The Ikorodu area of Lagos State was thrown into mourning on Tuesday following the tragic death of 19-year-old Opesusi Faith Timilehin, a young student who allegedly took her own life after scoring 190 in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Her death has sparked national conversations about academic pressure and mental health support for students.
According to neighbors and family sources, Faith had been preparing diligently for the UTME with hopes of gaining admission into one of Nigeria’s top federal universities. However, she was reportedly devastated after receiving a score of 190, believing it was too low to secure admission into her desired course of study.
The heartbreaking incident occurred at her family home in Ikorodu. Sources revealed that Faith had become withdrawn after the results were released and left a note expressing her frustration and disappointment. She was later found unresponsive and confirmed dead by emergency responders.
Close friends described her as intelligent, hardworking, and ambitious—traits that made her the pride of her community. “She always talked about becoming a lawyer. She felt like she had failed herself and her parents,” one neighbor said. “But none of us thought it would come to this.”
Mental health professionals and education advocates have since condemned the societal and academic pressure faced by Nigerian students, calling for urgent reforms in how performance and success are measured. “A UTME score should never be a death sentence,” said a youth psychologist who spoke on condition of anonymity. “We must start prioritizing student wellbeing over unrealistic expectations.”
Faith’s death has ignited outrage on social media, with thousands calling on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and educational institutions to provide more inclusive alternatives and counseling support for students coping with exam results and admission anxiety.
As the nation mourns the loss of yet another promising youth, advocacy groups are urging schools, parents, and policy makers to work together in building a system where students are not crushed by scores, but uplifted by support and guidance.
