The management of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, has announced the death of a second-year medical student, Ajibola Ibitayo, who reportedly died by suicide.
In a statement released on Thursday, the university’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, said Ibitayo, with matriculation number DEN/2021/023, allegedly took his own life after failing his recent examinations.
According to Olarewaju, the exam results, published on Wednesday, meant that Ibitayo would have to repeat Part Two of his programme for a second consecutive year. “The entire OAU community is in mourning over the loss of a Part Two student from the Faculty of Dentistry,” the statement read in part.
The university disclosed that the student, whose father is a medical doctor, was said to have administered a fatal injection to himself at his parents’ home in Ejigbo, Osun State.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Simeon Bamire expressed deep sorrow over the incident and urged parents to help their children understand that academic setbacks are temporary challenges, not the end of their aspirations. He encouraged students to see failure as a stepping stone toward future success.
Bamire also prayed for comfort for the deceased’s family, colleagues, and the wider university community during this difficult time.
