When a young undergraduate suddenly
commits suicide, neighbours and friends are
bound to draw various conclusions.
It is a more puzzling tragedy because
suicide is not common among youths in
Nigeria.
Till date, people are wondering why an
undergraduate of the University of Lagos
identified simply as Seun committed suicide
on January 19. His action has left his family
and friends in shock.
Claims by neighbours that he was a brilliant
student in school could not be ascertained
as efforts to investigate whichdepartment
he was, proved abortive.
He lived with his aunt at 9, Alhaja Adijat
Lawal, Beesam, Mafoluku, Lagos, where the
incident was said to have occurred.
When our correspondent paid the family
avisit, Seun’s aunt was still in shock.
“Please, I cannot say anything because this
is a big tragedy for us,” said the woman,
who did not give her name, said.
But some neighbours who spoke to our
correspondent gave an insight into the kind
of person Seun was and the circumstances
surrounding his alleged suicide.
Most of those who spoke declined to give
their names because they fear the
deceased’s family might not look kindly
upon them for speaking on their tragedy.
A young woman said of Seun, “I knew he
was a student. I just did not know he
attended UNILAG. He was an easy going and
quiet man. We probably would have been
close if he was not the quiet type.
“The day of the incident, I just got home
from an errand and I was told Seun had
been rushed to a hospital. When I asked
what happened, I was told he went out to
buy a substance and locked himself inside
his room.
“I still don’t know what happened to
makehim take that action. I think those in
the house when he went to buy the
substancemust have suspected he was
going to do something drastic because they
later forced the door open, but he had
already ingested the substance he went to
buy. They quickly took him to the hospital.”
It was learnt that Seun died later that
evening in the hospital.
The young woman who spoke with our
correspondent said she did not know the
hospital Seun was taken to for treatment.
Our correspondent went to St. Nicholas
Clinic, which was the nearest to the streetto
find out if any young man was brought
there on January 19 for suspected poison
ingestion. A nurse, who identified herself as
Ibidun, said their records showed no such
thing.
A beer joint operator on a street adjacent to
Seun’s street said he knew the deceased
too. But he could only remember him as “a
very quiet young man of about 27 years
old.”
The young woman who had earlier
spokenwith our correspondent put Seun’s
age at around 28.
Suicides are still seen as taboo in many parts
of Nigeria, a reason family and friends of
victims would rather not speak about it in
public.
“Please, whatever you want to know, I think
it is better you speak with the family,” a
tailor around the building where Seun lived
told our correspondent.
Seun’s suicide remains shrouded in mystery
more because the police have said no report
was made about it.
Public Relations Officer of the Airport Police
Command, Lagos, Mr. Dennis Ifijen, said, “We
have no record of the case. I have not heard
about it.”
Seun is the second undergraduate of
UNILAG to commit suicide in the last one
month, Saturday PUNCH learnt.
On New Year’s Eve, Damilola Durojaiye, a
computer science student of the university,
also allegedly committed suicide at his
parents’ Akute-Ajuwon, Ogun State home.
The 19-year-old was said to be a brilliant
student with a cumulative grade point
average of about 3.9.
He reportedly stayed at home when his
parents went for the cross-over service, only
for them to come back and see his body
dangling from where he hanged himself.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the
state, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, said at the time
that a suicide note was found where
Durojaiye hung himself.
It probably may never be known what drove
Seun to consider suicide as the wayout like
Durojaiye, but the incident is a pointer to the
fact that problems faced byyouths in the
country are increasingly becoming
psychological.

One thing i've noticed is these victims of suicide are usually brilliant folks,and most of them happen to be nerds and efikos.Now,what else would make their frustration/depression lead to suicide if not being a reject in the social class and prolly looked down upon by classmates as plebs?? *just asking*

binger: One thing i've noticed is these victims of suicide are usually brilliant folks,and most of them happen to be nerds and efikos.Now,what else would make their frustration/depression lead to suicide if not being a reject in the social class and prolly looked down upon by classmates as plebs?? *just asking*

am also dumbfounded ooo

The late boxer Omar Henry wanted life but could not have it. This young man had life but could not keep it. How twisted!!

Damilola happened to be my skol son when in secondary skol. He was in JSS1 while i was in SS3. I was shocked when i heard of his death. God help us all.

methodman: Damilola happened to be my skol son when in secondary skol. He was in JSS1 while i was in SS3. I was shocked when i heard of his death. God help us all.

amen o