The University of Ilorin community has been thrown into mourning following the tragic death of a 200-level student from the Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences (CIS), who reportedly took his own life due to financial difficulties.
Sources within the university revealed that the deceased, a Mass Communication student with a cumulative grade point of 4.5, was struggling with severe economic hardship.
It was gathered that his financial woes worsened after he resumed school last year, prompting his colleagues to rally support by raising funds for his tuition and feeding.
The student, who lost his father a few years ago, had been depending on his mother, a retired school teacher, for financial support.
However, the burden of meeting his academic and personal needs reportedly became overwhelming.
Tragically, he was said to have consumed a poisonous substance at his private residence in the Oke-Odo area of Tanke, Ilorin, last weekend. His roommate, who had left for lectures, later returned to find a note in which the deceased expressed his frustration over his financial struggles.
A senior administrative officer at the university, who confirmed the incident to journalists on Tuesday, described it as shocking.
“This is a heartbreaking loss. The entire university community is in deep mourning,” he said.
The development has sparked renewed concerns over the economic challenges faced by students and the need for more institutional support systems.
