By Emmanuel Kehinde, Ilorin
A 400 level English Language student of the University of Ilorin, identified as Elijah Jude Anuoluwapo, has reportedly committed suicide in the early hours of Thursday by taking illicit drug substances.
Our Correspondent gathered that the undergraduate died in the University of IIorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), where he was rushed to by his colleagues for medical attention.
Reliable sources recalled in separate interview with our Correspondent that Anuoluwapo had on two occasions tried committing suicide before the latest incident.
They added that the deceased was frustrated by alleged rejection by his members of his immediate family after the reported death of his mother.
“His( Anuoluwapo) 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, sources said, had become the main factor that gave the deceased severe depression and frustration and made him to attempt suicide twice before the last one, a close friend of the deceased who preferred to remain anonymous,said.
“Jude was a very brilliant student and even one of the very best with mastery of languages in the whole of the university campus.
“Many of us pleaded with him and even referred him to the school counselling unit after the second unsuccessful attempt about three weeks ago.
“It came to our surprise that he later proceeded with another attempt around 8:15p.m on Wednesday. We actually tried to save his life as usual, but to no avail as he finally gave up ghost in the hospital. If he didn’t die, he should have been one of the very best writers of the next generation,”he added.
When contacted, the University’s Director of Information, Mr Kunle Akogun, said he had not received any information about the development.
The Polic Public Relations Officer PPRO for the Police Command in the state,SP Okasanmi Ajayi also said that he was not aware of the incident.
Both officials promised to get back to our correspondent as soon as they had any information about the tragedy.
But, as at the time of filing this report at 6.26p.m on Thursday, they were yet to volunteer any information on the issue.
According to Wikipedia,one early Greek historical person to commit suicide was Empedocles around 434 B.C.
One of his beliefs was that, death was a transformation.
It is possible this idea influenced his suicide.
Empedocles died by throwing himself into the Sicilian volcano Mount Etna.
