been one of the best writers of his generation.
“Many of us pleaded with him and even referred him to the school counselling unit after the second unsuccessful attempt which was about three weeks ago.
“It came to our surprise that he later proceeded with another attempt around 8:15 pm Wednesday evening. We actually tried to save his life as usual, but to no avail, as he finally gave up the ghost earlier today in the hospital,” he added.
Other colleagues of the deceased blamed his death on the one going strike by medical workers.
“Many people quickly came to his rescue, most especially classmates to save his life as they promptly moved him to the school clinic and later to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) where he later died out of inadequate treatment because medical doctors were not available due to the ongoing strike action”, one of them said.
When contacted, the Director of Corporate Affairs, University of Ilorin, Mr Kunle Akogun told Daily Trust he has not been briefed about the incident but would find out and revert.
He was yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
