Controversy surrounds Ebonyi varsity student’s death after failed exam

Controversy has surrounded the death of a final-year student of the Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, identified as Favour Ugwuka, on Wednesday night.

Our correspondent gathered that Ugwuka took her life in her hostel at the Ishieke Campus of the school in Abakaliki.

Further investigations revealed that the deceased, a final year student in the Department of English, passed all her courses but repeatedly failed a particular course, whose lecturer was said to have vowed she would never pass.

It was learnt that the late Ugwuka went into depression after several attempts to pass the said course and was frequently seen on the campus wandering alone until she decided to take her life on Wednesday night.

In a video seen online by our correspondent, a woman said to be the deceased’s mother blamed a lecturer for making her daughter commit suicide.

According to the woman, who was seen lamenting in the video, “The lecturer said he is the best, that nobody can teach like him. He should come and carry my daughter who has committed suicide.”

Also, a graduate of the institution who identified himself as Rex Nwome claimed that the girl committed suicide because she had been failing a particular course repeatedly.

He said, “Favour was my classmate and a best friend to me in the English Department. The above-mentioned lecturer did vow never to allow Favour to graduate.

“You could imagine where she later passed all the courses except that lecturer’s that, she had to pay another extra year tuition fee to rewrite.

“Unfortunately the man failed her again. What resulted in this intense depression is the latest NYSC names that were recently shortlisted, and her name wasn’t there.”

He added, “The girl suffered a lot of depression because she was only left wandering about the EBSU seeking help. She was very desperate to graduate and serve. This and many more of the disgusting stories resulted in this suicide mission.

“I wish she didn’t go this far to end her life. R. I. P. Ugwuka Favour till we meet to part no more.”

The Ebonyi State Police Command confirmed the incident on Thursday.

The command’s spokesman, DSP Joshua Ukandu, told our correspondent that the matter was reported to the headquarters.

He said, “Yes, the command received the report of a suicide by a female student.”

As of the time of filing this report, efforts to get the reaction of the university proved abortive.