Why would 16 Year Old OAU Lady Kill Herself?

The probing questions on every lip is why would a 16 year old Mercy Olamide Afolaranmi, a student of Microbiology at the Obafemi Awolowo decide to kill herself?

The general belief was, Mercy poisoned herself having failed one of the dreaded subject (CHM101 – Chemistry for first year students) in Faculty of Science in the university. Some of her colleagues said she suffered from emotional pressure.

The Chief Security Officer of the school, Mr. Babatunde Oyatokun said Miss Afolaranmi poisoned herself due to poor grade in one of her subjects.
According to the school’s Chief Security Officer, Miss Afolaranmi, poisoned herself. Students and a neighbour close to the deceased also said she killed herself due to poor grade. He went further that; “We got a call that one of our students took poison,” Mr. Oyatokun said. “We got to hospital to realise that she mixed rat poison. She gave us the contact of her parents but before they arrived, she already gave up due to the effect of the poison she took.”

READ ALSO: Untold Story Of a Director Who Commited Suicide in Kogi State.

The student who lived off campus was said to have mixed “rat poison with battery extract.”
A student colleague confirmed that; “Mercy often isolated herself in class and looked depressed,” said Aisha. “She told me she had ‘E’ in CHM101 and has been going around unhappy before this incident.” Another student in the Faculty of Student, Opeyemi, said “she took poison because of result.”
Could it have been the failure of a subject that led to a young Mercy to commit suicide? Before her death, on October 10, she posted on Facebook that: “Above all other things, I just wanna see God, see what He looks like, speak with Him face to face. I don’t wanna miss heaven. LORD HELP ME.”

There could be more to the death of Mercy whose parents would be in mourning as at the time of this post. The trend of anyone committing suicide is strange to Nigeria until last two years when the news became a vogue.
Life might sometimes be bitter, but suicide is not the easiest option. It might not necessarily be an heartbreak or being jilted by a lover, this girl might just be one of those haunted by relationship with family, friends (her roommates and course mates, included).
It is the responsibility of parents going forward, to monitor the activities of their children and avert this type of avoidable tragic end to this promising young lady.
Mercy could not have died because she failed a subject, her death could be an accumulated frustrations of things around her that has to do with her destiny,

OPINION: Adesoji OMOSEBI

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