Ebonyi State University (EBSU) has cleared the school and a named lecturer of complicity in the suicide committed by a finalist student of the institution, Miss Favour Ugwuka, and painted a picture of an individual who underperformed from her first year.
Ugwuka, of the Department of English and Literary Study, allegedly committed suicide at the back of her hostel, Ishieke axis of the institution on May 22, 2024.
An apparent suicide note said she ended her life from frustration over repeated failing of a particular course by a named lecturer, which prevented her graduating with her set.
However, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chigozie Ogbu, on Monday, May 27, in Abakaliki in a press conference gave an official position on the issues surrounding the death of Ugwuka.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, the deceased failed to complain to the management about her predicament before taking the “unfortunate” step.
He said: “The university has a system where if after exams, a student feels that he or she is marked down or that the lecturer is victimizing him or her, the student knows what to do.
“When a student is confident that a lecturer has deliberately marked him or her down, and that she is sure that she passed the exam, what the student does is to complain to the HOD or Dean and deserve to request for re-mark.
“If she had been victimized by a lecturer, she should have approached the school management for complains
“We have our Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee and if any lecturer found victimizing a student, such lecturer will definitely be sanctioned and called to order.
“The School Management in collaboration with the security agencies are still investigating the incident.”
Speaking on the deceased’s academic performance, Prof Ngozi Emeka-Nwobia, Dean, Faculty of Social Social Science and Humanity of the School, painted the picture of an underperforming Ugwuka with deficiencies from her 100 level.
Emeka-Nwobia explained: “I have the certified true copy of the results of Ugwuka with the registration number; EBSU/2018/89726 for the department, who registered in the year 2018/2019 and that is her 1st year.
“In the first Semester, she offered nine courses out of which she failed three courses and had a CGP of 1.78. In her second semester first year, she took eight courses. Out of the eight courses, she failed two and had a CGP of 1.75 thereby having a sessional CGP of 1.76
“In the year 2021/2022, she took a total of 11 courses and failed two courses making a GP of 1.83. In second semester, she failed four courses making a GP of 1.18. Total CGP for the session -1.52.
“In her extra year, 2022/2023, she registered a total of six courses in first semester and she passed all. In second semester, she registered a total of six courses and failed one giving her a CGP of 2.84
“After the extra year, she had outstanding courses; ENG 224, ENG 416,;ENG 422. The bone of contention is ENG 416. In 2021, she scored 40 which is fail. She took it the second time in 2022/2023 and had 21 which is also fail.”
