The authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, have confirmed the death of Ajibola Ibitayo, a Part Two student of the Faculty of Dentistry, who allegedly committed suicide after failing his examinations for the second time.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the University’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abiodun Olarewaju, explained that the deceased, with matriculation number DEN/2021/023, ended his life shortly after results released on Wednesday indicated he would have to repeat his class for another academic year.
Olarewaju noted that Ibitayo had already been repeating Part Two before the latest results were released. He was said to have injected himself at his parents’ home in Ejigbo, Osun State.
“The entire OAU community has been thrown into mourning following the death of one of our Part Two Dentistry students, Ajibola Ibitayo. His results required him to repeat the class for a second time, a reality that reportedly led to his tragic decision,” the statement partly read.
Reacting to the incident, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Simeon Bamire, described the development as heartbreaking and urged parents and guardians to encourage their children to see academic setbacks as temporary hurdles rather than permanent defeats.
He further appealed to students and young people to embrace failure as an opportunity to re-strategise and pursue greater success, stressing that academic struggles should never be equated with the end of hope.
Prof. Bamire also prayed for strength and comfort for the bereaved family, the Faculty of Dentistry, the College of Health Sciences, and the wider university community over the loss.
