The authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, on Monday cleared the air regarding late Opeyemi Dara, a part four student of the Department of English, who was said to have committed suicide by taking Sniper allegedly because of poor academic performance.

A release by the Public Relations Officer of the University, Abiodun Olarewaju, stated that Opeyemi Dara, who resided off-campus, “allegedly first took the Sniper on April 22, 2019, but the Security Unit of the University, on getting the information, went to her house, took her first to the University Health Centre where she was referred to the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC). She was treated and discharged home to her parents. She was said to have been brought in by the parents and readmitted at the Intensive Care Unit of the OAUTHC last Thursday 1st of August after another dose of Sniper, and she unfortunately died the next day. There are indications that she had an underlying medical condition.”

The statement dismissed reports that the student took her life because of poor academic performance.

It reads: “Miss Dara is on a Cummulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.68 which qualified her, at least, to be an average student on a 2 - 2 class of grade. It is, therefore, our firm belief that a student who was on Second Class (Lower Division) cannot be said to be poor academically, talk less of committing suicide because of such. In actual fact, Opeyemi DARA did NOT have any outstanding course except her project which she was yet to submit. The project couldn’t have been a challenge to her because she had authored two books – ‘Heels on Steel’ (a play) and Let Me Run Mad Today (a poem) both published by the Words Rhymes and Rhythm Limited (www.wrr.ng).

“Opeyemi DARA was admitted to the university in the 2014/2015 academic session and her graduating year result (2017/2018) indicate that SHE HAD PASSED ALL THE DEPARTMENTAL COURSES except. Research Method and Project (EGL 420). She had NOT submitted any essay for grading which is understandable by virtue of her encounter of April 22 and the fact that she had not reported in the university since then.

“The Obafemi Awolowo University has a very robust Student Advisory System which has been in place for decades, and the university has the highest number of dedicated Guidance Counsellors of any university in Nigeria.

“The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, has appealed to all staff and students of the University to take advantage of the mechanisms put in place by the University administration in addressing all academic, social, medical and other challenges. All youths are advised never to see suicide as an option, since tough times do not last but are only passing phases in the lives of all mortals.”

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